Hotchkiss Haven

Target deals this week - 4/17

2011-04-19T13:46:00.001-07:00

Went to Target today to get some of the good deals going on along with a few things we needed. Spent $36.13 and saved $48.79...not too bad! This included 3 board games that I think will work with the pizza deal going on so this trip may be even better than I originally thought!

I spend about 2 hours per week researching deals and cutting coupons. That is spread out over time, 5 minutes here and there. I think it is worth it. Our food/household budget is small but we feel so blessed and are able to stock up and do well thanks to the Lord first and second to deal shopping and coupon clipping :).

CVS deals this week 4/17

2011-04-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

Stocked up on some soap, shave gel and some candy for Easter today. Spent: $12.37 and saved $32.02! pretty great deal! This also included a Starbucks bottled frappucino for me to enjoy on the ride home :) and a bad of soft lemon candy marked down to $.24 :).

SERENITY NOW !?!

2011-04-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite TV shows was Seinfeld. In one episode, George's Dad tries a new approach in dealing with his anger issues. Instead of yelling or getting angry with the person or situation, he says SERENITY NOW! to bring him calm. It helped him....for about five minutes. I am famous around here for saying Serenity Now when upset just as a joke. There is a fine line to walk when dealing with anger, frustration, disappointment, grief, etc. While you don't want to completely give in to the feelings and end up in sin, you also cannot ignore them as if they don't exist and proclaim Serenity Now and be done with it. Many times I find myself either getting really upset about a problem or doing the opposite and plastering a happy positive face on and pretending that it does not bother me. If you read the Psalms you will see that emotion is clearly shown. Many are praising God and full of blessing, encouragement, and positivity. But, there are some that are downright distraught. The key I think is what you do with the emotion. When faced with adversity do I (a) Cry, drown my sorrow in a pint of Ben&Jerry's Chubby Hubby ice cream, a giant Symphony bar and/or cheesecake. (b) hold it in to the point of busting and start yelling at those around me I love the most. (c) Cry, pour my heart out to God, be honest and ask Him to meet me where I am in my emotion and then put my big girl pants back on and do the best with what I know and have at the time? I would love to write that I always do option (c) but that is not true. But it is what I strive for. We are soooooo blessed to have a personal God. One that wants a relationship with us. One that wants us to pour our hearts out to him, not only the good but the bad and ugly too. He knows it all anyway so why not unburden ourselves to the One that cares for us the most? What are some practical ways that you deal with anger, sadness, and frustration?

Homeschool science...salamander style!

2011-04-13T11:30:00.001-07:00

About a month or so ago, we were at a friend's house and back in their creek the children discovered some blobs of eggs. What did we do? Put them in a cup and brought them home of course! We put them in an old dishpan and waited (don't' worry this is a different dishpan than the one we play in ;)). They hatched recently and this is what they look like.....

Salamanders! What fun! We are in a unit study on Botany but there is nothing wrong with doing more than one study, right? So the older children got on the Internet and researched what they need to eat and all of that fun stuff and now we are caring for them.

I've got a 3 year old...help!

2011-04-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

Having a preschooler can be a lot of fun. They are older than babies so they can talk with you, they are inquisitive, they are excited by small things but they can also be a challenge. They are too big to do baby things, yet too small to do what the big kids are doing. This can present a challenge especially in winter or rainy days.

See this face? Looks sweet and innocent, right? Well this little guy needs some activities or he tends to find his own in the realm of the naughty ;). Finding fun activities does not need to cost a lot of money or even any money. Household items can be turned from mundane to fundane...er ...fun! A great resource is The Preschooler's Busy Book by Trish Kuffner. Many fun and cheap activities. Today we played with soapy water. Take a wash basin, baby bath or bucket and start filling it halfway with water and squirt in a little dish soap for sudsy fun! I scavenged the kitchen and through in a few things I thought he could play with. A whisk, empty baby food jar, some spoons and a dishcloth. His big brother lent him his yellow submarine and Roman played for over an hour! Don't believe me? Here's the proof....

There are many activities and also some in the book that can make for enjoyable days for both mommy and preschoolers! Some other of his favorites are: washing coins, homemade playdough, counting and sorting beans and rice, and nature walks. What are some of your ideas to help entertain this age group?

Sometimes the best lessons are not learned in school

2011-03-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

We homeschool. So each day is rich with learning through living lessons. We normally have a regular schooling schedule. This morning I was thinking about how busy this week was going to be and how am I going to fit in their lessons. Then I remembered that they are far ahead with their school work and are slated to finish early. I then announced that this week we would be doing bible lessons but the rest is going to be living through learning. Oh the poor children were crushed......not! I try to be on the lookout for teachable opportunities. I got one handed to me today....literally!

How can a learning/teachable moment be handed to me literally you ask? Well it came in the form of a family size bag of lunch sack size baked chips. Confused now? Good ;). We went to Walmart to get more of Roman's probiotics and I saw the pack of chip packs and picked them up to go in hubby's lunches, along with a few other things.....you know how Walmart is! The cashier rang us up and I just had a feeling something was wrong. As she handed me the chips, I checked my receipt. Sure enough, she didn't' charge me for them. What happened next was quick but I am going to slow it down like i did when I talked to the children because it is important. *Disclosure* I am not saying any of this to toot my own horn or chastise anyone else, just to relay a teachable moment.

I had two options at this point. I could ignore the fact that she didn't charge me, take it as a blessing and move on. Hey, she won't get in trouble, it wasn't a movie or video game so the sensors wouldn't' go off. Doubt Walmart would miss $6.34 in their bottom line, no one else would know...right? But that isn't' true. I knew and God knew. Jesus says that we are to give Caesar what is Caesars, or in this case Walmart what is Walmarts. I purchased the item, I am to pay for it. If we want to live like no one else, and make an impression on those around us.....if we are to be different because of our beliefs, then we need to live that. We are to model that behavior. It doesn't matter if it is a $.50 kit kat bar, a $1500 flat screen HD tv or in this case, a $6.34 bag of chips.....it isn't a money issue, it is a heart issue. Can God trust me to do what is right with the small stuff? If he can't, how could he trust me to do what is right with the big stuff? How can I be trusted with a garage full of pantry goods to feed the poor if I can't be trusted to do the right thing with a bag of chips? I couldn't be.

So, I told the cashier that I didn't think she charged me for the chips and showed her the receipt. She said oops and scanned it and I paid my $6.34 plus tax. I left their with so much more than a bag of baked chips though. I left their teaching my children a valuable life lesson that is not in any text book out there.

What you CAN do

2011-02-21T11:24:00.000-08:00

Go to a restaurant and ask for a glass of water then drink some. Take a look at it and what do you see? There are many in the world that look at the glass as half full. Many that think it is half empty. Me? I think the glass is full of germs and I want it far away from myself and my kids!! Excuse me miss, can you please give us some straws?

It is so easy as a parent to deal with a fear. Especially after you hear about someone else's tragedy or misfortune. I went through many days and sleepless nights of what ifs. I have resisted the urge to purge my house of dressers and bookshelves - they could fall. To cover every outlet with one of those protectors so they kids don't electrocute themselves. You know what that accomplished? Sean and I not being able to use certain outlets because we can't get the covers off! The urge to stay indoors through flu season and not allow anyone near us at all. It's tough. The title of this post is What you can do but first I want to talk about what you cannot do. Well since I shouldn't tell you what to do.....What I cannot do.

I cannot remove all furniture from my house. I cannot keep everyone away from me and my family. I cannot remove every sharp object from my house, car and surroundings. I cannot keep anything flammable away from all members of my household. I cannot live in fear during every pregnancy that something could go wrong. I cannot stay up and watch my child all night to make sure they do not succumb to SIDS. I cannot keep my children in my house at all times and keep them from being kids that want to ride bikes, skateboards, trampolines, and play outside. I cannot live gripped with fear.

Does this mean I hand my kids a book of matches, gasoline, sharp knives, beer, dipped in honey and throw them in the woods? Of course not. Here is what I CAN do. I can do my best to make their environment safe. I can train them as best I can to avoid pitfalls. I can love them and show them love by establishing rules and boundaries. I can feed them healthy, well balanced meals. I can show them dangers of things that can harm them like alcohol, drugs, bad influences . I can teach them to act responsibly with other items that can potentially harm them and others like fire, guns, knives, and mean words. Above all there is one thing I can do, one thing I should do. Give my children over to God. They are his anyway. They are only mine for a short time but they are his always. I love them so incredibly much but guess what? He loves them more. I can commit my children into his loving arms and do the best I can to parent them in such a way that tragedy can be avoided but it is not a guarantee.

My heart breaks when I see a mom eat organic, drink filtered water, avoid alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, sushi, deli meat, get exercise, naps and reduce stress; end up losing her child anyway. It breaks my heart when I hear about a child that died even though his parents gave them clear rules and boundaries yet tragedy occurred anyway. I weep along with them when they implement all the safety measures they can think of yet their child loses their life on the one thing they did not think of.

