tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229379102024-03-07T02:00:40.879-06:00Gigi's Little Blog"Spoil your husband, but don't spoil your children. That's my philosophy."
~Louise Sevier Giddings CurreyJuliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.comBlogger344125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-35984401932326285742008-05-28T14:32:00.000-05:002008-05-28T14:33:40.470-05:00<a href="http://seizingthedays.blogspot.com/">New blog!</a><br />Update your bookmarks and blog rolls!<br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-11673333074424743652008-05-22T12:24:00.001-05:002008-05-22T12:26:56.918-05:00Pray for the Chapman FamilyPlease pray for the <a href="http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/">Chapman Family</a>. <br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-48173828494547660412008-05-19T06:18:00.003-05:002008-05-19T06:29:41.631-05:00Today is the 6-month anniversary of my niece <a href="http://gigislittleblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/megan.html">Megan's</a> death. This is a hard day for us, especially for my sister Christina and her family. Tears are right below the surface.<br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-71906934489098895702008-05-17T18:02:00.001-05:002008-05-17T18:02:27.209-05:00<a href="http://youredoingwhat.blogspot.com/2008/05/can-you-really-love-that-many-kids.html">This </a>is an excellent post! Go read it!<br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-1691246424451432312008-05-17T06:31:00.004-05:002008-05-17T11:13:34.451-05:00Saturday<span style="font-weight: bold;">Beauty in the Common Things:</span> the colors of a sunrise<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Listen In:</span>dh talking to me (sounds muffled because he is in another room and is mumbling : )<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Supper Plans:</span> beans and cornbread, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Today I Plan To:</span> drive dh's new car (new to us- VW bug- 47 mpg- diesel- CUTE!!), look for outside decor for my porch at garage sales, gather horse manure for my compost pile, deposit my tenant's rent check that I was supposed to deposit on the 6th (sorry!!),<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">View From the Kitchen Window:</span> a beautiful sky<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">**Plans, what plans?? Notice above that I had a nice little day planned out, complete with productivity around the house. Well, after going " garage saling" we went to Wal Mart to pick up a new CD rom for my computer. When we came out, there was oil pouring out of teh new VW bug...all...over...the...place. Long story short, there is a hole in the oil pan, no mechanics in our town work on VW cars, so we are taking the car on a trailer to the vw dealership in Dallas. Parts+labor=$950.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">So much for my afternoon of scooping horse manure.</span><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-67344918878483243032008-05-16T06:02:00.002-05:002008-05-16T06:40:56.770-05:00So glad it's Friday!I am very happy that it's Friday! I love waking up Saturday morning, knowing that I don't have to rush around getting kids ready for school and then driving back and forth several times a day. Since we live 20 minutes from school now, I feel like I am in the van a lot. Saturdays are a nice break from that. And summer is just around the corner, so I won't be making the daily drive much longer. My older boys get out on the 29th of May and my little boy gets out on the 22nd. I think I am going to cry when my little one finishes pre-k. I just love his teachers; they are so gifted at what they do and they really do love the children they teach. I will miss them next year. Plus, the fact that my sweet boy is growing up is so hard for me. I think I am going through this struggle with aging and with my kids growing up because I have hit my 30s. Okay, I am 31, so I have been "in my 30s" for more than a year now, but this all started when I turned 30. I am just having such a problem with getting older. I felt young in my 20s and my kids were all so little. Now, I feel like I am aging so quickly and my kids are getting older so quickly! I know in my head that time passes by at the same rate as it used to, but it feels like it is going by faster. <br /><br />Enough about that...<br /><br />We are planning to travel to Oklahoma for Memorial Day weekend. One of dh's cousins whom we haven't seen in years is coming into town with her hubby and 2 kids. Her baby is 1 year old and we have never met the sweet little thing, so that will be fun! My older boys have to go back to school the day after Memorial Day and I am trying to decide if I am going to keep them out so we can stay in OK longer or if we should drive back Monday evening so they can be in school Tuesday.<br /><br />I am hosting a baby shower for Mrs. Happy in June. I haven't hosted a shower by myself before, so I am making lists galore, wanting to make sure I don't forget anything. : ) Mrs. Happy's MIL has graciously offered to let us use the party room at her condo building. It is a fancy place right in downtown Fort Worth. <br /><br />My kids are still doing a great job learning their evening routine (bedtime routine). I have stuck to my weekly plan this week, for the first time in months and months. I am reaping the benefits of sticking to my plan! My house is organized and clean, which makes me feel calm and happy. School is getting done, we all have clean clothes each morning, even the outside of my house is clean and pretty. Now if I can stick to it consistently, and my home can stay calm and peaceful, that will be a great accomplishment for me. <br />Weekly Plan- Monday laundry day, Tuesday kitchen day (cook extra for freezer and clean kitchen top and bottom) Wednesday office day (clean desk, file papers, pay bills, etc), Thursday gardening day (any outside work and decorating), Friday cleaning day (deep cleaning added to normal chores), Saturday errands, prep for Sunday, and fun family stuff, and Sunday the Lord's Day (if I have done my prep on Saturday I can actually rest and fellowship on Sunday,which is my goal). It really doesn't take that long, just an hour or two each day, to get the extra stuff done. I have it scheduled in the afternoon when the kids do their afternoon chores. Yesterday they helped me outside and we cleaned up quite a bit and then hung up our flag on the front porch. It looks pretty and clean! <br /><br />That all the update I have time for this morning. Everyone is waking up and coming downstairs so I had better go.<br /><br />One more thing that is definitely worth mentioning...today is the 4 year anniversary if Isabelle's accident. Continue to pray in faith for her complete restoration. : ) God is good!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-78960240166296022982008-05-13T10:40:00.003-05:002008-05-13T10:47:15.867-05:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Beauty in the Common Things:</span> a good book read aloud<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Listen In:</span> dd2 telling me that my sandals are dry (she wanted to unload the clothes dryer)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Supper Plans: </span>burgers, salad, and sweet potato fries<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Today I Plan To:</span> get school done, clean the kitchen from top to bottom, shop for a car for dh<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">View From the Kitchen Window:</span> dark, gloomy, wet<br /><br />It has been almost a week now that I have been working with the kids on their evening routine. They are doing so well! I am very happy with their progress, good attitudes (for the most part), and smooth mornings!<br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-87143482659376650582008-05-07T13:58:00.001-05:002008-05-07T14:23:34.813-05:00<h1 style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Training Children<o:p></o:p></span></h1> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >“Back in the day” when we homeschooled all of our children and I had 6 kids home with me all the time, I had lots of routines and charts and all of that.<span style=""> </span>(<a href="http://www.thehumphreyhotspot.blogspot.com/">Leslie </a>lived next door to us at the time and thought all of my charts were wildly funny!) When we moved and put them in school, all of a sudden I began doing all of the housework and chores myself.<span style=""> </span>I tried a few charts and routines, but I found that it was easier to just do it myself.<span style=""> </span>When they got home from school, I made them do their homework and then sent them out to play.<span style=""> </span>That isn’t working so well anymore.<span style=""> </span>It is nearly impossible for me to homeschool 1 child, take care of a preschooler, toddler, and baby, clean the house, cook the meals, do the laundry, and still get some sleep!<span style=""> </span>Oh, and I forgot about the hour and a half I am driving each day to shuttle boys back and forth to school.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >It’s time for the kids to help out at home on a consistent basis.<span style=""> </span>They are great kids and they help when I ask them to, but I have not been consistent with them and it shows!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >I am going to begin re-training the older ones (7-13) and training the little ones from scratch (2-5).<span style=""> </span>If they would learn to pick up after themselves, that alone would make our home much more manageable.