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I can tell fall is coming. Allergies are here and I don’t have to keep the fan on us all night! YAY! Well, about the fan anyways. 
I have had a very busy weekend. We started our fall garden. YAY!
David cut some pomegrante and tried planting a hedge of them over the weekend. Two lived but two have died and we transplanted the volunteers from our garden into the dead ones bowl and they are looking very healthy. This is day 5 so we’ll see. I love pomegrante season. My neighbor has a bush that she always lets us pick from. It will be so nice to have my own though.
They are more heavily mulched now of course.
Here is the first row we planted. In that row there is two rows of radishes. Its a little over a ft wide so its easily fits two rows of radishes. We also planted two rows of green beans, pole and bush type but I haven’t gotten a picture of it yet.
They are already starting to come up. Its sooo exciting. Now here is alittle rant. PET owners. PLEASE keep your dogs and cats inside YOUR yard. We woke up this morning to find pot holes in our rows. Our neighbors dog came and trambled the row. Its VERY discouraging to spend hours preping the soil, planting and using a lot of TLC only to have it trampled to death within minutes. It is not a little mishap. It’s one that could have been avoided. This happens every season. Also, our garden is NOT a liter box for your cats. Please keep your cats liter box cleaned or something. We have tried to be friendly and neighborly about this but it has come to the point where if we find your animal in our yard we will take it to the pound. I know we are not the only ones that have had trouble with this. So if you own pets, please concider what their roaming around can cause. Thank you. 
So, this weekend we also pulled out a closet in the bedroom. This was a very hard task to do. A) because the previous owners built the closet into the ceiling. Smart on their part because they wanted a sturdy closet but very bad for us that wanted it out. Don’t worry we still have 2 closets in the bedroom
So this is before.
and this is after (but before my sprucing up)
I’ll have to update you on what that now looks like. I have a couple homemade quilts hangin up. So pretty and more baby-room looking without having to have a baby room! She still sleeps with us in the “master” bedroom. Its so nice to not have that crib blocking the clothes closet and having to move it everytime you need to get in. Especially for the preggo mom here. ;) I can’t tell you what a relief it has been to have it and a more organized room.
Another yard sale this weekend!
I am also pulling a plug for my used items blog that also has the homemade dresses on it. My friend is also going to use my blog to sell some of her gently used second hand clothes. Two stay-at-home moms bloggin’ away goods for your sweeties. It does help us pay the bills so before you go to the thrift store or second hand store, see if there is anything you could use. Save the ebay hassle too! For all my stuff if you buy six items or lots you recieve free shipping!
Ok, its almost dinner time and I should actually make something. EEK! Where has the day gone?
My husband recently asked me, “Why do you go through all the trouble of selling our junk? It would be so much easier to just take it all to the thrift store.”
I quite agree, it would be so much easier. But, I went through the process of taking pictures and listing the items for sale. I knew we would be happy for it by and by.
So, the other day when I was doing my walmart shopping I came across these sheets-
I knew we’d need sheets before the year was out. The ones I had purchased for my hopechest were on their last leg. I have mended them to the best of my abilities but they are about ready to give up the ghost. We have one other set of sheets that were given to us. They work so nicely and so well but I am not always able to get the sheets washed and put back on the bed before the day is out. It is nice to have 2 sets. The sheets were on sale. Marked down $20 from their original price. It would still mean forking out $45.00 for sheets and I had to swallow pride to do it. But I knew that it was a good deal for Egyption cotton and 400 thread count. And if these sheets last 10-20 years, it will be so worth it. Do you think they will last?
We had about $10.00 left over. So I went to the fabric dept… yes, that dreaded but wonderful place. I purchased enough fabric to make Euphemia a birthday dress as well as a new skirt for me.
Isn’t it wonderful how God provides for all our needs?
Just can’t do it. My idea. It was a cool beans one but I am a mom, a stay at home wife, and a seamstress… I love blogging but I just cannot keep up with the daily life and daily posting. So, I will still have a contest at the end of this month but I am going to continue writting like I was before.
The decluttering is done for now, Thank God for giving us patience, endurance, and perservance to do it all. There is still much to be cleaned out but until the bigger things are advertised and sold we are at a stand still. My house was once filled with boxes of stuff.. now it is filled with packing boxes. LOL.