Yet my heart rejoices when I read the Bible and see that I am to train my children up the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it. My heart is glad when I think of how much God loves my children and I know that He is with them always. We have to trust in Him and do what we can do. We cannot give in to fear, fear will consume you and keep you from God...not draw you closer.

think our family is big??

2011-02-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

The Bates Family just announced they are expecting #19! Congratulations to them! They are such a beautiful and loving family and I really enjoy their blog. Here is a link....
www.gilbatesfamily.com

Menu plan monday 2/7

2011-02-07T12:40:00.000-08:00

Think I have a good working plan for the kids and I to have dinner during the week while Daddy is at work.

Monday - Beans and rice with corn and cheese quesadillas
Tuesday - chicken burgers, chips, sliced veggies
Wednesday - Taco bar
thursday - spaghetti, sauce, bread and green beans
Friday - homemade pizza
Saturday - soup and rolls
Sunday - homegroup (not sure yet :))

What's cooking at your house this week?

Menu plans this week

2011-02-01T18:18:00.001-08:00

Well, it isn't Monday....in a few hours it will not even be Tuesday! We are in a bit of a transition around here at Hotchkiss Haven. Hubby has new hours and we are all getting used to that. He is no longer here for dinner with us Monday through Friday but we have him for breakfast! So, the children and I are hammering out a meal plan that will likely not change too much. it will looks something like this...

Mondays: Beans and rice, veggies
Tuesdays: Either hot dogs or hamburgers or chicken burgers with oven fries and salad
Wednesdays: Taco night
Thursdays: Pasta night
Fridays: soup and bread night

This weekly meal plan is rigid enough that we have a plan but flexible enough to be slightly different each week. For example, we may have bean burritos or regular meat tacos on Wednesday. Pasta night could be spaghetti or ravioli.

What are you cooking up this week?

Monthly book reading check in

2011-02-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

My plan for 2011 was to read 24 select books. that averages out to 2 books per month. How did I do for January? Well, i finished one book...Large Family logistics and started two more. It may seem like I am behind but it was a really big book! I plan on writing a review of it some time this week and posting it up for all of you. I started Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends and also Contagious Christianity. The second book was not on my original list but hubby and I are leading a home group and that is our next study so i wanted to read it before we began. So glad I am too! It is a great read so far!

How is your reading going so far this year? What are you reading now?

Handling times in the valley

2011-01-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

Motherhood is truly a blessing. But, if I am to keep it real with you guys I need to admit that there are moments when the job is tough. There are moments when you may feel ill; physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or all of the above. There are times when you just want to do nothing. But with children and a household to run, that is just not an option. We do not get sick days with this job. Rather than saying to yourself, suck it up cupcake! We need to really get to the heart of the issue at hand.

It is important to remind ourselves "why" we do what we do. It is important because, let's face it, there are times when the kids are crying, the dishes are piled sky high, Mt. Washmore has creeped up, your husband needs your help with a project, a friend is having a crisis, you have a stomach virus and the list goes on. We are given this privilege of motherhood. I tell my children that they have certain rights in life and other things are privileges. There are no guarantees with privileges. Children are not asked to be born, they do not come fully trained, but they are blessings. As their mother, part of our job is to nurture and train them up well. Proverbs 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

A mentor of mine from an online group I belong to posted the following:

by Elizabeth Elliot
How to do the job that you don't want to do
Certain aspects of the job the Lord has given me to do are very easy to postpone. I make excuses, find other things that take the precedence, and, when I finally get down to business to do it, it is not always with much grace. A new perspective has helped me recently:

The job has been given to me to do (emphasis mine)
Therefore it is a gift
Therefore it is a privilege
Therefore it is an offering I may make to God
Therefore it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him
Therefore it is the route to sanctity

How is that for some perspective! Whether it is doing the dishes, laundry, wiping a runny nose, training a child and being repetitive with this training, or any other job you are doing....it should be done as an offering to the Lord. Think of it as a form of worship. Would you sing in a begrudging manner? Of course not! You worship as an offering to Him, so the same you should do your dishes!

Menu Plan Monday - 1/24

2011-01-24T08:46:00.001-08:00

Monday: Day salad, hummus, flatbread, cheese, and sliced veggies. We are learning about Ancient Eygpt so the day salad is a recipe from our unit study :).

Tuesday: Turkey soup, bread

Wednesday: Turkey a la king, rice

Thursday: BBQ turkey sandwiches, beans, salad

Friday: Cheesy ham casserole, green beans

Saturday: not sure yet, might be the day hubby makes beef wellington :)

Sunday: wonderful friends are making dinner for our homegroup this week. I will be making a nice green salad to go with it :).

Can you tell I cooked a turkey and have leftovers,lol? gotta love it! Family might be sick of it by the end of the week but we are gonna milk this blessing. well not really, its a turkey, not a cow ;).

So, what is on your menu for the week?

Menu Plan Monday

2011-01-18T05:30:00.000-08:00

sorry for missing last week! I'm also a day late this week. Oh well, better late than never I guess!

Monday: Beef roast with potatoes and carrots

Tuesday: Baked potato soup in homemade bread rolls

Wednesday: Beef and broccoli over rice

Thursday: Ham and potato bake, green beans

Friday: Curry chicken and rice with peas

Saturday: Pinto beans, corn, homemade tortillas

Sunday: Turkey, sweet potatoes, veggies, rolls

What are you cooking up this week? Meal planning saves money and is healthy since you won't be as tempted to stop for fast food if you have a plan in place.

Back to Wife's Ed?

2011-01-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been driving along and you have someone in front of you that is totally not obeying the "rules of the road"? If you are like me, i always think .... "Man, they need to go back to driver's ed!". When you have been driving for a while, you can conveniently forget things that are common knowledge. Or you get so used to driving in a traffic-ridden area that you go with it because everyone else is (speeding, cutting people off, etc.).

There are times in our married life when we can feel the same way. Maybe we need to go retake Wife 101. We may be comfortable with the way things are, comfortable in our routine. Happy with the norm, the expected, just getting by. You may be thinking, my marriage is fine, we are still together, he seems happy too. God wants more for us than the mediocre. He wants us to treasure our husbands, to honor them, to respect them as the head of the household. Men need to feel needed. They need your support and your respect.

Ladies, one of the worst things you can do to your man is emasculate him. To not treat him with the respect that God calls us to. Now I bet right now you are thinking one of two things... 1. Amen Sister! or 2. You are out of your mind! I would treat my man like that if he was more like Jesus but he isn't. Now trust me, i have been where you are. Thankfully, God revealed to me my errors. He revealed to me something important I want to share with you. So, before you close the browser, please hear me out.

Do you believe that God's Word is his bond, so to speak? Do we have the right to pick and choose what we want out of the bible like it is somekind of Burger King drive-thru? "Can I take your order please?, yes I'll take an order of he has to honor me but I only have to honor him if he does XYZ like Jesus please..... uh I mean a #3, hold the onions please. No, if we truly believe then we need to believe it all. So, let's see what God says.....

1Peter 3:1-2 - Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.

We are to be submissive to our husbands, period. There is no contingency clause in there. It doesn't say, be submissive to your husband if he gets you flowers, remembers your birthday, doesn't leave his dirty laundry on the floor, etc. *I want to quickly interject here that this does not mean letting someone abuse you physically, emotionally, mentally or in any way. I am speaking of regular guys that are not perfect just like we are not perfect.*

Yes, husbands are supposed to honor their wives as well. 1Peter 3:7-Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

But, that is their issue, not yours. When we go before God for judgement, He will not ask you, has your husband done all he can to honor you? No, He will ask your husband. But, you may be asked if you honored your husband.

How do we honor our husbands? For starters, treat them like you would treat Jesus. With respect and kindness. Like the verse above says, "honor them so that they may be won over by your behavior". Ladies, we tend to be chatty people. One piece of advice I was given is to not talk ill of your husband to others. In my opinion, this is the fastest way to emasculate your man. Not to be crude, but it would be the equivalent of neutering him on the spot. Proverbs says, "He (her husband) has full confidence in her and lacks nothing in value. She brings him good, not harm all the days of her life." Proverbs 31:11,12. How can our husbands have full confidence in us if we are throwing them under the bus? If your husband is not acting the way that he should be, the bible says that we are to act the way we are supposed to and by this, we will win him over. We do not get a "get out of our part" free card because he isnt' holding up his end of the bargain. No, this should motivate us more to act in kindness! I am not saying it is easy but it can and should be done.

Listen, I do not have all the answers. I am a sinner with faults that is learning each day. But, this is a problem that I see far too often among Christian women in our world. The feminist movement has permeated the Christian world as well and its effects are detrimental to our men. There will come a day when you will want to be able to let your man protect you as he was made to do. The problem is that if you strip him of that manhood through your words and actions, he may not be there to do it.

Let's all do as the person in front of us driving down the highway eating that BK #3 meal, talking on the phone, weaving through traffic without using their turn signals should do.....go back to school. You probably still have your curriculum materials, the bible and a nice cup of joe, or tea, or whatever your pleasure may be. Proverbs 31 is an excellent place to start.

If at first you don't succeed.....