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >I am going to start with the Evening Routine.<span style=""> </span>This is an idea from <a href="http://www.flylady.net/">Flylady</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <h1><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Kids’ Evening Routine<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Goals:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Clean up house<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Get ready for tomorrow<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Get ready for bed<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Calm down and have a peaceful atmosphere before bed<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >10-minute Zone pickup<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>dd13-Family Room<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>ds9-Boys’ bathroom<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>B-Bar Area<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>E-Guest Bathroom<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Ds5-Dining Room<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Dd2- Girls’ bathroom<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Baby- hang out with Daddy <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >10-minute bedroom pickup<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Lay out clothes and shoes for tomorrow<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Take vitamins<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Get last drink<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Brush teeth<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Potty<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Get in bed with a book until “Lights Out”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >I am going to work on this with the kids every night for 3 weeks.<span style=""> </span>I am going to make sure they get it down to a T.<span style=""> </span>Then, we will add the Morning Routine, also from <a href="http://www.flylady.net/">Flylady</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <h1><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Kids’ Morning Routine<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Wake up; Shower if needed <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Get dressed to the socks<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Make bed or take sheets to washer<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Turn off lights and fan in bedrooms and bathrooms<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Eat breakfast<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Go to table for school<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >After they all have the morning routine down, it will be the middle of June and homeschooling will be well under way.<span style=""> </span>I am going to continue working with them on our <b>daily schedule</b>.<span style=""> </span>It helps so much if everyone knows what to do when.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >It doesn’t take them long to catch on, but if I want it to stick I have to walk them through it over and over, day after day, until they can walk through it in their sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >After we have the school routine down, summer will be over and …<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Just kidding, it shouldn’t take us that long.<span style=""> </span>The next thing we’re going to work on is Afternoon Chore Time.<span style=""> </span>This is an idea from <a href="http://largefamilylogistics.blogspot.com/">Kim at Large Family Logistics</a>.<span style=""> </span>She is so amazing and inspiring and a mother of 9!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <h1><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Afternoon Chore Time <o:p></o:p></span></span></h1> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >4:00-5:00 pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >DD13<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Put away all folded laundry<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Clean zone (Family room, Girls’ laundry)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >DS9<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Unload/load dishwasher<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Feed and water horses<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Clean zone (boys’ laundry, boys’ bathroom)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >B<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Feed and water Smokey<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Sweep upstairs <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Clean zone (Bar and area around bar)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >E<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Wipe guest bathroom with baby wipes<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Clean zone (guest bathroom)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Sweep stairs<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >DS5<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Clean zone (dining room)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Hang up your clothes in your bedroom<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >DD2<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Pick up toys in Family Room<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Help Mommy in kitchen<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Baby<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Look cute<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""> </span>Don’t cry<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >After working on Afternoon Chore Time for 3 weeks, we are going to work on Table Chores (Kim at <a href="http://largefamilylogistics.blogspot.com/">LFL</a>).<span style=""> </span>I want all of the kids to learn these things; otherwise I would just do it myself.<span style=""> </span>I am trying to train them so that one day my job will be much easier and they will be prepared adults.<span style=""> </span>My daughters will make great homemakers one day, very prepared and knowledgeable.<span style=""> </span>My sons will make their wives happy when they help out by cleaning the kitchen and doing a fine job!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <h1><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Table Chores<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Set table<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Fill water glasses<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Scrape dishes<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Carry to sink or dishwasher<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Load dishwasher<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Collect trash from table, put cloth napkins in laundry<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Put food away<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Wipe table, chairs, high chair<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Sweep under table<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Wash dishes<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Dry dishes<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Put clean dishes away, unload dishwasher<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Wipe counters<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Then, we will work on learning how to properly manage their bedrooms.<span style=""> </span>My kids get overwhelmed if they are told, “Go clean your room.”<span style=""> </span>They need it broken down for them.<span style=""> </span>During our Evening Routine, they are to straighten their bedrooms for 10 mintues.<span style=""> </span>I may have them do these things during that time, or I may assign these things during Afternoon Chore Time, or I may save them for Fridays (we do a 4-day <a href="http://www.sonlight.com/">Sonlight </a>program, so on Fridays they will do one math lesson, then no school for the rest of the day).<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <h1 style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Kids’ Bedroom Management<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.75pt; text-indent: -18.75pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >1.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><span style=";font-family:";" >Make the bed<o:p></o:p></span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.75pt; text-indent: -18.75pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >2.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><span style=";font-family:";" >Put away any clean laundry<o:p></o:p></span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.75pt; text-indent: -18.75pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >3.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><span style=";font-family:";" >Put dirty laundry in hamper<o:p></o:p></span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.75pt; text-indent: -18.75pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >4.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><span style=";font-family:";" >Put toys/stuff where it belongs.<span style=""> </span>If it doesn’t’ have a home, ask Mommy to help you find one.<o:p></o:p></span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.75pt; text-indent: -18.75pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >5.