Frugal Friday

Last weekend we took a trip to our favorite thrift store. We like to go every few months or so to stock up on things.

We buy nearly all of our children's clothes second hand. One reason is obviously because it is frugal, lol. With four boys in a row, it just makes financial sense to save money where you can. Then, if a pair of pants gets a hole in a knee, or a shirt ends up with a stain that I can't get out, it isn't such a big deal.

We have a second reason for shopping this way... We have always dressed are boys in things like khakis and button down shirts rather than the typical jeans and tee shirts. You may wonder why in the world we would bother with that, even when we spend the day at home...It's our opinion (and it's just that, an opinion ;)) that dress affects behavior. When they wear jeans and tee shirts, they act like they are wearing rough and tumble play clothes, and when they are wearing nice pants they tend to act a little more accordingly.

For around $200 dollars, this is what we were able to find this trip:


For the boys:


* 2 size 5 sweaters
* 4 size 4 pajamas
* 4 size 5 pajamas
* 5 size 5 sweater vests
* 1 size 4 athletic pants and jacket set
* 2 size 2 sweater vests
* 2 size 2 pajamas
* 3 size 5 pairs of jeans
* 5 size 5 pairs of pants
* 1 pair size 5 shoes
* 2 pairs size 6 shoes
*1 pair size 8 shoes
*1 pair size 12 shoes
* 1 size 4 winter coat

For me :):
*7 skirt
*7 tops
*4 sweaters
*1 dress
* 1 jacket
* and a cute funky scarf, lol

Happy Thrifting!,

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Learning Scripture

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:15






Is there anything more precious than hearing the Word of God come out of children's tiny little mouths? I love to hear their enthusiasm in learning Scripture verses!

As part of their Bible curriculum, each week we focus on a Bible story, and memorize a corresponding verse. We also do a coloring sheet for each story.

This week's memory verse is John 17:17. "Thy Word is truth."

Blessings,

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Wordless Wednesday

Is there anything that warms the heart as much as seeing your children playing happily and sweetly together?

Love,

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Simple Woman's Day Book

Outside my window...bright cheery sunshine!

I am thinking... wow this new blend of coffee is delicious!

From the learning rooms... new memory verse reward chart and flashcards, and the boys are ever so excited!


I am thankful for... knowing how blessed we truly are.

From the kitchen...I need to make wheat crackers and apple breakfast bars this afternoon.

I am wearing..a pink skirt with tiny blue flowers, a white shirt, and soft blue cardigan, oh and a pink bow in my hair, lol

I am reading... other than children's school books, not much reading going on here!

I am hoping... that my children always stay this sweet. I love their innocence and purity.

I am creating... lesson plans and workbooks.

I am praying... for all of those who are struggling right now.

Around the house... listening to Joseph saying "daptop, daptop" (laptop), Jamie contentedly sighing in his sleep...watching Jacob thinking deeply about something (oh how I wish I could see inside his mind!) and Joshua playing obliviously happily.

One of my favorite things... having friends who share the same values, and being encouraged by their edifying fellowship.

A few plans for the rest of the week... baking to restock the freezer, organizing clothing and closets.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you..



Love,

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Busy Monday!

Mondays always seem to be a bit busy in our household...it just always seems that there is much to be done!

This morning, I made bread while the boys played at the kitchen table. They love to sit at the table and talk and sing with me as I am working in the kitchen. I really cherish these times...it seems like we have the best conversations over making bread!



Later, we made a batch of laundry detergent. The house smelled so wonderful between the bread, and the smell of the soap melting! It is such a great feeling to know that I can make things like bread, or detergents, or whatever else for my family. I enjoy the time we spend together while doing the work!

This afternoon I am working on lesson plans, and making memory verse flash cards.

Blessings Abound,

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Frugal Friday

My Frugal Friday tip today is one that I learned from watching my grandmother. She used to save EVERYTHING. She would reuse margarine containers to store leftovers (there was always a running joke that just because it was a margarine container doesn't mean it's margarine...you would see maybe 10 different ones in her refrigerator at any given time, lol)

I save things like the margarine containers or jars from jellies or salsa. I don't necessarily use them to store leftovers, but they are great to have for when you need to take a meal to someone and don't want them to have to worry about returning containers.

I also reuse ziplock bags. I use so many of them (I buy my flours, sugars, rice... in bulk and then break it down into gallon size bags, and store these bags in an airtight container. When I need flour or sugar I just run down to the basement and grab a gallon bag) that it would be expensive to keep buying them. So, I wash them out and let them dry and then store them in a drawer in my kitchen.

My grandmother also used to save her aluminum foil. When she took it off of a dish she would lay it out and press it back smooth and put it in a drawer to reuse. I haven't been doing this, but I am really thinking I will.

Little things do add up!

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Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for so many things this wonderful Thursday morning.