2011-01-05T08:10:00.000-08:00

Gal 6:9: " Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.:

Have you ever tried to help someone out or do a good deed, only for it to blow up in your face? When things do not go our way, it can be hard for us to continue on and try again. But, God calls us to keep trying. He does not say that things will be easy for us or that just because we try to help others that it will go perfect. Our lives are not a Lifetime movie or a Hallmark card. This is real life people. We will encounter times when our good deeds in fact get punished by this fallen world.

That said, I implore you to keep trying. As the good book says, do not grow weary in doing good. You cannot see the big picture, you do not know if what you are saying and doing for someone is planting a seed. That seed will eventually reap a harvest. You may not see it, but that does not mean that you didn't have a part in it.

When helping others, you may sometimes feel like the gardener with the blessed green thumb, seeing the fruits of your labor almost immediately. Yet other times, you may feel like the manure spread on the ground while it is still becoming fertile. As an expert gardener will tell you, both are very important. You cannot grow good food on a ground that isn't fertilized ;).

Don't put God in a box

2011-01-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

Many times when we pray, we are too politically correct. We say things like, if it is Your will Lord, if you can, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, if it doesn't burden another, can you please (fill in the blank). In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with seeking His will. You want to do that and not go against Him. But I don't think that should stifle our praying. Let's face it, if your child is sick, you want to pray that they be healed. If it isn't the Lord's will, you will know soon enough and have to accept that. But, should that limit our prayer? Should we pray for mediocrity, or should we open the flood gates and pray for the top of the mountain?

I learned this today. I learned a few things. First, that after 2 hours in a hot doctors office (temperature hot, ladies ;)) and being confined, not feeling well, and too distracted to nurse... a ride home that involves screaming and crying should be expected from a 9 month old.
Second I learned that the Lord has a sense of humor and that He wants us to pray for abundance, not just enough.

Our son has had lead poisoning for over a year and a half. This is a slow declining sickness. It can take a while for the levels to go down once they go up. Once they fall below 10, you are in a safer zone. I have been praying for him for weeks now that it would be below 10. I would pray, Lord if it is your will would you please get it at least below 10. Guess what it was today.... 9.9! hehe couldnt' get any closer to 10 if you tried,lol. I praised His name for healing my boy that much. But I left feeling like, what if I had pushed the limit? What if I had prayed without adding in an extra "at least"? What if I had prayed bodly for a total healing? Would it have been less? I will never know but it taught me to pray with higher expectations.

Now this doesn't mean that I would be upset if it didn't come to pass. It means that I shouldn't put God in a box of getting his number below a certain level, or at least a certain $$ of a raise, or for my children to not get in trouble when they grow up. I should pray for complete healing, for an abundant raise, and children that grow up as shining lights of God's love and grace!!

Menu Plan Monday - 1/3

2011-01-03T15:29:00.001-08:00

Monday: Soup and crackers (getting over a nasty stomach bug so soup for everyone!)

Tuesday: Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, honey-glazed baby carrots

Wednesday: chicken noodle soup and rolls

Thursday: Red beans and rice with sausage, corn tortillas

Friday: chicken divan

Saturday: leftover buffet

Sunday: homemade mac and cheese with salad

Breakfasts: cereal, oatmeal, pancakes

Lunches: PB&J's, quesadillas, chicken sandwiches, tuna salad; sliced veggies and crackers

Snacks: homemade muffins, sliced fruit, rice krispies treats, and jello

What's on your menu for the week? Menu planning can save you money in your grocery budget and can alleviate stress so you don't have to wonder at 5pm....what's for dinner??

Love the smell of new books!

2011-01-03T11:57:00.001-08:00

I ordered a few books from Vision forum as they were having such an awesome sale!
I got Large Family Logisitics and it is huge! didn't realize it was so big and I am so excited to read it! I just posted about my ambitious reading list for 2011. I do think reading is important and I want to set a good example for my children. I also want to try to spend more time reading and less time watching TV. We are praying and hoping that we can get a treadmill or an elliptical for our home and that would give me something to do while on it :). From a budget standpoint I am going to utilize the library some and also amazon.com and other websites to get the books. The thing is that Sean and I have quite a library of our own. We all enjoy books and I lend them out to friends and family. I read a lot of nonfiction books so they are ones that i reference and reread quite a bit. Do you have any creative ways to purchase books so that they are not too pricey?

Book list for 2011

2011-01-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

Reading is important to me and I wanted to set a goal for reading for this year. Many times as moms we put our own reading on the back burner. I wanted to change that and demonstrate through example to my children that reading is important. I set a goal to read 24 books this year, about 2 per month. This is in addition to daily bible and devotional reading. Here is my list ( in no particular order)

1. If God is Good by Randy Alcorn
2. Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman
3. Making Brothers and sisters Best Friends by Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally
4. The 5 love languages
5. The 5 love languages for children
6. yada yada prayer group by Netta jackson
7. The book of God by Walter Wangerin Jr.
8. Dr. Sears Immunization book
9. Pushed by Jennifer Block
10. Kingdom Come by LaHaye and Jenkins (left behind series)
11. She's come undone by Wally lamb
12. Becoming More than a good bible study girl by Lysa Terkeurst
13. Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife by Peggy Vincent
14. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
15. Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker
16. Homeschooling at the speed of life by Marilyn Rockett
17. Grace-based parenting by Tim kimmel
18. Safely Home by Randy Alcorn
19. Mission of Motherhood
20. The Danger of Raising Nice Kids by Tim Smith
21. Seasons of a Mother's heart by Sally clarkson
22. Homeschooling with a Meek Spirit
23. Say goodbye to whining, complaining, and bad attitudes by Scott Turansky
24. Praying the Scriptures

Do you have a booklist for this year? I would enjoy reading yours!

CVS trip

2010-12-29T18:14:00.000-08:00

I made a CVS trip this week and got some good deals. I try to keep a good stockpile going of products we use. This helps so that we never have to pay full price and we get to have the things we like to use. I also will pick up products that will cost little to nothing and use it to help others in their time of need.

CVS is a great place to stock up on things like health and beauty items. They have Extra Care Bucks (ECB's) that you earn and can use on future purchases. The great thing about it is that you can use it the same day, just in a different transaction.

I made 2 transactions so that I could use my ECB's the same day. I find that this works best for me since I do not go there each week and I do not want them to expire. I am also not putting out as much money this way :).

This week I purchased just under $100 worth of products for just under $40. I did have a couple of splurge items on there including the seasonal Ghiradelli Peppermint bark that was 50% off....yummy! Also a cereal that I really like (going in my pantry box :)) that was buy one get one free. I say that these are splurges since they were more than i would normally want to spend on that kind of product but it was worth it to me :).

A new idea for breakfast

2010-12-29T18:07:00.001-08:00

Many mornings around here we have cereal for breakfast. It is quick, easy and not to bad for you. I do try to make oatmeal (we have this more in the cold weather), eggs, and pancakes but most mornings we end up having cereal. What tends to happen is certain people will eat many huge bowls of the cereal they really like and the rest of us get little to none and then we are out. this was creating tension and frustration so I had an idea.

I went through the sales ads and my coupons and found some cereal that the kids really like that I could buy. When we went to the store I let them each choose one of the boxes and explained that it would be their cereal and they could eat as little or as much as they want but....that would be it for the two weeks.

Don't worry I am not going to let them go hungry! No, I explained to them that after that they could have what I have in stock already (things like rice krispies and plain cheerios) or of course the oatmeal, eggs, etc.

Seth helped me reorganize the pantry (still a work in progress) and set up a little section for each of us in there. So, we can have our personal food items there and no one else is allowed to touch it. This works out well for Sean too since I pack his lunch pretty much every day. all of his work snacks can be there and not worry about getting snagged :).

We will see how this works out but so far so good!

Menu Plan Monday

2010-12-27T11:41:00.001-08:00

Each Monday morning I sit down with a nice cup of joe, paper and a pen and plan our meals. first I look in the freezer, fridge and pantry to use what we have. Next I hit the sales ads, my coupon folder and fill in where necessary. here is what we are having for dinners this week....

Monday - Hot dogs, fries, carrot sticks (this is a quick and easy meal that the older children can fix. I am getting over a stomach bug :X so I needed something simple )
Tuesday - Ham Tettrazzini, broccoli
Wednesday - Teriyaki chicken, rice, asian medley
Thursday- Bean burritos, corn
Friday - New year's eve party at church - bringing meatballs
Saturday - New year's Day black eyed peas stew, grilled cheese (for the pickies)
Sunday- Beef Stew, homemade rolls

I'd love to hear what you are cooking up at your house this week!

You should also head over to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an organizing junkie to see her menu planning for the week!

http://orgjunkie.com

New years goals

2010-12-27T11:35:00.000-08:00

One of my goals for the New Year is to keep up with my blog more and redefine/define its focus. I want to incorporate a few different items into the blog such as:
*homeschooling
*menu planning
*couponing/shopping
*frugal ideas
*Embracing motherhood and wifedom (not sure if that is a word or not but it sounded impressive ;))
*Daily life AKA how we do things around here

There may be more facets of the blog as well. I hope to share how we do things around here since i am asked that quite a bit. If you ask some, we have a large family. Others, medium sized and if we are compared with some families I know of...we are quite small,lol. But, in this economy, it can be hard for a one income family to make ends meet. We are not rich monetarily by any means but God provides. Part of that equipping is knowing how best to use the resources you are given. I have run the gamut of doing this. I think I have learned some tricks of the trade that can help others too. I look forward to 2011 and sharing our lives with you!