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><span style=";font-family:";" >Clean off surfaces- tops of dressers, windowsills, desks<o:p></o:p></span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.75pt; text-indent: -18.75pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >6.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><span style=";font-family:";" >Dust the surfaces you just cleaned off<o:p></o:p></span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.75pt; text-indent: -18.75pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >7.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><span style=";font-family:";" >Clean under the beds<o:p></o:p></span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.75pt; text-indent: -18.75pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >8.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><span style=";font-family:";" >Closets- get everything off floor, put it all away, line up shoes neatly, hang up clothes neatly<o:p></o:p></span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Last, but not least, if Outside Chores.<span style=""> </span>These will be done on Saturdays with the whole family outside doing outside work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" >Kid Assignments<o:p></o:p></span></span></h2> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Porch, walls- sweep, clean<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Garage - straighten & sweep<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Vehicles - trash, belongings, dust, vacuum<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Toy and Trash pickup<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Pick up sticks, put them in fire pit, and have a hot dog and marshmallow roast at the end of the day!<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >By this time, it will be October and the weather will be beginning to get cool.<span style=""> </span>A hot dog and marshmallow roast will be great in the cooler weather!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >Life never goes according to my schedule, but I think it is important to plan it anyway.<span style=""> </span>If I have a plan in hand, I can go back to it after the interruptions and do the next thing.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >I’m really glad life doesn’t go according to my schedule or my plans.<span style=""> </span>Some of the best times I have had, the best memories, were during the interruptions of life.<span style=""> </span>But we also have a family of 9, 2 horses, 1 dog, and 11 acres to take care of and that takes some planning and work!<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:";" >I hear a little one crying, so I had better go!<span style=""> </span>So much for that cup of coffee I wanted to have out on the porch, listening and watching the rain while the kids slept…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-45045041869996518172008-05-07T13:05:00.001-05:002008-05-07T13:45:50.877-05:00<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Planning For A Rainy Day<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Dave Ramsey teaches to plan for a rainy day in the form of an emergency fund.<span style=""> </span>An emergency fund begins as $1,000 set aside for the day when the car won’t start, your little one needs stitches and insurance won’t cover it, etc.<span style=""> </span>I was thinking about this today as I was cleaning up our lunch mess and I began to think of other ways I could be preparing for the rainy days that are sure to come:<span style=""> </span>days when I am sick and can barely get out of bed, those early days of pregnancy when I feel like the rug has gotten jerked out from under me, the days of winter when I have multiple kids sick and all I do is rock babies and clean up throw up all day.<span style=""> </span>Gross, but reality.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">A side note: last Saturday my van wouldn’t start.<span style=""> </span>We got all ready to go to Dallas for the Asian festival downtown.<span style=""> </span>We are beginning a study of Japan and dh thought it would be neat to go to this festival.<span style=""> </span>So, we got the entire family ready and got into the van.<span style=""> </span>Dh started the van and it died.<span style=""> </span>This happened again, and again, and again. Dh would not give up.<span style=""> </span>We did this for about 20 minutes, sitting in the garage.<span style=""> </span>By that time, a few kids were whining and starting to bicker amongst themselves.<span style=""> </span>DD13 was cracking up and I was beginning to get impatient.<span style=""> </span>To make a LONG story short, thankfully I had that emergency fund in place because yesterday I paid a bill of $436.58 for a new fuel pump.<span style=""> </span>If we didn’t have the money set aside, we would have been up a creek.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Also, I was in bed yesterday afternoon and evening with some kind of yucky stomach virus and I was wishing I had done some “rainy day/sick day” planning to make things easier on my family.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Okay, back to my rainy day planning.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">The areas that go to the wayside when rainy days hit are<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">1)<span style=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="">Laundry<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">2)<span style=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="">Meals<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">3)<span style=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="">Meal cleanup<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">One thing I can think of to make meals less of a problem is having meals in the freezer so dh or dd13 can pop one of those in the oven, make a salad and a pitcher of tea and voila!<span style=""> </span>Dinner is ready!<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Meal cleanup and laundry are very challenging, especially if we’re talking about an extended amount of rainy day time, like 2 weeks of the flu, or 12 weeks of morning sickness.<span style=""> </span>: )<span style=""> </span>One idea is to put 2 children in charge of meal cleanup and rotate it weekly during these times.<span style=""> </span>I can do the same with laundry.<span style=""> </span>That sounds like it will work.<span style=""> </span>I will have to make charts to tell them exactly what to do so that it will get clean up well.<span style=""> </span>I don’t know about your kids but mine DO NOT clean the way I want them to unless I am standing over them and then they still don’t act like they know what to do even when I am telling them what to do.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Doesn’t it sound like a fun home we live in?<span style=""> </span>It actually is fun most of the time.<span style=""> </span>Chore time is not fun for them or for me.<span style=""> </span>But the results are very fun for me.<span style=""> </span>Sanity is fun!!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">I am going to try to take some time to make charts for them so that I can pull them out when I need to.<span style=""> </span>Also, I am going to try to make double meals a couple of times a week and stick one in the freezer.<span style=""> </span>I am going to take out the extra meal and freeze it before we eat or else it will get eaten, too.<span style=""> </span>If my kids and hubby see extra food sitting on the counter or stove, they will eat it!!<span style=""> </span>I am also going to pack dh’s lunch for the next day before we eat.<span style=""> </span>That way, he will be sure to have a nice meals to take with him instead of having to eat pb and honey.<span style=""> </span>Lately there have been no leftovers at all.<span style=""> </span>Last night dd13 cooked dinner.<span style=""> </span>She grilled 5 chicken breasts, made brown rice, and backed broccoli (drizzle broccoli with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes~ thanks Annie for the idea!).<span style=""> </span>After dinner all that was left was a little bit of brown rice!<span style=""> </span>My kids are beginning to eat like people have always told me they would as they grew.<span style=""> </span>It’s true!<span style=""> </span>Bigger kids eat more food.<span style=""> </span>Wow, what a concept!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="">I am going to stop rambling now.<span style=""> </span>Hopefully this little post will help me get some planning done so that next time we have a rainy or sick day, we will be prepared!</span><br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-69053396255183054782008-05-02T07:04:00.001-05:002008-05-02T07:08:22.554-05:00Blessings or Products of Nature?<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="me"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">bless·ing</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"> <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style="'width:1.5pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Corey/LOCALS~1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.png" href="http://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.png"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span class="showspellpr"></span><span class="prondelim"><span style="display: none;"> - </span></span><span class="prontoggle"><span style="display: none;">Show IPA Pronunciation</span></span><span class="pronset"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="pg"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">–noun </span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <table style="" border="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">1.