It is the begining of the school year for most. Our time has not yet come. I know I shall look forward to the planning and schooling part but I cannot stand teaching. If we were all so easy that we could pick it up like that I would have no problem, however we are not all Einsteins. I would also miss the moments like this—
and this…
Deep in thought and play.
Hubby and I were talking the other day about schooling. I made it clear that I believe homeschooling will be the best thing for our children but I know that it is not what I want to do. It is the right thing to do. He pointed out a instance that Susanna Wesley went through;
” One day Susanna was teaching a difficult rule of grammar, and Kezzy could not understand it. Patiently. Susanna went over it again and again. Then noticing a shadow, she lifted her eyes and discovered that Samuel had been listening. Shaking his head he commented, ” I wonder at your patience, Sukey. You have told that child twenty times that same thing.” Susanna smiled. “If I had satisfied myself by mentioning it only 19 times, I should have lost all my labor. It was the twentieth time that crowned it!” (Taken from Mother of John and Charles, Susanna Wesley by Charles Ludwig)
How true it is! It not just area’s of schooling but in the daily teachings of life! THe most daunting and repentive thing we will teach will be the most useful to them later on in life.
Today I am running late. Very late but I am managing to get a lot crossed off my list. Company tonight!
Laundry;
Washed
Hung
Dried (sheets in the dryer along with some t’s)
Folded
Hung
Put Away
Garden tended
Floor in LIving room vaccumed
Boxes tagged for yard sale Friday
Books cleaned out in bedroom. Condense by half.
Bedroom closet cleaned out.
Tiered skirts made and shipped
Friend over at 1
Jello made for dessert
Sewing area tidied
Sewing list started on
Sigh so much more but I shall make this list the priority for today. 
Ma Ingalls had a system for her days, we all know it;
Wash on Monday
Iron on Tuesday
Mend on Wednesday
Churn on Thursday
Clean on Friday
Bake on Saturday
Rest on Sunday.
But I have my own way of doing things;
Maidin’ Monday, where my friend and I challenge each other to get as much done as we can during that day. Clean and organize your life. We challenge others too to join us and start your week afresh.
Sodbusters Tuesday- Gardening day! I hope to “Teach” as well as share what I have learned about gardening in the Mojave desert as well as glean from the comments. It’s getting near fall planting (for us desert dwellers anyway) so it’ll be a lot of planning and preparing. Strap on your overalls and grab your straw hat!
Off the Shelf Wednesdays- I hope on this day to share some of the books I am reading and maybe some reviews. I enjoy books so much and I am always on the lookout for good reading material. Some will be children’s books, some can be spiritual, or it could be an ordinary fiction/non-fiction book. Whatever. I’ll grab it off the shelf and write it down.
Provident Thursdays- Here I hope to share all the thrifty idea’s I have gleaned. The budgeting ways I have done. Basically, frugality for the 21st century.
Cafe Friday- New recipes, living Gluten Free, and much more.
Craft Show Saturdays- Learn a new craft project each Saturday. Beginners and experts welcome!
Bloggin’ Sunday- I hope to share different blogs I frequent these days and why I love to read them.
So, I hope you all will join us. Maidin’ Monday up next!
organizing frenzy
I had always assumed that here they were talking about carrying babies all day or making/kneading bread… I mean you earn muscles from doing that day after day. I have come to the conclusion that there is another way she does it as well. (she being the perfect Prov. 31 woman we all aspire to be). Anyway, she does this by making rice pudding.
That’s the rice pudding I made last night. A real treat for hubby and a workout for me. Being 100F here in town slaving over a hot stove is a lot of work. But it turned out ok, the verdict was cut the sugar by atleast half. Too sweet. I used this recipe.
After dinner I was able to finish my month late birthday gift for a dear friend in Scotland. I think she’ll like em. They are herb markers. I made three and stiffened em by fabric stiffener. It also worked as glue. They turned out so cute!
Have a wonderful weekend readers. Enjoy starting the week out by worshiping our Lord.
I have a bookshelf right next to my computer. It should be filled with books like herbs, gardening, child rearing, a bible, a concordance, well you get the idea. However it’s also part of the kitchen counter therefore it has cookbooks, and children’s books on it. Oh yeah and SOME health books.
I always love it when people take pictures next to books. I read teh titles. So I thought i would just take a picture of the bookcase. Come on, you know you wanna see what books I have…
The bottom bookshelf is entirely children’s books. I am so proud of my small collection picked up from thrift stores, yard sales, and being a Usborne Consulant always helps develope that excellent taste in books.