Baking with the children

2010-12-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

Today I realized just how big my older children are getting. I was baking some cookies and had to stop to feed the baby. Well my two older boys jumped right in and finished making them for me! I'm sure part of the motivation was knowing that they will get to eat some, but mostly they wanted to help. Children need to feel needed. They need to know that they are valued, that without them here things would be different. Now we dont' need to pile on the chores till they drop, but giving them tasks helps them learn responsibility and confidence in their own abilities. This is a good thing!

Teaching your children tasks around the house is a good way for them to build confidence, character, and skills for the future. So this means that I teach both my boys and girls how to bake. You are welcome! That was for my future daughters-in-law ;). Boys can bake and girls can change tires. I am starting a list of traits and skills that I want to work on with my children. Things that they will know how to do before they move out of my house. What are some skills that you were taught or that you would have liked to be taught before you started your own family?

A mom's darker focus

2010-11-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

I'm going to share something with you about moms. We sometimes focus on a darker subject. Well it isn't always dark, in fact too dark could indicate a problem. So could too light, too hard, too soft, too often, not enough. Ah you see now that this subject could tell a lot which is why it becomes such a focus I guess. See this subject is near and dear to my heart lately. Well, not my heart more like my intestines. Not even my intestines, my sons. You see the subject is poop. I understand completely if you need to leave now. But if you have ever wondered how a mom could discuss this so often and even at the dinner table without blinking an eye or throwing up a little in her mouth, read on.

We have a saying in our house that everything in life could relate back to Spongebob Squarepants. Its a game we play, sort of like the game people play with Kevin Bacon. I am getting off on a tangent here back to poop. Or as Spongebob says P.O.O.P. - People Order Our Patties, oh poop you never let us down! My point is that I know I am not the only one.

So, the question is why is poop such as fascinating obsession for moms? It all starts at birth, your baby's birth. One of the indicators of a well fed baby is poop. Are they going enough? So you start keeping track to make sure that they are getting enough to eat. It is entertaining too, especially for breastfed babies. Many will hold the baby and the baby will pass gas and the holder will say oh maybe they pooped. Oh no, you laugh, trust me you will know when he goes! then all of a sudden this massive sound and feeling occurs that shakes the room. It sounds like an explosion, feels like a mild earthquake and the result is a cute little smile on the baby's face, a look of horror on the face of the unsuspecting holder, and a smile of pride on mommy's face. *sigh*

It also takes up a lot of our time during seasons of our lives. The newborn blowout season, the potty training toddler season. The young child that has yet to heed Daddy's advice about never trusting a fart season. Then as we age, we have to think about our own season of bowel changes.

Here lately, poop has been on my mind a lot. My poor Roman has had some major bowel issues. Forgive me son for putting this out there for all to read! It has consumed many hours of my days lately. Between running to the bathroom with him, searching the internet for reasons and help, and finally going to the doctor and wasting an hour of our time just to have the doctor explain to me what I already knew about my sons poop. I am thankful I took him just for the reassurance that nothing was really wrong with him. We may need to go back for bloodwork if it continues and his food diary shows a correlation between the poop and dairy or gluten specifically. But for now we are on some acidipholus tabs and yogurt and most importantly prayer.

So while poop may not be appropriate dinner conversation, it is quite the fascinating subject!

Should they know better?

2010-11-14T13:01:00.000-08:00

The other day, my five year old daughter Tatiana bit my 7 month old baby. This act blew my mind! She is normally very loving with him. In fact, I call her the "little mother" sometimes. She wasn't angry with him. It was just something that she did. As I was comforting him and looking down at the bite mark, I had so many thoughts swirling through mind. I remembered how when she was around a year and a half, she bit....a lot. I mean she is our fourth child and the first (hopefully only!) real biter. Sure the others did it once or twice but she just loved it. Her favorite person to bite was Seth, our oldest. She would bite him on the back. My reaction to her biting at that young age was not as severe because she was still a baby herself. But now, at age five, she should know better.

The gator tears were subsiding but the mark on the baby's foot lasted more than a day. Every time I looked at it my thought was, she should know better. It made me think of how as people, we should know better. But sometimes, adults think that everyone should know better but they do not. When I was a b.a.b.y. (before-accepting-baby-Yeshua as my savior...like the acronym??), I didn't know better. I was a selfish person. I didn't try to see things from the other person's point of view. I didn't follow the commandments. But now I try. I still fail at times but at this point ... I know better. Why do we expect other people that are b.a.b.y.s to know better when they truly do not? Not giving excuses but food for thought. Should we not have more tolerance for the young in their walk or even those that haven't even laced their shoes up for the walk? Leading by example, explaining how they could hurt others and themselves by their actions?

'Cause I'm the mom

2010-11-07T05:56:00.000-08:00

Sometimes as moms we have certain unspoken responsibilities and jobs that we inherit by bearing the title "mom". When you give birth to a child, your world changes. It really does. All of a sudden, you are not just responsible for yourself. You have someone very small and very helpless that is completely dependent on you. It is one of the most awesome and special things that can happen to a woman. Whether you give birth to that child or adopt that child, it is such a huge privilege and gift.

Those unspoken responsibilities I spoke of earlier. Oh yeah those, I didn't forget! Some examples are.... Someone shatters a glass, you clean it up 'cause you're the mom. Someone throws up all over the couch, you clean it up 'cause you're the mom. Someone flushes something down the toilet and it doesn't go down and the plunger won't work so you have to put on gloves and reach into the toilet to pull said object out, you get to do that 'cause you're the mom. Yes sometimes being the mom can make you sigh and look around for you own mom to make sure she isn't there to be the one to have to do these jobs.

Oh and then there are these...... Someone falls and gets a scraped knee and needs hugs and kisses, you get to do that 'cause you're the mom. Someone makes a beautiful drawing that they are so proud of, you get to keep it 'cause you're the mom. Someone else wants to talk and share their deep personal feelings with you and even though they feel so grown up at times they realize that you are always there for them and love them unconditionally and they sit down to talk to....you 'cause you're the mom. Yes sometimes being the mom can make you sigh and look around and pinch yourself because you can't believe that you are being given such an awesome privilege and blessing of being the mom.

Wisdom taught by a 5 year old

2010-09-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

Today Tatiana was talking to me about many different things. She is at that stage where she asks oh about 1,000 or so questions per day. Some are simple, others are not. Some she only asks once, others she asks about 20 times. She asked me today how and why the Earth spins. I thought for a moment. I could almost picture a very miniature version of myself running around searching through file cabinets in my brain that contained obscure science facts. Hmmmm I said outloud as I tried to think of a witty answer that my 5 year old could understand. She pulled my mini-me out of the file cabinets and said, "Mom I think I know the answer". Oh I say, well what is it. Then she tells me that she thinks God has 1,000 hands and that he touches many parts of the Earth so that He can spin it. Huh I say as I sit in awe of this little girl. It's funny how children can have such a simple yet beautiful view of God's wonders!

Country of Contradictions

2010-09-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel that we live in a country with many contradictions? Not even a country so much as a society. This is something that hit me while waiting in line at the grocery store the other day. If you pick up a magazine you will likely see two things on the cover (not those silly! I am talking about women's magazines!)....recipes for yummy fattening food coupled with how to lose 10 pounds in two weeks. Contradiction! Right?!

Here is one that is near and dear to my heart. I am a breastfeeding advocate. I think that if you are mentally and physically able to, that you should at least try to breastfeed your baby. It is the most natural and perfect food for your baby. That's what they were made for. The contradiction I am about to discuss is two fold. First example.... I was reading a book from the library about how to raise your baby "green". I picked it up thinking it would have some good all natural baby food recipes, cloth diaper reviews, non toxic toys...you get it, all natural. I was shocked when I came to the section on breastfeeding. I mean, I really didn't even think that there would be a question about what would be best for baby from a supposedly green book. Boy was I wrong. This book actually advocated organic formula over breastfeeding since the mother may have toxins or not a healthy enough diet! Disgusted, I put the book back in the library bag. A book advocating health, natural, and *green*promoting formula over breastfeeding...contradiction!

Second example comes straight from the tap, so to speak. I nurse my babies when they are hungry and wherever I am. I try to be as discreet as possible, but have still encountered glances that suggest I take my baby to the restroom to eat. Would you eat in the public restroom? I am guessing that wouldn't be your first choice. Yet many nursing moms are asked to excuse themselves and are made to feel that what they are doing is somehow offensive. Most, if not all, of the nursing moms I have met try to be as discreet as possible and would be just as upset as the onlooker if anything was actually revealed for all to see. Yet, I can be in the line at the grocery store (hey I am a mom of 6...the grocery store is one of my hangouts) and get way more than I want to see on a magazine cover. Close to nude movie stars, singers, models, or even regular folk. But, in this situation I would be called a prude. Contradiction!