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td style="padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">the act or words of a person who blesses. <o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; display: none;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <table style="" border="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">2.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td style="padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">a special favor, mercy, or benefit: <span class="ital-inline">the blessings of liberty. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; display: none;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <table style="" border="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">3.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td style="padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->Does God bless us today with physical blessings?<span style=""> </span>Or are Christians under the New Covenant blessed with spiritual blessings?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Someone I respect and trust, we’ll call him “Joe”,<span style=""> </span>believes that in the Old Testament God blessed His people with physical blessings: children, wealth, long lives, and protection.<span style=""> </span>I agree with this.<span style=""> </span>God’s Word clearly supports this.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Joe also believes that in the New Testament and today, God blesses His people, Christians, with spiritual blessings, not physical blessings.<span style=""> </span>He believes that Christians receive good things in their lives (blessings) because they are following Christ and making Christlike decisions: good health because we are not out drinking and partying, good marriages because we are following Christ and being humble and loving, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> What is your opinion of this?<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> I hadn’t thought much about it, really, because Joe tends to get very focused on one thing in the Bible and study it until it seems almost legalistic, becoming very technical and losing focus on the idea presented.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">But then my husband and I started a Bible study by Nancy Campbell called Be Fruitful and Multiply: What the Bible Says About Having Children.<span style=""> </span>In this study, the author lists scripture after scripture from the OT about children being a blessing, God opening and closing the womb, God loving fruitfulness, and God knitting each person together in their mother’s womb.<span style=""> </span>There are also scriptures from the NT, but the majority of the scriptures she references are in the OT.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> We started discussing what Joe believes and it is really bothering me.<span style=""> </span>If what he believes is true, then children are no longer a blessing.<span style=""> </span>Children would be a physical blessing God gave His children. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->This leads me to another issue: Does God create each child individually?<span style=""> </span>Is God involved in the conception of children or are children just a result of “nature”?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->Joe believes that God set the world in motion, made “nature” and that He no longer has a direct hand in our lives.<span style=""> </span>He believes that children are conceived because their parents were intimate at the “right time of the month.”<span style=""> </span>Obviously there is an egg and sperm and all of that and yes, it all has to join together at the right time, but I have always believed that God has a hand in conception.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=139&verse=13&version=31&context=verse"><b><span style="color: windowtext;">Psalm 139:13</span></b></a></span></strong><b><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><br />For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=139&verse=15&version=31&context=verse"><b><span style="color: windowtext;">Psalm 139:15</span></b></a></span></strong><b><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><br />My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth…</span></b><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> I have always believed, especially since I became an adult and studied the Bible for myself, that God created each one of us in His image <b>(</b><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=1&verse=27&version=31&context=verse"><b><span style="color: windowtext;">Genesis 1:27</span></b></a></span></strong><b><br />So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.</b>), He knit each on of us together in our mother’s womb <b>(</b><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=22&chapter=31&verse=15&version=31&context=verse"><b><span style="color: windowtext;">Job 31:15</span></b></a></span></strong><b><br />Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?),</b> and children are a gift from Him <b>(</b><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=127&verse=3&version=31&context=verse"><b><span style="color: windowtext;">Psalm 127:3</span></b></a></span></strong><b><br />Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him</b>.).<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> If what Joe believes is true, then everything I have believed all these years and everything I have based my decision to “let God control my family size” is for naught.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->Here are the issues I am studying and trying to figure out:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Do Christians receive physical blessings from God today?<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Are children still a blessing to Christians today?<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Does God form each baby or are we all products of “nature”?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Feel free to email me or to comment.<span style=""> </span>I am really searching. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-60398270702915315802008-04-30T13:28:00.004-05:002008-04-30T13:36:51.543-05:00Homeschooling and Gasoline<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> We are going to homeschool all of our children this summer.<span style=""> </span>Dh has asked me to do this for 2 reasons:<o:p></o:p></span> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family: Georgia;">So I can see if I can handle homeschooling all of them again <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family: Georgia;">So they will be kept busy and not get into as much mischief as they would if they had all the time in the world on their hands for 3 months : )<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> We are trying to make a decision about homeschooling again or keeping them in public school where they are now.<span style=""> </span>This year we have one at home homeschooling (13 year old daughter), 3 in elementary school, and 1 in pre-k.<span style=""> </span>We love their teachers. We love their school.<span style=""> </span>We even kind of like our school district.<span style=""> </span>It’s a decent one, anyway.<span style=""> </span>So, the schools and teachers are not the problem.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> The other children are the problem.<span style=""> </span>We have always known this, but right now it is slapping us right in the face.<span style=""> </span>Our children have great friends, kids from good homes who have great parents who parent them well, as far as we can tell.<span style=""> </span>But there are the other kids, the ones who write curse words with poop on the bathroom walls, the ones who get into fights at recess and give other kids bloody noses, the ones who tell your son his new haircut looks gay and the person who cut his hair is stupid.<span style=""> </span>Those kids.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> I have one child (ds9) who comes home from school about once a week with stories to tell me about. For example, how one kid says the F word and other curse words when the teachers aren’t around.<span style=""> </span>This kid is twice my son’s size and is a mean kid.<span style=""> </span>Ds9 told me that last year he had never even heard that word and now he hears it all time and he knows what it means.<span style=""> </span>HE IS NINE YEARS OLD.<span style=""> </span>I seriously do not remember knowing what that word meant until much later, probably 6<sup>th</sup><span style=""> </span>or 7th grade.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> That is just an example of why we are considering pulling them out of public school and having them home again.<span style=""> Our twins are still young enough that they are not having to deal with this stuff just yet. They have come home with the occasionally bad word, but it is not at nearly as bad as what ds9 is dealing with. <br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">If I could employ their teachers to just teach them the academics without all the junk involved with school, I would do that in a heartbeat.<span style=""> </span>They are really learning the academics and they are doing really well academically.<span style=""> </span>But when your child has a stomach ache because he doesn’t want to go to school, you have to take it seriously.<span style=""> </span>This child of mine is not a wimp, he is not a social reject, he is not an introvert by any stretch of the imagination.