I am thankful for my home, and for the freedom to make my home the perfect home for me. I love visiting other people's homes and seeing the different ways they choose to decorate and run their homes. It is so neat to see different people's personalities expressed in the colors they use and the way they decorate. You can tell so much about priorities and what they love, just by being in their home.

I love that my home is decorated in just the right way for US. We are such a mix of things, and it is neat to see that around my home. Our house has traditional, dark wood molding, but we chose bright, bold colors for the paint on the walls...We have somewhat formal furniture in some rooms, but really comfortable furniture for the living room. It's just who we are. We tend to be somewhat old-fashioned and traditional, but we are not without "spunk". We can be a bit "proper" but at the same time, we are not "stiff".

You can see our faith expressed all around the house. You could never walk into my home and wonder if we are Christian...I like that. Just to clarify- I'm not saying that these things make us Christian, I am saying these things are in our home BECAUSE we are Christian.

I love that we have pictures of our family, all throughout the house. I love being surrounded by pictures of my most cherished blessings. I love seeing the baby pictures of my Jacob, and pictures of the brothers together. I think my favorite pictures are the family pictures. I love seeing the first one, of just the three of us, and then four, and then five...I can't wait to have a new picture with Jamie included.

What I love most about my home though, is that it has nothing to do with the physical structure. We could be in any house, anywhere in the world, but my "home" would be the same. This place is only my home, because I am surrounded by the blessings that God chose to put in my life. And that, to me, is really something to be thankful for.

Love,

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Simple Woman's Day Book

Outside my window... I'm watching a pair of cardinals. I love seeing them! I know most people are fascinated with the bright red males, but I really think the females are just so beautiful in their own, sweet way.

I am thinking... I just might take a nap today. I cannot believe how tired I am...

From the learning rooms... lots of discussion about the difference between "questions" and just saying something.

I am thankful for...I am looking around my house and all I can think is that I am so thankful for my home. I love that you can see our personality in it, that I am surrounded by reminders of my faith, and pictures of my blessings. When I am here, I don't want to leave, and when I am away, I look forward to returning home.

From the kitchen...I'm thinking meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, green beans and rolls. With sweet tea, of course.

I am wearing..a denim skirt, purple shirt and white cardigan. Oh, and pink, purple and black argyle knee socks. :)

I am reading... "Manual of Prayer". Really enjoying reading through the prayers.

I am hoping... To sleep better tonight. I just could not sleep last night and I am exhausted.

I am creating... new rooms. We have been doing some rearranging, and it feels like we have suddenly have new spaces.

I am praying... I have a lot on my mind...nothing serious, just "feels" like a lot...praying for some resolution.

Around the house... the sound of boys playing trains, and baby "chatter". Jamie is really starting to do a lot of the baby talking...

One of my favorite things...writing. Just sitting with a paper and pen and a comfy blanket and writing. Heavenly...

A few plans for the rest of the week... Mostly just working around the house, I have a Mommy meeting later this week that I think I am going to go to with just the older boys. Rick has taken this week off from work, so I am enjoying our extra time together. :)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you..




Love,

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Frugal Friday- Home Haircuts

During this time of economic downturn, so may people are looking for ways to cut expenses. One thing we do that save us quite a bit of money each month is home haircuts.

I have been cutting the boys', and my husband's hair for several years now. It all started for a totally different reason than cost though...Jacob used to be terrified of getting his hair cut. The last time we went to have it down, the lady ended up cutting his ear because he just would not sit still. The poor little guy would scream in fright! I had a friend who had five boys, and she cut all of their hair, so that gave me the idea to try.

Once I was doing Jacob's it just made sense to give Rick's a try as well. He was always having a hard time finding the time to go as it was. And I have been cutting their hair ever since.

It's really not very complicated and I will try to explain how I do it here.


Joseph really likes his baby Mohawk, so I cut his hair so that it will be easy to style. Around the sides and back I use a #2 guard. The top section I use a #4 guard. Then I use a little hair gel to shape his Mohawk.


Joshua has very fine hair, and it really won't do much style-wise, so it easiest to keep it cut very short. Because his hair is so soft and find, I use a #3 around the sides and back and it ends up looking about the same as the #2 does on his brothers. I cut the top just a tad shorter, using a #4 guard. It's simple and very easy to maintain, which is just perfect for him!


I cut Jacob's hair a little differently this time, I was wanting it low maintenance so I cut it a little shorter than I usually do. For his usual cut, I do the same as I do for Rick's. But this time I used a #2 around the sides, a #4 on the top, and then blended it with a #3.




Thanks to Jacob for taking this picture! He got a camera for Christmas and is really enjoying learning to take pictures.

For Rick's hair, I use a #2 guard around the sides. For the top I use a #7 guard, and then I use the in between guards to blend it in.


We love doing haircuts and home. It saves us time and money. Especially now with four boys, and my husband, it would be rather expensive each month. It is much less stressful doing it at home!

Hugs,

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Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my oldest son, Jacob. He has become my little right hand man...He's always right there, wanting to help me with something. He loves the early afternoons when his brothers take a nap, and he gets to work on things with me.