You know you live in a country of contradictions when the natural is perverted to seem abnormal and the unnatural is accepted as the norm.

When there is no answer

2010-08-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

What do you do when there is no clear-cut answer? I have experienced this twice already this week and it is only Tuesday! For me, that is the hardest place to be. Even if the answer received is a no, then at least I know that and can figure out another path. But when there is no answer, or there is a not yet or maybe as an answer I am left befuddled. Befuddled is a nice way of explaining my form of tantrum that is something to the effect of me throwing myself on the floor like a two year old screaming that it isn't fair. Now, of course I don't' really do that. Not in the physical sense anyway. More like under the breath muttering saying well what do I do with that information. How am I supposed to fix this problem without an answer? How am I supposed to know the next course of action? Then that still small voice whispers to me, you don't have to do anything. Just be. Let Me handle it. *sigh* But.......I start to say so many things. But...... Then I just feel like I have been supernaturally shushed. OK Lord, I will let you handle it. But.....let me know if you need any help, k?

My own bucket list

2010-08-26T18:31:00.001-07:00

I remember watching the movie the bucket list and thinking that all of those things to do on their lists were pretty neat. I am a list person and you will almost always find me with a pen and notepad writing things down. Anything from menu planning, shopping lists, ideas for homeschooling and the list goes on and on. It helps me think and brainstorm, it also makes me feel better since many times these thoughts seem to leak out of my ears and are forever lost if I do not write them down.

So we have covered the list part, well what about the bucket? I have a special bucket you see. I have a large 5-gallon bucket that is currently serving a vital function. This bucket on many days becomes the focus of my anger I am ashamed to say. It is both the bane of my existence at times and also my saving grace. You see, our plumbing in the kitchen has been messed up for about 3 months now. I cannot use my kitchen sink in a normal manner. My dear hubby was able to rig things for me to at least do dishes but removing said plumbing and replacing the drain pipe with...you guessed it... my 5-gallon bucket. When I do dishes the water drains and I have to haul it to the toilet and dump it. Now I write this so that I can share with you my struggles and also an area of pride in my life that I believe God is helping me overcome....slowly ;).

Now that we have covered both words I will get to the root of my writing today. There are many times when I am hauling the bucket that my attitude is not the best. It seems that every time I walk with the heavy bucket filled with dirty dish water and residue; one of my beautiful children, the crazy cat, or the fat and lazy cat will cross my path. Or the phone will ring, there will be a knock at the door, I will get asked the same question I have already answered 5 times in the last few minutes, you get the idea, an interruption will occur that brings me to a place of discontentment. I do not like being at that place. This evening when that happened the thought hit me hard, I need to get past this and be joyful. In my sinful, selfish nature I feel that I am entitled to have this attitude. I know that is not really the case. I need to be joyful in all things, even with the bucket.

That brings me, finally, to my own bucket list. This list is different than that of the movie. This is a list, not of things I hope to do before I die, but a list of things to be thankful and joyful for so that I can die to self so to speak. I hope to remember this and read it until I keep that joyfulness whether the kids or the cat run in front of me, the bucket spills, or any other myriad of events occur. Here goes:
1. I am thankful that we are blessed to have food to dirty these dishes that created this dirty dish water.
2. I am thankful that I have a sink and a bucket to do dishes in and I am not doing them in some other body of water.
3. I am thankful that between my hubby and I that we have created a way for me to clean these dishes so we do not get sick from germs.
4. I am thankful that I am loved and accepted by a loving God even when I am acting in a selfish way.
5. Remember that my children are not interruptions to my work, they are my work. This is at all times, I am not excluded from this while hauling my bucket ;).
6. Serving my family is an act of love and by doing something that is not what I like doing I am showing them more love.
7. Although we are blessed in America with modern conveniences now, things were not always this way and many women have done something similar to what I have to do now and did not complain.

That is my bucket list that i am sure I could continually add on to. I would love to hear what your proverbial bucket list is. Unless you are literally hauling a bucket as well ;). Also the ways that you remind yourself to be loving and selfless at all times, even when you do not feel like it.

Nun for me thanks

2010-08-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

I was doing Seth and Cheyenne's English lesson today and we are using Rod and Staff. Love the program by the way, helps me embrace my inner grammar geek :). I was having Cheyenne do a few exercises out loud when all of a sudden, she breaks out into a fit of maniacal laughter. Something about the sentence was making her laugh. She started reading again, "Sister Helen hahaha."
I am puzzled and a bit upset thinking I have lost my sense of humor since I find nothing funny about Sister Helen. When she is able to calm down a bit she explains how capitalizing Sister is funny. I breathe a sigh of relief that it is obviously not my sense of humor that had the problem and ask her why that would be funny. She was thinking that they made a mistake that Sister is like her sister and shouldn't' be capitalized. i explain that Sister is a nun. What is a nun they ask. Can you tell that we are not Catholic even though we have many children and this is a question I get asked? I say that a nun is a lady that is holy and Seth chimes in, oh mom so you are a nun! No son I am not a nun but thanks anyway!

Misconceptions of a Mom of Many

2010-08-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

People seem to have extreme views of moms of many so I thought I would help clear those babies up!

Myth #1 - You must be a saint or crazy! - Neither, well you cannot prove the second in court ;). Really though, no one is perfect. I try to be patient and loving but there are times when duct tape comes in handy ;). As for the crazy, nope not in an institutional sense anyway!

Myth #2- You are rich or you are mooching off the government poor - Neither again! I find that people either think we are rich or that we must be so poor that we are on public assistance. I don't think that anyone who is in need of public assistance should feel any shame at all for using it. Money can be a touchy subject and honestly a private one that I don't like to discuss details on except with the hubby. I will say that we are certainly not rich or poor. To me, poor is a state of mind. You can be a millionaire and be poor in spirit. You can have it all, yet feel empty inside. I do not feel anywhere near poor. Now do we have lots of money, well ....no, not at all,lol.

Myth #3 - You need *me* time (AKA - you must always want a break) or you must love all children so here watch mine for me ;). This one is gonna be like opening a can of worms so I will touch on it but will revisit in more detail on another day. In the mean time, google the me time myth. I will say that in my opinion, me time leads to more selfish wants than it helps. Does this mean that I would not sometimes like to use the bathroom by myself? Sure I would! But I do not need to get away from my children. The other extreme, just because I have many children does not mean that I want to run a daycare in my home with everyone else's children too. I do enjoy children and do not mind occasional babysitting but that is not my role in life.

Myth #4 - You are a stay at home mom? Lucky you must sit on the couch watching Oprah and eating bon-bons all day. Or You are a superwoman! Wrong again! First of all, I don't watch Oprah at all. Ok I watched it once in the last year when she had Bret Michaels on but I really don't like her at all. In fact , if my tv is on at all during the day you would likely see Sesame Street, SuperWhy or Martha Speaks on. I admit it, I do like Martha Speaks *blush*. I do like tv but only really watch it between the hours of 8-10pm. Other extreme - I hung up my cape years ago. My wonderwoman undies ceased to fit me when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I don't do it all but I do try to weigh what is most important to get done that day and do our best to achieve it.

I hope this helps some of you and gave you a chuckle. To my other moms of many friends, I would love to hear your myth busters too!!

6-weeks to flatter abs or to be a better person?

2010-08-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

Many people have tried to lose weight. Many of us have tried it this way. First we try a quick 6-week plan and are all riled up. We go out and buy diet foods plan an extreneous exercise regime. Totally zealous on week 1 then by week 3 we are over it. We burn out. What happens is you try to live on the cabbage soup diet for weeks and then totally blow the diet by eating an entire chocolate cake or supersize #2 meal. Then get discouraged and go back to our old ways.

In many ways we live our Christian lifestyle in this pattern. We start out zealous and want to change the world. Then we burn out, get discouraged and go back to our old ways. We fool ourselves into thinking that surely God does not really mean for us to work so hard so we become meteocre and just exist. Our Christianity becomes something we do on Sundays or just around like-minded friends. We fall into another Christian "diet" pit-fall of becoming complacent. We stay safe. We stick in our comfort zone. Being a Christian becomes a get-out-of-hell-free card. Is that all we are to do?

The Sidewalk Prophets have a great song named You Can Have Me that illustrates this point well. Part of the lyrics go, "When did love become Unmoving? When did love become Uncomsuming?" The love they speak of here is a love for Jesus. In His ministry he did not let His flame die out. He was the epitome of living life zealous for God and for His people. The apostle Paul was consumed with this love. When did love become unconsuming? I don't have that answer. I think that we let life get in the way. We let others reactions discourage us. We live in this world but we should not be part of it. We are supposed to stand out.

I stand out in a few ways but not the way I should. When I go to the store it is hard not to notice my big family. We walk through Target like ducks and ducklings. People take notice, it is hard not too :). Not tooting my horn at all just saying that this is how we should all stand out. But Jennifer, you say, I don't have a big family. Sure you do. You are in the biggest family on the face of this earth!! Your Father is my Father, we are brothers and sisters. We would stand out if we walked on this earth following Jesus like a duckling to its momma.