Then there are the times we will pull out the special books and Emma and I will look them over. Today happened to be antique picture books. You know the kind that change pictures with the twist of the wrist.
I am so proud of myself. Today I *had* to condense our books. The shelf was just too full and overflowing. I managed to even make room for a few more. Duplicates left.
Sigh… our own personal library!
I am surrounded by fabric, lace, elastic, thread, and scraps everywhere. It’s not suppose to be in such a disarray. Why is it? I am not exactly sure. I have a tendency to get everything spic and span and then the week after it be a total dissaster again. It drives me nuts, bonkers, and every other term of frustration. I do still manage to stay on top of sewing one item daily. Yesterday it was 4 items. Slowly but surely my fabric stash is depleting. It’s so sad to see some of my favorites go. Knowing I’ll probably never use them again. I haven’t learned as my mother has, that pretty fabrics still tend to come into season so its ok to use up your fabric. There is always more. Solomon should have met a seamstress.. “To the making of fabrics… there is no end”.
Why on earth am I blogging about this? Cause I am motivating myself to have a clean and organized home someday…soon! I am now 20 weeks along. The time is racing by for this little one to come join us. I still would like to get my fabric stash to 1/4 of what it is now. Atleast. Ohhh boy. That’s a lot of work. I have been a very good girl and have not bought any of Walmart’s recent fabrics… which are to die for.
But I wonder, what does everyone have in their home that they are dying to clean out or reduce? Is it books? Clothes? clutter? Spend 10 minutes a day just sorting and it will begin to diminish. It is amazing to think of the stuff we are so blessed with that we never use.
Lets enjoy our time here on earth but remember not to hored stuff that we can’t take with us.
Well hello all!
It has been a very busy weekend. Wednesday my car battery died. So glad it was nothing major but never being in a car when the battery died (that I can remember) it was an intersesting experiance.
So thursday I spent the day running errands, using my mother’s car. It was a very hectic day to say the least… and I wasn’t even doing the grocerie shopping!
Friday morning at o’darkthirty we made our out-of-town trip. It took up all morning and the afternoon was spent cleaning out the house. That task alone involves many hours of organizing, re-arranging, purging, and sometimes selling. My husband just left to make a thrift store dump though. It’s always a good reminder of how blest we are.
What’s on the agenda for today? Sewing! Lot’s of sewing!
Oh, and I plan to make some fresh lemonade. Have you ever made lemonade? I haven’t but I found this recipe off of another blog I read. She takes wonderful pictures and it’s hard not to let your mouth water when you see that fresh lemonade picture…
Have a special and wonderful weekend!
Good morning readers, Some of you are so faithful at checking the blog daily and I have not been very good at keeping this up to date. Shame on me.
Today we started the morning out at 4am. Emma woke up to needing a bottle of goats milk and hubby got up, as did I for different purposes of course. What I didn’t realize is that he didn’t return to bed until about 1/2 hour later… Then I found him in the kitchen burning ants. Mint does NOT work. The ants here LOVE the mint. Sigh. Back to square one. Carpets to vaccum a floor to scrub, furniture to move and clean behind. Totes of stuff I have been trying to find homes for went out the door until I could calmly deal with it. All the while, my husband went quietly about, doing this and that to kill them. We use the Max Attraxx from Home depot to take care of them but it still takes a whole day and 2 bait traps. GAAAAAAAAAA.
I then set to making bacon, and eggs with onion and fresh parsley. Mmmm…
Emma wakes up, we feed her some of our fresh carrots and zuccini that have been through the blender. It is not long afterwards that we start hearing the grunts come from her. We all know what that means. But hubby and I calmly finishing eating and talking about what I will be doing today… mental checklist starts
Make coulottes and tiered skirts for friend
Daily exercise
Plan fall garden
Bottle up recycle items for this weekends trip
Do shopping list
D.A.D. (Dress A Day) Project
Scrub Kitchen
Scrub Bathroom
Divide and freeze chicken
Purify water (alkaline water)
House plants water
Bathroom scrub
And the list continues on but my brain closes up. So here I am at the computer. Break time.
Emma and I did our exercise. We left around 7:30am to go for a walk. By the time we had returned home though, 8:30am it was 100F outside. We both were sweating and needing lots of water.