<span style=""> </span>He is cute, outgoing, has lots of good friends, is friendly to everyone, he got the best attitude award for the whole 4<sup>th</sup> grade, he won best Christian character award at camp last year out of all the boys.<span style=""> </span>In other words, he’s a great kid!<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> I am the kind of parent who questions everything.<span style=""> </span>I question immunizations and their safety.<span style=""> </span>I question the prescriptions the dr. gives me.<span style=""> </span>I question the movies my kids watch at school and home.<span style=""> </span>I question what things my kids will be doing/watching at friends’ houses.<span style=""> </span>I question so many things that my mom and lots of other moms didn’t/don’t think a thing about.<span style=""> </span>I don’t know why I am like that.<span style=""> </span>Sometimes it gets on my own nerves and I know it gets on other people’s nerves.<span style=""> </span>Like my husband’s.<span style=""> </span>: )<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> My point is, I am not going to just put my kids in school and leave them there even if it’s awful for them and hope that they turn out alright and hope the bullies go away and hope my kids never say the curse words they hear all day.<span style=""> </span>I know kids have to be in the “real world” and they have to learn to stand up for themselves and make wise choices.<span style=""> </span>That is why it’s a hard decision to homeschool or not to homeschool.<span style=""> </span>We don’t want to overprotect, yet we want what is the absolute very best for them.<span style=""> </span>We only get to parent these children one time.<span style=""> </span>We want to do our very best. <span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> So, like I said earlier, we are going to homeschool them over the summer and see how it goes.<span style=""> </span>If it goes well, and I am still sane at the end of the summer, we will keep our 9 year old (will be in 5<sup>th</sup> grade next year) and our 5 year old (will be in K next year) home next year.<span style=""> </span>Our twins (will be in 2<sup>nd</sup> grade) will be in the gifted and talented program at school and we are probably going to leave them in school and see how that goes next year. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> We are currently using Sonlight for dd13.<span style=""> </span>We LOVE it!!!!<span style=""> </span>We (she and I) are learning lots and lots of good stuff.<span style=""> </span>I love the Biblical worldview Sonlight teaches.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I plan to use Sonlight with the other kids over the summer as well as use the materials I have from our previous homeschooling days.<span style=""> </span>I am looking forward to it.<span style=""> </span>I need to get organized again.<span style=""> </span>Having them in school for a couple of years has allowed me to get lazy with my time.<span style=""> </span>I need to take some hours and work on a loose summer schedule/routine.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->Another thing that is going on in our family has to do with the rising gas and diesel prices.<span style=""> </span>Right now dh drives a Ford F250 diesel 4x4.<span style=""> </span>He drives about 110 miles a day.<span style=""> </span>With diesel prices at about $4.10 in North Texas, our budget for gasoline is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!<span style=""> </span>I drive about 60 miles a day shuttling my boys back and forth to school and that adds to the gasoline expense.<span style=""> </span>It is really expensive for us to drive these days.<span style=""> </span>I know it is for everyone else, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Thankfully, we are getting back a nice tax refund and also a nice little rebate tax thingy from the government.<span style=""> </span>We are going to use that to buy dh a Volkswagen Jetta that gets around 40 mpg.<span style=""> </span>We will save about $350/month in gas for him alone.<span style=""> </span>If I park my van this summer and basically stay home all week, running errands in his Jetta on Saturday mornings, we will save around $700/month in gasoline.<span style=""> </span>How crazy is that!?!<span style=""> </span>It will be hard for me to stay home, but I will need to stay home anyway.<span style=""> </span>I mean, it is hard to homeschool if we are not at home, right?<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Right now I am listening to dd2 roll around on my bed, trying to keep herself from falling asleep.<span style=""> </span>I can also hear loud thumps coming from ds5’s bedroom, which is right above my desk.<span style=""> </span>Thankfully, the baby has stopped crying and is finally asleep (he cried for all of 5 minutes).<span style=""> </span>I had better go see what the loud thumps are above my head.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->Have a great Wednesday!<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-21807261062826819792008-04-29T13:49:00.007-05:002008-04-29T14:33:33.518-05:00A letter to my birthday boy<span style="">To my little munchkin,<o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="">How could one year have passed so quickly?<span style=""> </span>It seems like it was just yesterday that you were a tiny infant (8 pounds!) and now you have grown into a delightful, squealing toddler.<span style=""> </span>Everywhere we go people comment on how joyful you are.<span style=""> </span>“That is the happiest baby I have ever seen!”</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="">I love your sweet little crinkled-nose grin, showing all 7 of yo</span><span style="">ur teeth (included the one in the front that you chipped last Saturday when you fell and hit your mouth on the side of the bathtub).<span style=""> </span>I love it when you wake up in the mornings and want to cuddle in bed with Mommy and Daddy.<span style=""> </span>I love how warm and soft you are.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ4xpYbCp5CwgOacMYBkxuci0z9y9WIDB6BMDTOOtj1SlGfBdVG3ye_ylEvdw0XwCEQxSRBXNDq0hWhbmqPNr4DipLOlerFsOIfa3tQaRvkHtjcrG4HVlUeGhN2-yupXkVIDsfQ/s1600-h/IMG_2042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ4xpYbCp5CwgOacMYBkxuci0z9y9WIDB6BMDTOOtj1SlGfBdVG3ye_ylEvdw0XwCEQxSRBXNDq0hWhbmqPNr4DipLOlerFsOIfa3tQaRvkHtjcrG4HVlUeGhN2-yupXkVIDsfQ/s400/IMG_2042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194752244935129874" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> You are now toddling around everywhere, falling down every few steps, but getting right back up and taking off at full speed, grinning all the time!<span style=""> </span>You love to follow Daddy and Papa around the house as they work.<span style=""> </span>You also love to bite us on the shoulder when you give us a hug!</span><span style=""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> You say a few words: Dada (first word, of course : ), tick-a-tick-a-tick-a, dog. Notice that the word Mommy is not in the list. Hopefully you will learn that one very soon.</span><span style=""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> I enjoy my time with you, watching you grow, laughing at the funny things you do, and cherishing this time when you are so small.<span style=""> </span>I know you have to grow up, and I look forward to seeing what God has in store for you.<span style=""> </span>But at the same time, I wish I could stretch this baby time a little while longer.<span style=""> </span>It is bittersweet.<span style=""> </span>One day, when you are a daddy, you will read this and understand what I mean.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ01DniS6BV4gN7i_zDZBWp0fiURlykp8DhGd5BfqZ3R9JJXIrd9ax1xkNE_KRwgs1H6slQhNyzQbtj7sBh20GEcLYrpHtM-Bk2y6uUx_j78_Arwmu0dVVTErutXZNBX0zbOqSbg/s1600-h/IMG_1851.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ01DniS6BV4gN7i_zDZBWp0fiURlykp8DhGd5BfqZ3R9JJXIrd9ax1xkNE_KRwgs1H6slQhNyzQbtj7sBh20GEcLYrpHtM-Bk2y6uUx_j78_Arwmu0dVVTErutXZNBX0zbOqSbg/s400/IMG_1851.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194752227755260674" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> I will always treasure the memories of your first year.<span style=""> </span>You are a treasure to me, a gift, a rich blessing straight from the hand of our God.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:georgia;"> Happy Birthday, baby boy!</span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-6361884812122476662008-04-28T17:16:00.003-05:002008-04-28T18:43:43.803-05:00A Birthday Celebration!Our Little Guy turns 1 tomorrow, so this past weekend we had a birthday party for him. Here are a few pictures from the weekend. My mom, dad, and 2 nieces came down to celebrate with us! We had a great, busy weekend!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKCcHdq7ixuCUON57N_g0UD8NDpX6V82wCZ9Wx7rs5fIsdHD-3lYXXwAe0flCgOgBbDFIsVTZVD08zajGFRVprb68RgrPXukLuT-amJa8fpNDOGo-ZE5KSCKzY4_VKK-qS5i04w/s1600-h/IMG_2108.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKCcHdq7ixuCUON57N_g0UD8NDpX6V82wCZ9Wx7rs5fIsdHD-3lYXXwAe0flCgOgBbDFIsVTZVD08zajGFRVprb68RgrPXukLuT-amJa8fpNDOGo-ZE5KSCKzY4_VKK-qS5i04w/s320/IMG_2108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194437333638019826" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQrYgb04L0sOVBft3coFtVoB9dKeiKLPh_XzC_GDLttJUNuVMF5XjopwAF2VDDH-J5-WdKR4W1CQkYemmOPEhY_l2awy2Igc8PQkKPlUpXQzNQEgE1853zQl2g6nlm4lx_ogZsw/s1600-h/IMG_2113.