Using this same example, my children know that when we are out they need to pay attention to where I am and stick with me. If they wander off, they risk danger. Occasionally something shiny will catch their attention and I have to get them back on track but usually they are pretty good at following me around ;). This is how we ought to be as well. When we get distracted we need to be set back on the right course.

When did love become unmoving for you? Do you want to make it move again? Get out there in the world and help others. Reach out to the community. Want to know the difference between a diet and being a Christian on fire for the Lord? With a diet you have to have some level of will power. You may get support from friends, family or doctors but they are not with you at all times. They are not there when you are in your car eating a snickers bar (busted myself!). When you are a Christ-follower, you do not have to do it on your own! God is with you! When you meet Him halfway and ask for His help he gives you the strength and courage to do the work! Whew, that is a relief :).

5 star rating

2010-08-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

When I get great customer service, good price deals or just a fantastic product comes out....I tell everyone! I feel it as a duty to spread the word of how wonderful the company is. I give them rave reviews. If I meet someone that I think would benefit from this company in some way, I tell them about it. Then it hit me....when was the last time I talked about Jesus like this? Not to people that are in agreement with me already but to the people that don't know Him.

Wow, let's just say I was convicted. Isn't Jesus so much more than a good sale, great coffee maker, outstanding customer service? Didn't He do more for me in a moment 2,000 years ago then a lady working at a call center did for me in 15 minutes? So for those that know Him, I challenge you to rave about Jesus. For those that don't know Him, here is my review......

5 stars! Well, more than that really. He made them all, he deserves them all and more. You should meet Him, He will change your life in every way and then some. I adore Him, He created me and He completes me. Before I knew Him, I mean really knew Him I was broken, selfish, lonely and destined for doom. After, I am whole, selfless, He is always with me and through Him I can do all things. The gift He gives is priceless yet free. Serving Him is the hardest thing I have ever done yet at the same time the most rewarding and freeing thing one could ever do. I say hard because to live like He did is against our human nature without Him. Through Him it is much easier yet still challenging. He is beautiful, awesome, powerful, and I cannot and would not want to live my life without Him. Some products come with a warranty, a try before you buy, a 30-day free trial, a guarantee that it will work or you get your money back. Jesus is not that kind of product. You don't' pay the price....He already did. Over 2,000 years ago He lived a blameless life, all He did was help people. He was a king that came to earth and lived as the lowest. He gave His life for me and for you. All you have to do is accept Him and trust me, you won't need that free trial or warranty.

TFP - Treasure, Focus, Perspective

2010-08-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart with be also." This verse is used a lot when speaking of money. I think because of the prevelence of the love of money that we as humans can be faced with. But, I think this verse can refer to our focus in life too.

Think about it. If we treasure, or put our time and effort towards something, then we are focused on it. For example, say a job promotion. You work towards it, put your time and dedication to it, your reward is the promotion. This type of focus is beneficial in many areas of our lives.

It can be a downfall too. When faced with a problem, dwelling and putting your focus on negative things begins a downward spiral. you are depressed about a problem. It is your focus, you put your time and effort to solving it, it doesn't change. You become more depressed, more negative, nothing changes. You fail to see the good that still goes on in your life. Instead you see a sink of dirty dishes, your lack of money, the children that don't stop needing attention, your spouse that wants to talk and you are drained, the job that challenges you today, the traffic on the way to work, the list goes on.

What if you change that focus to a heavenly one? You face the same problem, you pray about it, you do what is in your power to do and then you leave it in the hands of the father and you focus on Christ. No depression, no negativity, problem is still there but you are happier and are an example to others of Christ's love. Because you are focused on Christ and His love, you notice every lovely detail and blessing in your life. You see a sink of dirty dishes as half full, it shows that you had food to eat, you see that you had more money than 3/4 of the world's population has, you have children that adore you and want to talk to you, you are blessed with a spouse and are not left alone, you have a job when the unemployment rate is at an all time high, you notice the rainbow in the sky and the butterfly out your window while sitting in traffic that you wouldn't have noticed had you been moving at top speed. God's rays of hope sent your way.

What is different about the two scenarios? Do you still have the problem? Yes. Did God send blessings to both? yes. The difference is focus and perspective. When you focus on the bad...that is what you see, where your treasure is. When you focus on God, you see the good and blessing in all things. Your very next breath is a blessing just as much if not more then the folks at Publisher's Clearing House knocking on your door with balloons and a check. The former is more likely too ;).

Needing a shock to learn a lesson

2010-08-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

I wrote a post a little while ago about learning lessons vending machine style. I thought it would be great to learn something just by pushing a few buttons and getting it. Rather than learning through experience. Why can't we learn that way? Simple reason that hit me today...we won't remember it.

Just like the Israelites in the desert, we don't remember God's blessings or the hurts or the lessons unless we feel an impact in some way. They *forgot* so easily how God had provided for them. How He had fed them manna each day and they did not have to worry about food. They were always *whining* about something. How are we going to do this? How are we going to do that? Truth is....we are no different.

I think about how God has blessed us before and when I start to worry I try to remind myself of the times He took care of us before and that we can trust in Him to do it again. Why do we have to experience these hard times? Well if we didn't we would think that we have all that we have because we did it. When your back is against the wall and there is nothing you can do and you turn out all right anyway... there is no denying that He took care of us.

So what does this have to do with learning a lesson? I'll explain. I have tried to tell my children not to play with fire. I have told them not to go near hot things. When our old neighbor came by the other day with his motorcycle, he reminded Jimmy about this. I guess Jimmy needed a more lasting reminder. He let his leg touch the hot metal that had not cooled much after being turned off and received a searing 8 cm 2nd degree burn. He now tells me daily the dangers of the hot metal on the motorcycle. Well more specifically he tells me that he doesn't like motorcycles and will never go near one again but I think that reaction may pass. I explained that they are not inherently dangerous but we do need to be careful around them.

When we make poor decisions, we sometimes need to suffer a burning consequence because we have done something we shouldn't have despite being warned. This can help us remember the next time we are in that situation. Our difficult lessons can help others too. As I am sure the rest of my children learned this lesson too as they watch poor Jimmy in pain. It is a daily reminder that hey maybe mom knows what she is talking about.

It was Professor Plum in the library with the candlestick!

2010-08-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

No? Ok maybe it was Mrs. White with the knife in the billiards room. No? No I am not playing Clue with the children at the moment. This is the blame game that I am sure many of us play. You know, a string of bad events occur and we try to figure out the why's and whose fault it may be. I think I do this because I think if I know why, it can help me next time and make me feel better. So we sit there and look for the guilty party. Maybe it was the man on the moon, my own bad decisions coming back to haunt me, the devil, or just the fact that we live in a fallen world.

Does it really matter? I'm sure that knowing if we did it and how would help us avoid the same pitfall next time. But I think the point is that we are to draw closer to Him and what He teaches us. If we do this then even when the whole world comes against us....we'll be all right.

Is Joy a Keurig flavor?

2010-08-02T10:28:00.001-07:00

Sean and I got a Keurig for Christmas. He had one at work and raved about it. My mom and Kirk have one and raved about it. I was not sold until we had one and I was introduced to Coffee People Bold Organic and Coffee People Donut Shop....mmmmmm.....donut. Sorry about that. Anyway, wow so amazing and yummy. I mean who wants to drink coffee that has been sitting in the pot all day reheated 5 times when you can get a hot fresh cup whenever you want it?

I went to amazon, keurig.com, and a few other sites to see if I can get more out of this than just coffee. Let's see they have tea, hot chocolate, many types of coffee but not what I was looking for. I was hoping to get joy. When life throws us around like a frisbee, wouldn't it be nice to just push a few buttons and get a nice hot,fresh cup of joy instead of joe? No, instead I have to look at myself, that poor old coffee still sitting there from this morning and push the on button to reheat. There are days when this works and days that no matter how many times I reheat it.....my joy is not there.

I think God wants us to see Him as the Keurig of our joy. We can dial into Him and start ourselves anew. I looked at many other places in my life, just like the many websites that sell K-cups and cannot find lasting yet fresh joy. The only place that comes from is God. I almost shed a tear for my Keurig machine but then remember that while I may not be able to get a cup of joy from it .... I can still get an awesome cup of joe.

Perspective and keeping joyful

2010-07-17T18:05:00.001-07:00

Ever have a day where you feel like the world is against you? Ever have a day where everything seems sunny and all right with the world? Sure we all have those times. Do your moods and attitude reflect what is going on in your life at that moment? I admit that often times, mine does. But, God wants us to keep a joyful attitude all the time, not just when things are going well. There is always something to be thankful for. I'm sure some that are pessimistic would say the opposite too. When we choose to be joyful in the midst of a trial or even just a bad day then we win.

There have been a few trials that I am dealing with at the moment but you know what? I am choosing to keep my joy. I am trying not to let my moods depend on my circumstances. Changing like the wind. I take it day by day. No I am not successful each day but I have this as a goal. It is something that I want to pass on to my children.

I remember growing up, whenever things looked bleak my mom would always say "Things will get better". It became a joke that would make me smile because I knew it was coming. Mom was (and is) right though. Life has ups and downs. Of course there are times when we need to vent, grieve, etc. but I shouldn't let my day be ruined over something trivial.