My day then began. On the D.A.D. project I realized I had messed up the pattern and therefore would have to purchase more fabric (WAAAAAAAA) in order to finish this. Forget it. Lets tackle the cleaning for the ant project. That turned into a, “Lets keep Emma from playing with the ants” project. Fine. We’ll tackle the bedroom. Ahhh. Tranquility. Peacefulness. Wait, where did that basket of unfolded laundry come from? Has it truly been there since Monday??????
The women’s world of chaos is never fully at a rest.
While tidying up the livingroom I came across some of the recent item’s I purchased through our penny jar (the jar that collects pocket change). I found my next project…
Isn’t it CUTE?!? It’s actually NOT for #2 muffin but a baby gift. It’s crocheted so this is going to be a fun one to learn. ahem. It says, “easy” but most people that make these are experts so of course they think it’s easy. But I shall conquer! I have that stubborn Scot blood in me.
Have a wonderful day all you readers, tackle something today that you have been dying to get done but keep putting it off. Set the timer for 1 hour. What can you get done in that hour? Remember, it will go by fast.
I also wanted to add that I listed a few books for sale here.
I’ll tear down in my next blog entry but before I do that I decided to post something how I would love to share MY american dream. We all heard what the american dream is, whatever you don’t have. So here we go… I would have…
Chickens! I have always longed for chickens…
David and I have talked about having 1 dozen. Why so many? Well we would use atleast 4 eggs a day. Then there is my in-laws to concider, my parents, and a few extra to sell (eggs I mean) $$ to help with the chicken feed. I already have a few of them named, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Mrs. Bennett
Then of course we would have the goats…
And no names like Sugar, buttermilk, and that, NO NO, we must have, Cheesecake, and cream cheese.
Then I must give hubby his horse.
Then we will move on to the farm land… and idea herb garden PATCH (not the complete thing mind you.. )
Patch of garden…
And then, the front porch, to sit and talk in the evening over a glass of lemonade. To watch the children play as you sit and do a bit of needlework…
I am not even going to begin on the inside… It’s what’s on the outside that counts right?
Today is Morgann’s graduation. I am sure my Mother will blog about it. But it left Friday very busy.
We mostly did a lot of gardening. But I made some fresh tea as well.
I am really looking forward to my tea. It’s bought from -www.bulkherbstore.com and I was so pleased with the excellent service they provided.
In my tea is Red Raspberrt, Alfalfa, Nettle, and Peppermint. And it tastes excellent!
We then did our gardening-
This is a little decor on my part. I L.O.V.E. Pinecones. I think they add the sweetest decor’ to any garden. This is how I spruce up flower beds.
We also planted some herbs, mint (ladies, my solution to get rid of ants. We will see if it work’s or not. )
Here, I put them up by the house. You can see more of my flowerbed decor’. I don’t claim to be an expert. Nor is there a particular style of decorating. I just throw in what I like.
Upclose shot;
There’s that sod again!
This one will go in our house. We are not sure where exactly since our diningroom table already homes 2 plants and the computer desk one. Maybe on top of the bookcase by the open window. Early morning sun, afternoon shade. Perfect!
I also planted one Zucinni Squash plant. The poor lil thing looked so neglected at Walmart when I was purchasing the mint so I decided to find a home for him as well. We love zucinini around here.
He looks more perky today.
This is our summer garden, we think those are cantelope, they are voluntary whatever they are. We’ll love em!
This is what happens when you have to work the soil a lot. I am not sure what number of fixin’ this shovel handle is on but it’s not it’s first.
But our happiest moment of the day was to find lil basil peeking from the ground. They have survived first stage. Shall they continue on to the next round? Doesn’t that just wanna make you smile! Have a wonderful weekend!
God give you a good Sunday worship!
Do you have a problem with housekeeping? Do you lack the motivation and the skill to acomplish such a task? We have found the solution! Ants!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Proverbs 6:6-8 says:
“Go to the Ant, You sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, which having no chief, officer, or ruler, prepares her food in the summer, and gathers her provision in the harvest.”
HOW true this is. Lets just examine the first part, Go to the ant, you sluggard. Well the ants have a goal and that goal is to keep you on your toes. You DO go to the ants. You look all over your carpet and any suface area’s trying to find out where they are and what exactly they are doing.