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQrYgb04L0sOVBft3coFtVoB9dKeiKLPh_XzC_GDLttJUNuVMF5XjopwAF2VDDH-J5-WdKR4W1CQkYemmOPEhY_l2awy2Igc8PQkKPlUpXQzNQEgE1853zQl2g6nlm4lx_ogZsw/s320/IMG_2113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194437329343052514" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuypphFur6oaIulPY-BmEZzuewKbHJJv7ugMCHSzYk0svsvwLfDs09__-8VwbphJj8CNB0GyHlySmgC1B5Ar52AUpMyEWhICm_TA1CbI2Tx396r-9uB-teJTjUlbmtHEETQENMlQ/s1600-h/IMG_2139.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuypphFur6oaIulPY-BmEZzuewKbHJJv7ugMCHSzYk0svsvwLfDs09__-8VwbphJj8CNB0GyHlySmgC1B5Ar52AUpMyEWhICm_TA1CbI2Tx396r-9uB-teJTjUlbmtHEETQENMlQ/s320/IMG_2139.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194437307868215986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-31126726038170830152008-04-14T22:21:00.000-05:002008-04-14T22:23:44.805-05:00<p class="MsoNormal">Hi everyone!<span style=""> </span>I am back after a week or so of having no computer.<span style=""> </span>We now have dial-up internet, so my blogging time will be drastically reduced until we get something faster.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->We closed on our house last Monday.<span style=""> </span>We are enjoying every bit of it (even the brush fire was an adventure..now if it had gotten to my house I would not have enjoyed it quite so much) and are unpacking our things one box at a time.<span style=""> </span>It makes such a difference when unpacking to know that we will be here for the rest of our lives, unless of course God has some other place in mind for us to live.<span style=""> </span>I sure hope we stay here because I love it here and I hate moving : )</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> I am tired and need to go to sleep so I am not going to spend anymore time writing tonight.<span style=""> </span>I hope to take our annual bluebonnet pictures tomorrow and will plan to post them this weekend.<span style=""> </span>Tomorrow is also ds5’s “Rodeo” at his preschool.<span style=""> </span>I will have pictures of that as well.<span style=""> <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><br /></span></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-16836848830312457612008-03-27T16:07:00.002-05:002008-03-27T16:09:42.602-05:00A Giveaway!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Id2teFgApsai9qfPUFHAPL6zkCBUk3CSDQF3tIXNV2_g8qwbuYhHmmTsfRvi5eazKBkAUtutUxv51LUNDyPzuriKpoE_a7BFph7dqRzhXeKYH2nOPmm1rrV3j5n25DXLBWIRIg/s1600-h/tyler11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Id2teFgApsai9qfPUFHAPL6zkCBUk3CSDQF3tIXNV2_g8qwbuYhHmmTsfRvi5eazKBkAUtutUxv51LUNDyPzuriKpoE_a7BFph7dqRzhXeKYH2nOPmm1rrV3j5n25DXLBWIRIg/s400/tyler11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182531510768299618" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mylifeasannie.com/2008/03/26/a-springy-giveaway-yay/">Annie </a>is having a great springy giveaway! Yay! <br />Go check it out. These candles are the greatest!!<br /></div><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-45075355010293340842008-03-25T13:10:00.005-05:002008-03-25T13:22:32.530-05:00Moving pictures!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYeq4gdY-UXWLY6tSsvksF967gtUa6C2g9Mvhi-796BozM2gmeYBBk1SbeOKW9cPWYxS6SgSYnlRiPmPaXAN3qfK5hXru6fz5gYZote-XoQ_29t1FH6DEBKds7z7G1TJ0Yd3pvg/s1600-h/DSC00437.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYeq4gdY-UXWLY6tSsvksF967gtUa6C2g9Mvhi-796BozM2gmeYBBk1SbeOKW9cPWYxS6SgSYnlRiPmPaXAN3qfK5hXru6fz5gYZote-XoQ_29t1FH6DEBKds7z7G1TJ0Yd3pvg/s400/DSC00437.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181745879645482578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcsR1C_BRVFZf6UbvvP4vqvErNnTd42Eu9sukUUv-IaPQiQruw7mUztlmHf7PvonwcOB2IK-bCwbp1qfEXcV1jb1Yy2jftLrF5poq_p9YQdUH5FtMv50ek9dFQo8cphzWpayyRw/s1600-h/DSC00443.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcsR1C_BRVFZf6UbvvP4vqvErNnTd42Eu9sukUUv-IaPQiQruw7mUztlmHf7PvonwcOB2IK-bCwbp1qfEXcV1jb1Yy2jftLrF5poq_p9YQdUH5FtMv50ek9dFQo8cphzWpayyRw/s400/DSC00443.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181744853148298786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwPYzkPOgT2mSsr8q28LXGdMs9CJOh_3kE02WSanVTWxqLBTi5fR0Haqw_n7admse34rh1t0DL_AUD8l1NQgE2BAlLuWRPz_mvogxjss_jjoBRQNMz2zV6VPR72RSPdnG7Gl6VQ/s1600-h/DSC00453.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwPYzkPOgT2mSsr8q28LXGdMs9CJOh_3kE02WSanVTWxqLBTi5fR0Haqw_n7admse34rh1t0DL_AUD8l1NQgE2BAlLuWRPz_mvogxjss_jjoBRQNMz2zV6VPR72RSPdnG7Gl6VQ/s400/DSC00453.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181744853148298802" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQL4k7a66H1rMAjgIaiK1KAn8j5UkxBnxehXfJJeqX9PluMzV4sQXStHYfxhZyRdCI2Ka-dzb6jXiwMOsMZ9vuV7J9rCYqe5QynPDLM0aQUPlur9I6Q3_l8NGGHnTi9RkZUJalg/s1600-h/DSC00460.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQL4k7a66H1rMAjgIaiK1KAn8j5UkxBnxehXfJJeqX9PluMzV4sQXStHYfxhZyRdCI2Ka-dzb6jXiwMOsMZ9vuV7J9rCYqe5QynPDLM0aQUPlur9I6Q3_l8NGGHnTi9RkZUJalg/s400/DSC00460.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181744861738233410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vIzBmSIytAC9qnZDvJEbMXCK0B_ANw_UUOyHeHbVUIoYo7GCpqVO0-AVZ-ZSKP_VxJEGU1Nu208X9hAIGaZlO8R3wr1rc4JBH5kqnubMSlktsntc3GKGsp16uleuDQqvQtkxWQ/s1600-h/DSC00422.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vIzBmSIytAC9qnZDvJEbMXCK0B_ANw_UUOyHeHbVUIoYo7GCpqVO0-AVZ-ZSKP_VxJEGU1Nu208X9hAIGaZlO8R3wr1rc4JBH5kqnubMSlktsntc3GKGsp16uleuDQqvQtkxWQ/s400/DSC00422.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181743779406474690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINxmZGCP6a0Gayl7jjZZA_1BeBwt9rwns_kwkeYLUU9T7RNLmZTbDsI2sYHWflrLn_gOpokbIbZzas2vNsxyzYriE4bkm5N8fL12cCsLxZqzHrIObXwSn0Kbp2NyK5e5dTC8blQ/s1600-h/DSC00423.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINxmZGCP6a0Gayl7jjZZA_1BeBwt9rwns_kwkeYLUU9T7RNLmZTbDsI2sYHWflrLn_gOpokbIbZzas2vNsxyzYriE4bkm5N8fL12cCsLxZqzHrIObXwSn0Kbp2NyK5e5dTC8blQ/s400/DSC00423.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181743787996409298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-XsAxE6ZmNFzociupKyDhTWGwl9QxAiFB_OonRRuB8QkOZIigdj1NynKQ3ORYfQReTcGWmPDx68VckWbLQ4Z1GofSDh5LHMX7bgeWABG67rTLMZPF-4ZTqP9TWID7rpBt3B7Kg/s1600-h/DSC00426.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-XsAxE6ZmNFzociupKyDhTWGwl9QxAiFB_OonRRuB8QkOZIigdj1NynKQ3ORYfQReTcGWmPDx68VckWbLQ4Z1GofSDh5LHMX7bgeWABG67rTLMZPF-4ZTqP9TWID7rpBt3B7Kg/s400/DSC00426.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181743792291376610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiR_pOobRLHEXKLAliLQunrIt_bixLqlRbOjLy9qLUVVh8bHOMFv_G01ArW64oU4LODyuCMvX1FMhXvnIVF_7SMT_YozfzJ-CJzvpYHOvyhUV81WV5vpSEGxkyLMiAjGRTi4Sww/s1600-h/DSC00433.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiR_pOobRLHEXKLAliLQunrIt_bixLqlRbOjLy9qLUVVh8bHOMFv_G01ArW64oU4LODyuCMvX1FMhXvnIVF_7SMT_YozfzJ-CJzvpYHOvyhUV81WV5vpSEGxkyLMiAjGRTi4Sww/s400/DSC00433.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181743796586343922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxoNhKgbUzVenMTFedC7rZKqxkbqJ-GiRHkvyZI3NcMbvVl22LU8cIr5l0S3F6rCVn28g5r35FIV-PdtHLYbvTxyrfkGVJQ1e4k4Nd58rVFYpZ_vbbwD5a7nsagU4LopUgX9v8A/s1600-h/DSC00436.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxoNhKgbUzVenMTFedC7rZKqxkbqJ-GiRHkvyZI3NcMbvVl22LU8cIr5l0S3F6rCVn28g5r35FIV-PdtHLYbvTxyrfkGVJQ1e4k4Nd58rVFYpZ_vbbwD5a7nsagU4LopUgX9v8A/s400/DSC00436.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181743800881311234" border="0" /></a><br />Here are a few pictures of the new house and the kids helping us unpack. <br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-80331570086560461062008-03-25T08:13:00.003-05:002008-03-25T08:16:58.119-05:00Moving Day ThreeGuess where I have slept the past 2 nights? Yes, you guessed it, the new house! It feels so great to wake up there.<br /><br />I will hopefully get my pc hooked up at new house today and I will write more. Right now I am at the rent house on my knees because there are no chairs here. My desk and the piano are still here alone with tons of little things that should probably be thrown away. Junk.<br /><br />Have a great Tuesday!<br /><br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-46982776578422268662008-03-23T08:32:00.000-05:002008-03-23T08:33:16.937-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGNIMoPPT6Tp9JJflVEbOL5UNOkN_BZZTJMbPvA5w2M8H367-prM6Yfcjfrh6in6sCyc9iK9X2_mKFsZkZ9aHnJRG8KhDozoqeomNmKNt70k5qNbeX4ShgA_l0DyavISIjvq0PA/s1600-h/sampc0c4659ed62f9ba3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGNIMoPPT6Tp9JJflVEbOL5UNOkN_BZZTJMbPvA5w2M8H367-prM6Yfcjfrh6in6sCyc9iK9X2_mKFsZkZ9aHnJRG8KhDozoqeomNmKNt70k5qNbeX4ShgA_l0DyavISIjvq0PA/s400/sampc0c4659ed62f9ba3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180929664060550578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-42577314211339887382008-03-23T08:25:00.002-05:002008-03-23T08:30:00.784-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3PHTDsOl2muWHEVwZwAu1sQ9DWKg3s1N_dOWNmzCGi2293-kI7g3HEshKwB_zlytDAHmw_Mt2Q5QPU_RpIxJveyQXaVH-NX5tGj3S4sy31xdX08hLe5yB7agRuUw14CMksRVlA/s1600-h/empty-tomb-748626.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3PHTDsOl2muWHEVwZwAu1sQ9DWKg3s1N_dOWNmzCGi2293-kI7g3HEshKwB_zlytDAHmw_Mt2Q5QPU_RpIxJveyQXaVH-NX5tGj3S4sy31xdX08hLe5yB7agRuUw14CMksRVlA/s400/empty-tomb-748626.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180928113577356706" border="0" /></a><br /><h5>The Resurrection </h5> <span id="en-NIV-24194" class="sup"></span>After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. <p> <span id="en-NIV-24195" class="sup"></span>There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. <span id="en-NIV-24196" class="sup"></span>His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. <span id="en-NIV-24197" class="sup"></span>The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. </p><p> <span id="en-NIV-24198" class="sup"></span>The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. <span id="en-NIV-24199" class="sup"></span>He is not here; <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">he has risen, just as he said.