I know that we shouldn't compare differences or lives but in a way i think it can be helpful. My bible reading has taken me through the book of Job. Whew, even on my worst day I do not have to deal with half of the problems Job experienced! Two things give me hope in the book of Job. One is his attitude through most of it. He stayed true to God. Job 1:21 "...The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (NIV) His attitude does start to change and he questions why these things have happened but he does not speak ill of God. The second part that I take comfort in is that in the end Job prospers again. Job 42:10 "After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before." This does not mean that we will prosper in such a grand manner but it shows that God is just and we can trust in Him.

This is an area in my life that I have been working on. I sometimes feel I am repeating the same trial and that can be frustrating. But, I am finding that this time I am happier through it. I don't know if the outcome will change because of it but it sure is more pleasant for me and everyone around me if I can keep a joyful attitude and keep the right perspective.

All You grocery challenge update

2010-07-15T06:32:00.001-07:00

Been busy around here and haven't had the chance to update!
Week 3's grocery total was $68.15
Week 4 is $65.23

I did go over my personal goal for 3 out of the 4 weeks of $50 but I still think we did pretty good. We are still WAY under the All you challenge allotment for our family of $175 per week. We also had 2 birthdays during this challenge and I always let the birthday person pick a special meal so I think we did pretty good :).

So our grand total for 4 weeks of groceries for our family of 8 is $258.79! That is pretty good and we ate well, no Ramen noodles at all!

All You grocery challenge-week 1 results

2010-06-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

Week 1 is over and my total grocery spending for the week was $43.00. So well under their criteria for a family our size for the week! We ate well too,I'll try to come back later on and post our menu for the week.

We went to Harris Teeter this morning and got our groceries for the week. They were having double coupons up to $1.98 this week which is really awesome! Normally only coupons valued up to $.99 get doubled so I went through my stash of coupons, compared it with what they had on sale and came up with our list. When we got there, they had some incredible looking produce on the discount shelf. Normally it is older or smooshed fruit but not today! I got a big bag of yummy zucchini for $1.71 :). I also got a bag of apples and a bag of peaches. All for $.58/lb which is a great deal! Like I said these were all edible too. I pinched myself, said ouch and had people looking at me like I was crazy so I knew I was awake :). I moved on when the kids said people were staring at us, well me and got some other good deals. Did I mention that my kids love Harris Teeter? Not only do they give out free balloons, which I admit 90% of the time get blown out the door when we are piling in our van because I always seem to forget to secure them to the children. But, they have this other thing that the kids think is the greatest thing since sliced bread....free sliced bread and other items known as samples! I call it snack time :). Let's see today they (ok ok...WE) enjoyed samples of sugar cookies, pound cake, cheese, and cherry pie. Today was the one day that they didn't have bread....they must have seen us coming and put it away.
Ever have a coupon that you thought would be a good deal but didn't turn out that way? Instead of sticking it back in my stash where it will age and expire I put it on the item at the store so that someone else can use it. They may think it is a great deal or really need the item and the coupon is a blessing to them. My kids call it being the coupon fairy. All of them, including the boys, ask if they can be the coupon fairy if I find one I can't use. They get a kick out of it.
So after having our snack, playing coupon fairy, putting some good deals in the cart and getting our balloons which all made it home this time....we went to the check out. Today's grocery total before VIC savings and coupons was $171.36, after savings and coupons I spent a total of $62.55. Not too bad. I did spend more than I originally challenged myself to but this included special birthday girl dinner stuff for T's birthday on Wednesday. Still not bad for a week of food for a family of 8 either ;).

All you grocery challenge

2010-06-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

Starting on June 20th through July 17th I will be participating in the All You grocery challenge. The contest states that you cannot spend more than $25 per person in your household over 12 months of age per week. So for us that would be $175 per week. I am going to make a personal challenge to spend under $50 per week. At the end of the four weeks, the judging begins. The judging is not only based on spending under the guidelines but also on healthy choices and creativity. I am excited about this and will be blogging about it. I'll share my grocery spending, meals for the week, and how things are going. Are you doing this challenge too? Let me know! The contest is not taking any more entries at this time but I hope you follow my journey and maybe you can get some ideas from my adventure!

Faith through a roller coaster

2010-06-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

I haven't been on a real rollercoaster in a long time. In fact, it has been about13 years or so. Hard to ride one while pregnant or with a newborn ;). I do remember them vividly though. it is a weird feeling. I mix of nervousness and excitement. The anticipation of being in line, the bigger anticipation of slowly clicking up to the top of the first hill. I may be a big baby but I always get nervous and the feeling like I want off the ride now! Then you go down the first hill, if you are me you are screaming again like a baby. Then typically you go around some tight corners, some more hills and dips, and possibly get turned upside down. Now excusing the rare freak accident, even though you feel scared, excited, nervous, thrilled, and are having a good time, it is rare that you will have a bad result. In the end, the ride will coast to a stop and you will get out and walk away and may even get back in line to go again.

Many people say that life can be like a roller coaster. Big hills, highs, lows, get turned upside down, scared, excited, nervous, thrilled, happy, sad and yes at times I even scream like a baby. But in the end, this ride will also coast to a stop and I'll be good to go. When we have a rough time, after you get through it, you are for the better. The lessons learned, the thrill, the feeling of accomplishment may even make you want to get back on that ride.....well maybe not.

Fun with Acronyms

2010-06-16T06:00:00.001-07:00

This morning I was nursing Phinneaus while watching Curious George with the kids. They mentioned the term TLC and said it meant Tender Lobby Care (you have to watch the show to get that since there is a doorman on there that likes to keep his lobby clean). Anyway, the kids said that Tender Lobby Care was not the right meaning. My mommy heart swelled with pride in knowing that my children understood Tender Loving Care. Not exactly......

You can really tell a lot about their personalities as they tell me what TLC means. Seth bursted out that TLC must mean tomato, lettuce and corned beef. He is a growing boy and I swear sometimes all that child thinks about is food.

Cheyenne and Jimmy agreed that it meant tables, ladders, and chairs. *sigh* No I say, it means tender loving care. People generally say something needs TLC when they see that the item is not being taken care of properly. Oh they say in unison. Then with a pondering look on his face Seth says well what about sandwiches? Mom needs coffee I announce and head to the Keurig.

Being content in your season

2010-06-14T05:43:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I look at the gifts and callings that others have been given and feel that pang of envy. This season in my life, my main calling is raising my children, wife and helper to my husband and keeper of my home. I love this role, I truly do. But there are times when I hear about other friends with more "exciting" callings and gifts where I do get that feeling like, why can't I ________? Then I hear that still small voice telling me the reason.

You are not ______ (fill in that blank with mission work, helping the needy, elderly, the lost, teaching, preaching, traveling, singing, dancing, etc.) because you are already doing the most important job. You are working on what I have called you to do. You are raising an army, raising up children of God. Shaping them into the adults they will become. Loving them, disciplining them, teaching them, helping them be what they are called to be.

Then I think about it and its true. How amazing is it that the creator of the universe entrusted me with this task. That He trusts me with the most prized treasures in the entire world. No, I am not holding out on you all, I do not really hold the Hope diamond in my possession ;). I am talking about children. Jesus says in Luke that , "...the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Luke 18:16 Children are of utmost important to God and the job of raising them is not light duty. Neither is the job of keeping your home. Making your home a refuge, a haven if you will, a place where you, your children and your husband feel safe, feel loved and secure. A place that exudes hospitality and love for others as well. My husband also entrusts me to care for his children while he is at work.

This season of my life has my calling at home and that is good! I have plenty to do here and the work is very rewarding. I pray that He will use me to bless others too but I have to say that my calling is pretty awesome in and of itself.

How long does it take?

2010-06-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

How long does it take to heal a hurt? Does it get any easier? These questions have been on my mind lately. Father's Day tends to be bitter sweet for me.

In the very early morning hours of September 26, 2007 I was awakened by the phone ringing. I opened one eye and looked at the clock, 1:00 am. I layed there for a few minutes wondering if i should get up, go downstairs and see who tried to call. We have gotten a few calls at weird hours that turned out to be wrong numbers. I closed my eyes but I felt a nagging to go check. I went down and looked at the caller id, it was my mom. At once adrenaline coursed through my veins. My mom would not call at 1:00am unless something was very wrong. She didn't leave a voice mail. I tried to call her back and no answer, I left a message. I sat there waiting for about a minute and tried impatiently again. Then again. Finally she answered and asked me if Wendy had called me. (Wendy is my step sister whom I rarely speak to and I didn't even know if she had my phone number) No I say and ask what is wrong. She then asks if Sean is there, yes but he is sleeping I say now what is wrong?! Did I mention I was 7 months pregnant at this time?

Then she tells me that Dana passed away. Dana is my stepdad and this was really sudden. I was in shock. I asked a bunch of questions that she didn't know the answer to and then we hung up. I sat there unable to go to sleep, not sure what to think or do with myself. I watched an episode of the Golden Girls, part of Ace Ventura Pet Detective and finally after a few hours decided to try to go to sleep. Sean woke up when I went to bed and I told him the news.