Next part, Observe her ways and be wise. Did you know how clever ants are??? They can find any nook and cranny in your home. They find any way in and it’s hard to drive them out. It is your job to outwit them!
The rest of the verse- which having no chief, officer, or ruler, prepares her food in the summer, and gathers her provision in the harvest, tells us that she has no plans on obeying your stern commands on leaving. You can broom threaten, fire threaten, Boiling water threaten, and any other forms of torture or death threaten but they are still persistant little buggers. Sigh.
So, you are probably wondering by now what has this to do with housekeeping?? Well I have excellent news for you. We are now selling these fantastic homekeeping helpers for just $1 a thousand. We will even include and extra thousand in there for free! If you have trouble keeping your kitchen spotless, you will no longer! Do you remember that drop of water still left in your glass? Well these little guys are a great reminder never to let that happen. Do you suffer from not vaccuming the floors every day? Have no fear! Within a week you will have the cleanest carpets on teh block-maybe even the whole town!
Did you forget to dry the floors in your bathroom? Leave the toilet seat up? Hamper needs to be emptied? That’s ok! These are hourly reminders of what needs to be done and you will end up with a bathroom fit for Martha Stewart!
Dishes didn’t get done last night?? Don’t worry! Your problems have ceased. I guarantee that you will never forget again once these critters have found their way on your counters.
Do you suffer from insomnia??? No longer! These wonderful ants will make sure you work so hard that you fall asleep before hitting the pillow and you will be sure to stay asleep while you think about what the morrow brings.
Did you always want to be like Daddy? Fill his shoes so to speak? Well here you go! Within 3 days I guarantee that you can have a painless bald head! While pulling your hair out you will have so many other thoughts on your mind and certain words that you dare not speak that you will never miss the pain from loosing your hair!
What did I tell you???? Doesn’t this sound like the solution for you?
We have really benefited from them… and you will too!
Tune in tomorrow to find out another solution!
So, I have these lovely set of chairs. I have had them for about 3 years. they need re-upholstering. I haven’t done it. Always afraid to mess something up. Well today I succumbed. You know it’s bad when your daughter can start picking at the padding. So I bought some fabric, bribed begged Mumsie for some help and turned this;
into something a little more like this;
I do have a more finished picture but I need to still upload it and it’s getting late. However, I am very pleased with the work and so is hubby!!!!!!!!
I tried to figure out how we could cut and save on our budget. I didn’t get to do coupon’s this week but there was a lot of good deals at the market for some fresh fruits and veggies. I didn’t buy meat at all this week as we still have some in in the freezer that need to be used up so I can defrost the thing. SO, I am going to suck it up and show my reciept. I am always in agony over showing what we bought and spent because I’d hate to think that I didn’t use good stewardship somewhere but I am not a perfect frugal wife, it’s my learning department so here goes;
Ezekial Bread (GF for David and I) $2.99
4 Dannon natural yogurt, coffee, .70= $2.80 (we split this and mix it with plain yogurt)
2 Mountian high yogurt $4.99
Padrino’s tortilla chips 1.99
SB cereal- Corn checks $2.50
2 Dill Relish $3 (they only come in those teensy bottles that you pay a fortune for. I really should learn how to make my own. Recipe’s anyone? we dislike sweet relish)
2 SB soup veggie *for soupy joes* $1.78 (2 meals for both of us)
Tree top applesauce, natural, $2.49 (no apples on sale for us to make fresh for Emma)
Wolfgang Chicken stock- $2.49
2 Asian Pears $2
Banana’s .79 lb- $2.22
Broccoli $1 lb- $1.54 (4 meals)
Grapefruit- $1
2 Spinach Bunches- $2
White peaches $1lb- $1.20
Total 34.38
Savings $5.49
Now if we saved $5.50 a week that brings us too $286 a year. Saweet! And when you calculate it all it ends up being about $1.64 a meal for each person. AND that is just all the food. Not all of that will be used this week.
I Didn’t need any necessities this week, like toilet paper, cleaners, etc. We are still using a 6 pack of Viva paper towels that we bought last year. We have only used 2 rolls so far. I just finished our toilet cleaner. Mamacita has garlic and some other veggies from her garden for us. (I hope to snag her over next year so she can help and show me what to plant and do). I did put $20 of gas in the car. We are now at a full tank.