</span></span> Come and see the place where he lay. <span id="en-NIV-24200" class="sup"></span>Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." </p><p> <span id="en-NIV-24201" class="sup"></span>So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. <span id="en-NIV-24202" class="sup"></span>Suddenly Jesus met them. "<span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">Greetings</span>," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. <span id="en-NIV-24203" class="sup"></span>Then Jesus said to them, "<span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.</span>"</p><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Corey/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-36772087087876749342008-03-22T11:24:00.002-05:002008-03-22T11:29:36.843-05:00Frugal Brainstorming<p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoTitle"><span style="color: blue;">Julie’s Frugal Ideas<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoTitle"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-weight: normal;">Keep in mind that these suggestions are temporary.<span style=""> </span>Once we are out of debt (everything but the house) we will loosen up a little bit.<span style=""> </span>Some of these things we may continue because they are smart and make sense.<span style=""> </span>The more of these ideas we put into practice, the sooner our total debt will be paid off.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Food/Groceries/Grocery Shopping</span><o:p></o:p></span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Follow Hillbilly Housewife’s $45/week menu once a month (www.hillbillyhousewife.com)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Follow Hillbilly Housewife’s $70/week menu once a month<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Bake treats from scratch (cinnamon rolls, banana bread, zucchini bread, cupcakes, cakes, brownies, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoBodyText"><span style="color: blue;">~Plan dessert 3x a week to keep dh from eating candy and ice cream on his way home </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; color: blue;"><span style="">J</span></span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Cook double and freeze half; do this at least once a week<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Leftover Night once a week<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Shop for food once a week<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~When shopping, only buy what is on my list<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Leave debit cards at home<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use Dave’s cash envelope system<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Plant a garden<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~More With Less cookbook<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use what we have in the pantry/freezer for our meals<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">Buy a large jar of applesauce and put into small containers for boys’ lunches<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Make pudding/jello and do the same<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Make sure they bring home their water bottles each day<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Make KoolAid once a week and put into their water bottles<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Get creative with their sandwiches: tortilla wraps, ham and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and honey, turkey and ham, cheese, chicken salad<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Eat meat/poultry with dinner twice a week<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Have beans and rice/beans and cornbread, eggs and homemade biscuits/bread, baked oatmeal and scrambled eggs several times a month<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use Betty Crocker cookbook for basic recipes<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Have cold cereal on Saturday mornings only<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Shop at bakery outlet<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Base menus on sale ads<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Our Time</span><o:p></o:p></span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Stay in town from 8-11, then pick up ds5 and go home for the afternoon<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Do Sonlight at park or library<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Make Fridays library days; be sure to get books back on time; 1 book per person<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Work in garden on Saturday afternoons<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Sunday afternoons have to be a time of rest; after lunch, the kids and I need to go to bed for the afternoon<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Budget Committee Meeting each Sunday evening<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use my planner<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Selling Our Stuff/Getting Rid Of Excess</span><o:p></o:p></span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Ask Dad to find a home for the horses<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Do not pay for a U Haul for moving to new house<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Get rid of cell phones<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Only basics on Verizon phone bill<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Have garage sale<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~List piano in paper, on Total Money Makeover forums, and on Craig’s List<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Shop garage sales on Saturday morning for things to resale<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~List items on eBay Sunday pm (8ish)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Buy Weight Watchers book on eBay and count points manually; cancel Weight Watchers online<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Collect cans and take to recycling center for kids’ spending money<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Sell weight bench<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">Conserving<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use cloth diapers at home; disposable diapers when we leave the house<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Put panties on dd2 at home; disposable diapers on her when we leave the house<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Save $50 a month for car repairs and keep the van as long as possible<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Fix things as they go wrong; don’t wait until there are 5 things needing repair<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Keep thermostat at 64 (daytime) 62 (nighttime) in winter and 80 (daytime) 78 (nighttime) in summer<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Set program on thermostat so we don’t have to adjust it<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Conserve water by using faucet aerators<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use compact fluorescent light bulbs<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use rechargeable batteries<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use clothesline or clothes rack<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use low-flow showerheads in both showers<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Set a timer in the bathrooms for showers<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Run errands once a week (Fridays)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use powder dishwasher detergent instead of tabs; see if powder is really less expensive than tabs or liquid<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use 4 cleaners only (bleach, window cleaner, all purpose cleaner, vinegar)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Wash everything in cold water<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Sew patches in the boys’ and dd2's pants<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Put bibs on babies<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Keep SA8 stain treatment on hand all the time; buy several<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Bargain Shopping/Smart Purchases</span><o:p></o:p></span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Stock up on essentials (diapers, wipes, toilet paper, toothpaste, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, dishwasher detergent, shampoo) when they go on sale and/or I have a coupon<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Pay $89 for yearly membership to Total Money Makeover online instead of paying monthly (25 cents a day if I pay yearly)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Take advantage of rebates at Walgreen’s and CVS<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Check Money Saving Mom’s blog at least weekly for bargains and freebies<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Shop at consignment stores and garage sales for mine and kids’ clothes and shoes<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Shop at Kohl’s sales for dh's clothes and shoes<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Research refillable ink