The next few days were a bit of a blur and I still had not cried. Then on my way home from the doctor I passed a tractor trailer and all of a sudden started bawling. He drove a truck for most of his career and the sight of them was almost too much to bear. It is really funny how something so simple could release the flood of emotions I had in me.

I wondered how long it would hurt, how long until it got easier. After 2 1/2 years I can say that the hurt doesn't go away, but it does get easier. The first year was really rough. I cried a lot. I kept thinking that he would call. I kept dreaming that he was still alive that is was some mistake. But, it wasn't. He was gone. No chance to say goodbye. No chance for him to meet his new grandchildren.

I was talking to some friends about my dreams which had really started to disturb me. They suggested a balloon release so I did that. I bought a dozen or so balloons. We wrote notes to Papa on them, taped them to the balloons and sent them heavenward. It was therapeutic and helpful. The dreams lessened.

I had one last night. A dream that he was still alive. This time though I did not wake up and cry. I woke up and thanked the Lord that I was able to visit with Dana in my dream. Did it bring him back? No. But what it did was give me a little piece of him to treasure. It made it a little easier to bear the loss. The feeling of picking up the phone to call him on Father's Day only to reach a recording that the phone is no longer in service. I may not be able to visit him during the day but I have found that God has blessed me with the treasure of seeing him sometimes at night.

Today, tell your loved ones how you feel. Tell them how much you love them, how priceless they are to you. Don't let the little things bother you. Don't let your pride get in the way. You have the gift of them in your lives and that is something that is worth far more than a petty difference.

Life's lessons in vending machine form

2010-06-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be neat if you could learn life lessons by using a vending machine? I can see it now..... Hmmm what would I like to learn and develop more today? Patience, no I got that last week. Meekness, no not today. Hey how about grace? Yeah that sounds good. I grab my quarters and put them in the machine and whammo I am the picture of Godly grace! Too bad it doesnt work like that. No, too often we have to learn these traits by living them and a lot of times by failing at them in trial form.
I felt this today as I was dealing with a business establishment that I felt did me wrong. The truth was that I made the mistake. I was wrong. Yes, they could have been nice and not forced me to pay the stiff penalty for my mistake, but they didn't. This was part A of my trial. Part B was my response. I didn't yell or curse them out or anything but I was not very nice either. I said barely a word but finished my business with them and went home. If there was a redo button I think I should have smiled and thanked them and went on my way. I was feeling wounded at the time and felt tears welling up. So my excuse to myself was that I didn't want to open my mouth for the fear that they would see me cry. As I examine myself further though I see that it was my pride that got in the way. Back to that again. Where is that vending machine? I have another purchase to make, a return actually. I want to return my prideful feelings and have that grace. Too bad I am out of quarters.

A Return to Blogging and a new look

2010-06-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a year since my last post. I guess life just got busy and something had to give. Starting up again and back with a new look. We decided to name our home school Hotchkiss Haven. A haven is a refuge, a safe harbor which is exactly where we want our children to be. Another definition for haven is an asylum which is where I feel I am sometimes,lol. That part is a bit tongue in cheek but we have to keep our humor. I also really like lighthouses so it all fits.

With a new baby, schooling, summer time, etc. there is plenty to write about. See you soon!

An inventor and a magician/comedian

2009-08-25T13:56:00.000-07:00

Seth has been busy inventing today with objects many would deem worthy for the trash or recycling bin at best. He created a personal garbage can for campers out of a plastic bag, piece of contruction paper and a rectangle piece of cardboard! Then he created a lollipop holder complete with a disposal unit. He designed this with Roman and Tatiana in mind,lol. What a creative guy! I will try to get some pictures.

While at the dollar store today, Seth purchased a magic kit for Cheyenne and she has been wowing us with her magic. She is really good! Her comedic ways make her a natural really and Jimmy is especially intrigued. But, she tells him that a true magician never reveals her tricks. I guess that is why I caught him trying to look at the directions in the box!

Monday Monday

2009-08-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Back in the swing of things again after the week (almost) off. Things went well and we are learning all about Forests in science this week. Different types of forests and all the layers in each one and where they are located. This is awesome since we are going camping this weekend in the mountains and there are many beautiful trees to study! I told them to pack their nature journals so they can make some notations of their observations, put some pictures in, some leaf examples, etc. I'll just have to make sure Jimmy doesn't put any insect examples in his book,lol.

explanation of absence last week

2009-08-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

Last week was pretty busy and the kids had some things to do so we took Tues-Friday off of school. Glad we did since Sean got really sick at the end of the week. Just wanted to let you all know why there were no posts last week :).

Week 2 is done!

2009-08-14T15:57:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty good week with school and completed the introduction. Next week we are starting to explore North America and from there will move around the world. We are also starting our in depth look at the book of Matthew. They will have a different memory verse each week and can develop their own way of reading the bible. We started a Thankfulness Journal when we started school and each day they write what they are thankful for. They usually draw a picture to go with it. Of course Cheyenne, my little comedian, selected food for what she is thankful for and drew a picture of a cooked chicken and a living one. There is a bubble above the living chicken. It is speaking to the cooked one and asks if it is it's mother,lol. Ah kids!
We made a cake today and are going to decorate it as the world but didn't get that part done yet. When we do, I will post a picture!

Parlez-Vous Francais?

2009-08-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Cheyenne has a love of all things French like her mommy :). We have had many discussions of one day visiting Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower. Recently when we were discussing room decorations she mentioned that she would love to have a giant Eiffel Tower in her room, perhaps a mural on one wall. We decided that we would try to learn French together, well not really try....just learn it. When Cheyenne sets her mind on something, she gets it done. She has determination!

When i was researching Language learning programs I found that they either didn't seem like we would learn much or that they were WAY expensive. Rosetta Stone is one that I have heard wonderful things about but it is out of our price range. In the meantime, we are utlizing netflix! They have many educational DVD's that you can borrow and they come in handy especially on rainy days or days when you need a little change up. We are on the second DVD now called beyond the basics and are learning quite a bit. Cheyenne also suggested that we try to converse with each other in French as much as possible so we can help retain it. She is so smart :). That is what we are doing.

Week 1 down.....

2009-08-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

5 days down and only 175 to go! In VA, we are required to devote 180 days to schooling a school-calendar year. It is helpful to have a number for planning purposes. I can look at our Math program for example and see how many days a week we need to finish the curriculum for that particular year. Same for other subjects. Many are done daily but I can also see the space needed for field trips and other learning adventures.

Our first week went pretty well. The biggest challenges were organization and helping the little ones stay occupied while we are schooling. I have a few toys and things that the little ones are only allowed to use during school and that does help. They can also be involved in school and learn themselves. When we are doing bible, geography and science especially. These are subjects that we all do together. There is no allotted time set up to accomplish the daily work. There are days when we can finish up fairly quickly and then days where we go off on tangents and can spend many hours delving into the subject. The kids are really enjoying geography. We have a huge world map on the wall in the dining room and they like to look at all the different countries. A book that we read this week for our lessons is "God speaks Numangang" (gotta check my spelling on that one ;)). We learned that there are an enormous amount of different languages in the world, almost 7,000 to be precise. In all those languages, there are only just under 500 or so that have a bible written in their language. This was amazing to the children and I. How are people supposed to learn about God's love when they cannot read about it in their own language? That is what the book was about. We learned about missionaries that went and learned the Numangang language, a language that didn't even have a written form! They helped the people write their language down and starting working on translating the bible. This is a long, arduous process but one that has such importance. It was an awesome opportunity for the children to learn by example how to reach out to others in a loving and accepting manner and help them learn about the Lord.
The children also filled out their passport applications to begin our world tour. They will receive them at the start of week 4 I believe when we get ready to leave the country (figuratively speaking of course). They are excited to *visit* many parts of the world and learn different customs and cultures.

Our new school year!

2009-08-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

This year I am homeschooling all the children. It is a daunting yet exciting task. They are all so different so we do have a plan for curriculum, at the same time, the courses of study can be tailored for each individual child to make for a better program. We are using My Father's World (www.mfwbooks.com) as our base program. This is a biblically based program that all of the children can study together. We are using separate Math, Language Arts, Spelling levels for each child so that they can learn at their level. The best part is that I am learning too!

I am in the process of setting up yearly goals for other areas in their lives too. I read a great book called, "When you rise up". In it the author begs the question......what does being educated mean? Does it mean that you can get into the best colleges? Does it mean that you can become a 5-day champion on jeopardy? These are very individualized questions and answers. It will most likely differ from family to family and even from family member to family member. The yearly goals I am setting up for each child help answer these questions and help set the course for their life goals. What a daunting task indeed! Helping children direct their course in life and shape their future! Truth is that we do this anyway but it is more often than not an effort that is not planned. I am hoping to help them plan it more. It is taking longer than I originally thought,lol. When we come up with it, I will post more.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy this blog. It was born to help all of you see what we are up to. Also for anyone interested in homeschooling, they can get more information. I think it will be a nice way of looking back on our years of homeschooling so we can see how much we have accomplished.