Lately his favorite thing to help with is working in the kitchen. He loves to help me when I bake. He is learning so much that it baffles my mind! The other day, we were making bread and I told him, "We need five a half cups of flour." I put in one cup and then asked, "Do you know how many we need now?" I really did not expect him to know the answer, but he said, "We need four and a half!" I was flabbergasted!

Another day, we were baking something, and I had read the recipe out loud before getting started. I went to add the baking soda but instead reached for the baking powder without thinking. Jacob said "Wait Mommy! That's baking powder!" Again, I was amazed! How'd he get so smart???

The other day while we were working in the kitchen he asked if he could have an apron, too. I remembered an apron that I had that wasn't too "girly" and I knew it was on the smaller side, so I tried it on him. Oh he was so excited. He LOVED it. He kept saying, "I really love chickens. Chickens are my favorite" He was so proud of HIS knew apron. So, now his apron hangs on the back of the laundry room door with mine. :)



Jacob has always enjoyed his role as older brother, but now that he has grown even bigger, he is enjoying getting to help even more. The other day I was sitting down to feed Jamie, and he asked "Can I feed him?" I was hesitant at first, but then thought, "why not?" So I sat down beside him and let him feed his baby brother. I loved seeing little Jamie look up at him with this adoring look. So precious!




I just love watching Jacob interact with his brothers. They look up to him so much, and he seems to really enjoy getting to teach them things, and help them with things. I am glad he is there to set a good example for them. I am glad Joshua has him as a best friend, and that Jacob is always there to help him with things, or to encourage him. I am glad Joseph has a big brother who is patient with him, and who likes playing with him.

I love you, Jacob! And I am so thankful that God has blessed our family by making you a part of it!

Love,

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Our Bin System for Toys

"Systems" work well for our family. I suppose they work well for most large(ish) families, although I think they'd work well no matter what our family size. This isn't a new system for us, but rather us returning to a familiar method that worked well for us in the past...(I wish I knew why we abandon things that work well...)

Toys have become a bit of an issue lately...More and more often the boys are making a bigger mess than they can clean up without a lot of help, things are getting broken or lost, they've even been fighting a bit over toys (something that is really out of character for them!), so I finally decided it was time to step in and make a change.

I had the boys gather the toys from around the house. This was the fun part...we made a huge pile (or a mountain, lol) of toys on the living room floor.

We then sorted the toys into categories and put them into bins. I then made labels for each bin (my favorite part, of course).

We needed a good place to store all of these bins, so I decided to clear out the upstairs hall closet. (it had bed linens and towels in it, but I thought that maybe there would be a better place to store those anyway, especially since our bathroom is so far from that closet...)



Here is how it works...

When it is time to play the boys may choose ONE bin. They all have to agree on a bin ( a good exercise for learning to compromise and share). Or, they may each choose ONE toy from the big blue bin.

Clean up is simple...we find that there is less fighting when we have it set up this way, and the boys aren't overwhelmed by this huge pile of toys to choose from. It's easier for them to see their choices, and they end up playing with a bigger variety of things.

With Love,

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Proverbs 31:19

She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff."

This verse refers to the ancient method of spinning from before the spinning wheel. The virtuous wife was well skilled in providing her family with clothing. In modern times such skills have become a lost art-something seen primarily as done by choice as a hobby. Why would a lady bother with making clothes for her family when it is so simple to go out and buy them? So few young ladies are taught the skills of knitting, crocheting, or sewing as they are viewed as useless skills. Young women today, in many cases, hardly know how to prepare meals. Even cooking family meals is becoming a lost art. How many know how to make a cake from scratch? Many families eat out frequently or order food that can be brought into the home.

I have been asked, rather often, why I would take the time to bake our families bread instead of buying a loaf from the store. It is true that a loaf of bread is rather inexpensive, especially when you take in to account the time spent in making it at home. But- there is so much more value in the loaf of bread, formed by my hands, than the wheat and yeast and the nutrition it brings. It does have value financially of course-we figured out that with buying our ingredients in bulk a loaf of wheat bread costs us just pennies, but greater than that is knowing that I created this food for them, with my hands, the same hands that wipe away a child's tears and help guide a little one's pencil as he makes his first marks.

The same is true for making clothes for my family. There is a sweet satisfaction that comes from knowing that I have crafted a garment for them to wear. I have found too that my family members seem to take better care of the things that they know I have made for them. I do not know if it is out of respect or appreciation-but either way it warms my heart.

I do not wish for the words to be a discouragement for those of you who cannot sew or bake or feel that you do not have the time. I remember before I had learned to do these things I felt very overwhelmed by the thought of them. Like so many of you I did not grow up learning many of these skills and found myself scrambling to learn new skills as they became necessary or desired. My hope is to encourage you that it is possible to learn, and to incorporate these arts into your homemaking life.

Pax Christi,

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Wordless Wednesday

Love,

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