cartridges<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Smart Things To Do</span><o:p></o:p></span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Get hay crop going on back part of land (mow the whole thing, get rid of tires and metal, fertilize)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Cut up credit cards (videotape it and send it to Dave Ramsey’s TV show)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Get papers organized so that all receipts and warranty paperwork is filed and I can easily find it<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Keep desk clean and organized<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Keep checkbook balanced<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Take Shonda Parker’s Naturally Healthy Family course ($300)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Use Trilight herbs to treat illnesses<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Give kids a good quality vitamin; try giving them the full dose of Juice Plus<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Clean, paint, and repair this house so we can get our deposit back<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Learn to cut the kids’ hair<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Put Pay Per Posts on my blog<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Do taxes; e-file<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">~Look for ways to have “free fun”<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Frugal Reading List</span><o:p></o:p></span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;">Not Just Beans </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">by Tawra Jean Kellum<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1891400495/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">A Simple Choice</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Deborah Taylor-Hough<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764554034/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Frugal Living For Dummies(R)</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Deborah Taylor-Hough<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0688109616/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Unplug the Christmas Machine: Putting Joy Back into the Holiday</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Jo Robinson<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452280133/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">30 Days to a Simpler Life</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Connie Cox<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1575660180/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Eat Healthy for $50 a Week: Feed Your Family Nutritious Delicious </span></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1575660180/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Meals for Less</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Rhonda Barfield<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0836117867/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">More-With-Less Cookbook</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Doris Janzen Longacre<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1558505857/simplepleasurespA/?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">365 TV-Free Activities You Can Do With Your Child</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Steven J. Bennet<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580171087/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Unclutter Your Home</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Donna Smallin</span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931343136/simplepleasuresp/?tag=word08-20" target="_top"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Dinner’s in the Freezer: More Mary, Less Martha </span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue;">, by Jill Bond<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: blue;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <br /><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-59478246354603074362008-03-20T09:13:00.003-05:002008-03-20T09:15:57.152-05:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Beauty in the Common Things:</span> Spring air<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Listen In:</span> boys playing football on ps2<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Supper Plans:</span> not sure yet<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Today I Plan To:</span> grocery shopping, shoe shopping for ds9<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">View From the Kitchen Window:</span> sunshine and shadows<br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-23294556781637763872008-03-20T09:02:00.002-05:002008-03-20T09:02:55.668-05:00<p align="center"> <a href="http://www.montessorimom.com/?utm_source=mother%2Bhen%2Bquiz&utm_medium=quiz&utm_campaign=mother%2Bhen%2Bquiz "> <img src="http://montessorimom.com/soccer.gif" width="300" height="200" border="0" /> </a> <br /> <a href="http://montessorimom.com/what-type-mother-hen-are-you/"> What type of Mother Hen Are You?</a><br /> by <a href="http://www.montessorimom.com/?utm_source=mother%2Bhen%2Bquiz&utm_medium=quiz&utm_campaign=mother%2Bhen%2Bquiz ">Montessorimom.com: Educational Resource</a></p><br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-15047819584305631672008-03-20T08:37:00.002-05:002008-03-20T08:45:20.541-05:00Sorry About That!Oh my goodness, I was so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">whiney</span> yesterday morning! My day definitely got better. I got the upstairs floors sanded and re-finished, then I helped Dad all day on various things. Last night before we left, we cleaned and put one coat of finish on one set of stairs and all of the downstairs floors. We worked until 11:30 pm, so I am a wee bit tired, but I am very excited about the progress we made yesterday. <br /><br />Today the heat and air will be completed and tomorrow the propane will be installed and all appliances hooked up. We will put a 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nd</span> coat of finish on the floors before Dad leaves to go back to Oklahoma. Then we will be able to move in on Easter Sunday. <br /><br />The shower in the master bathroom will not be completed when we move in and there are a few light fixtures that I have not picked out yet so we have little porcelain fixtures that just hold a bare bulb. But I can live with that until I find fixtures I like. The dining room chandelier and the entryway light fixtures are the ones I am having trouble finding. I have looked at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Lowes</span> and Home Depot. There is a store in town called Lone Star that has Texas/Western style fixtures and furniture and I am going to look there.<br /><br />Tomorrow the youth group is coming 0<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ut</span> to help pick up trash outside of the house. There is so much trash to pick up! The wind has blown stuff all over the 11 acres and probably into the neighbor's land as well. Hopefully we will have that picked up soon.<br /><br />That's all for now! Have a great Thursday!<br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-75270844240727296542008-03-19T07:59:00.002-05:002008-03-19T08:06:37.384-05:00DiscouragementI am discouraged this morning. There are 2 reasons for this:<br />1. Mom and I put the 2nd coat of finish on the wood floors upstairs in the kids' bedrooms yesterday morning. We figured that turning on the fans would benefit us by helping the floors dry faster. Wrong. Yes, the floors dried faster, but little bubbles are all in the floor, making it look kind of like bubble wrap. That is not exactly the look we are going for, so today I get to sand all of the bubbles out and start over. I feel like we wasted a whole day. I am really thinking about crying over this. <br />2. I listed a bunch of homeschooling books and curriculum on eBay Saturday. it took me hours to do this. Well, when I paid my account balance last week through PayPal, I accidentally clicked on "Pay Now " before realizing that I had authorized payment from an old bank account that is closed, instead of our current bank account. Today when I went to sign in to eBay to check the items I was selling, it told me that my account was suspended for nonpayment. Blah blah blah, to make along story short, now I have to relist everything. Again, I feel like to totally wasted my day Saturday.<br /><br />We want to move in this Saturday. I am tired. I want to cry. My children have been home with a babysitter all day everyday since Monday. My kids and I are not used to me being gone from morning till night. My baby is missing me and I am missing him. Last night I called to check on him and to let the kids know I was on my way home and Baby was screaming at the top of his lungs. When I got home, he was already asleep. So sad. : (<br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22937910.post-56081520871623505192008-03-17T20:53:00.002-05:002008-03-17T20:55:24.285-05:00Okay, I lied. I didn't mean to though!! My mom's camera requires some fancy little thing that she left at home. It won't upload pictures without it, which means you will not get to see pictures of the house and kids and Aunt Maxine and Aunt Sandra and mom and dad and my cute hubby until next week when she gets home and emails the pictures to me.<br /><br />Sorry!!<br /><br /><p><img class="centered" alt="post signature" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/anniepok/julie.gif" /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761922713577215374noreply@blogger.com0