$100 of David’s check is going into the mortage payment ($120 a week helps us meet the payment at the end of the month)
Next week I will need more of the cleaners as such so I am keeping an eye out for coupons. Hope to try the Walgreens strategy.
Some of this weeks menu will be
Breakfasts:
Eggs, grits, oats, fuit, etc.
Lunches; always leftovers
Dinners; Chicken salad, chicken soup, baked chicken, taco’s, taco salad, soupy joes, shephers pie, London Broil in the crocpot, bbq sandwhiches
When you write all that down… It is so satisfactory.
Well, thanks for peeking in!
Happy Tuesday to you. This morning I made some baby food. It was pretty simple and only took maybe 10 minutes at max. I did it between flipping pancakes and Emma gave her taste approval.
I blended 1/4 cup of Strawberry Yogurt and 2 Banana’s up. Easy as pie. I wish I could have done 1/8 cup yogurt and used fresh strawberries but I didn’t have any. That is what I would really recommened. I made about 2 large baby food jars and enough left over for breakfast as well. Mind you, don’t over blend cause it ends up more like a smoothie.
I also made some Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes.
Recipe for GF Pancakes
1 cup of boiling water
1/2 cup of cornmeal
Stir constantly;
Add 3/4 cup of milk (we like fresh goats milk )
Stir until smooth.
Stir in;
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin (or blended and cooked butternut squash)
1 TBSP honey or sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 TBSP oil
mix in:
1 cup of Rice Flour (or whole wheat flour if you are not GF)
2 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Stir until ingrediants are combined. Cook.
Voila, a lovely and easy breakfast. I managed to get this on the table by 7am and I was up at 6:15am
Since I am in the sharing mood, My sister Braelyn took some Family photo’s over the weekend. This was a snapshot of one of them. Isn’t she good? 17 yr old girl. Love her too!
Hubby and I have been looking at the idea of doing vegetarian meals. We have NOTHING against meat and rather enjoy it but think that the more “green” approach is something to look into, health wise. It has been a interesting research study. We also have to stay GF. That is more important. So that leaves us with a lot of rice and potatoes. So I have been trying to expan my horizons. I would like to stay away from Soy as well. I have been given some VERY helpful advice and I am looking into a few things. This will not be a overnight decision and application. It may be more 1 day all vegetarian dishes for 1 week. Then moving to 2. Until we reach the point where we know what we need to eat to get the right calories and protien til where we are satisfied. It would be so much easier if we lived where we could have crops all year long. A greenhouse would be lovely but we have no room for one. Such decisions take massive amounts of planning, researching and putting into practice.
For those that read this blog and are vegetarians, any information is useful and appreciated. Thank you.
Now to end the day, Emma is learning about tomatoes;
With the price of gas going up almost daily a lot of us are trying to find way to penny pinch. I hope my friend Cathe will do a blog on some of the ways she manages money. But here are some of the ways we find to save a few extra dollars…
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have a errand day. This saves gas and time that could be used elswhere.
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scedule a day aside to make your own baby food (recipes forthcoming)
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Stock up when there are sales. Chicken is especially nice. If chicken chests are on sale get enough for three weeks (how ever much you eat chicken triple. ) use that freezer space.
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Freeze meals. I know this sounds silly but it cuts out those rush meals when you throw you hands up and say, “Lets order Pizza”. If you budget for those special occasions wonderful!
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Recycle. Don’t throw bottles and can’s away. Get a rubbermaid tote, trashcan, whatever and start recycling. 5c a can and 5 cents a bottle add up FAST. Especially if you buy bottled water and drink soda often.
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Fill up when you need gas. The price of gas goes up, not down. Instead of putting $10 in there, fill up. Budget so you can do this it really does save alot in the long run.
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Check your Sunday paper for coupons. If you don’t get a sunday paper see if your neighbor is through with theirs. My neighbor only reads the obits or the letters to the editor. She usually will give me the ads and coupons. Although we only live in a town that has two grocery stores sometimes you still can find walgreen ads that have certain items that are cheap.
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Buy store brand instead of name brand. There are certain things we enjoy so much better than store brand but for the most part they taste about the same. No one is going to scruntinize what brand you have. We do prefer name brand chips though.
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Watch electricity. If no one is in a room, close the door, turn the lights off, etc. Let the cool air stay where there is more activity. I usually don’t turn our cooler on until after 12pm. It gets up to 90 in here but with the window’s open and stuff to keep me busy with and cold water I usually don’t notice.
- We don’t have a regular trash service. With only two people we would never use enough trash to warrant a monthly bill. Is this so for your family? We have 3 trash cans that my husband takes to the dump about 1 every 3-4 months. OR, split the cost with a neighbor. Most elderly have plenty of room in their garbage container for yours as well. If you are on friendly terms with your neighbor see about working a plan with them. Most are quiet open to it as it could help cut their expenses as well.
- Plant a garden. Its great activity for the children. Family time. It doesn’t have to be big. It cuts time away from the TV and saves you $$. Plant small and grow larger. Pea’s, green beans, carrots and tomatoes are always good and usually pretty easy to grow. Butternut Squash is a good subsitute fro pumpkin. Saves more $$ on canned or frozen veggies. And taste 10 times better.
- Make a menu. See what’s on sale. See what you can make with it. Make a shopping list and menu and hit the stores.
- Carry cash. It’s harder to spend more when you are limited to cash only. For some reason it gets me in the mindset of limiting what I buy to only what is on my shopping list and only what I need.
These are just few idea’s. If you have others please feel free to leave me a comment or drop a line. I am always on the lookout for more idea’s.
Do you remmeber all the lettuce we had? It all went to seed. Well, some, most of it was eaten by what hubby calls white flies. I guess they suck the juice out of the lettuce til it dies. Anyway, it was my job to cut the stalks of the lettuce that was going to seed so hubby could compost it. He grabbed the camera. I nervously chopped all that lettuce. I say nervously becuase there were two, read that, 2! yellow jackets buzzing around and I know that they are mean critters. I was also very sad. All that lettuce we couldn’t use.
That white scarf on my head. We dubbed that my head-covering. I wear dresses/skirts 90% of the time. When my neck it out very badly and I haven’t been able to see the chiropracter I cannot put my hair up or back without a severe headache following. So I resort to those hankies. Hair is out of my face and I am happy. But people often mistake the dress and the kercheif as a headcovering. Now I see no reason to correct them unless they ask. After all, it is covering my head. But then I am often asked, “Do you believe it’s biblical to cover your head?” I can point out the verse in Corinthians about a woman’s hair being her covering. But I do confess that the idea of a “real” headcovering has always been intriguing to me. I like the idea of a daily, minutly reminder of whose authority I am under. But I confess. I am a bit cautious of my looks and do not think I could brave the “looks” and stares I could/would get from wearing one (as if just plain wearing dresses doesn’t do it. lol) I wear dresses/skirts mainly because i like them. I feel very feminine in them. They are much cooler than pants. But I do own a few pairs of pants. But my sister in law has a way of wearing shorts, capri’s, pants, short dresses and always looks so feminine. I have tried to imitate her wardrobe but it doesn’t have the same effect on me.
Do you know what this is? Can you guess?
It’s not rasberries. Still guessing????
….?
It’s homegrown beets and zuccini blended up. Emma enjoyed it very much as did hubby. Since I was doing a cleanse that day and had eaten fruit and veggies mainly all day, more was just not appealing. Her diaper was much more colorful this morning.
Today is tuesday. I shall be very busy sewing, taking care of the house and etc.
It is not even 8am and i have managed a good 1/2 hour walk. Special breakfast (eggs AND muffins), getting babygirl fed, got hubby’s lunch, took laundry down, had devotion time. The day is looking bright. Top of the morning to you.
Watering Can! Yep, that’s right, watering cans now have a new and unique look that makes everyone wanna go out and buy 10. The best news is yet to come, you will receieve free juice in the process (well unprocesses juice of a sort). So go and get your new watering cans at any local grocery store!
Yes, that is my watering bottle for my indoor and sometimes outdoor plants. Since most watering cans that you can buy cost an arm and a leg we improvised and found more than one use for our empty juice bottles. One is actually our out of town water jug as well. Keeps nice and cool if you fill it 1/4 way of water, freeze, then when you leave fill the rest up with water. It usually stays cool our whole trip when we see the chiropracter. That’s about 4 hours! Back to my plants, they enjoy these water bottles cause sometimes they also recieve the leftover drops of juice or even the smell of apple juice on their soil. And my indoor plants look so healthy I’d like to think it was my improved watering can. Amazing what you can find to acomplish on a tight budget.
This is my kitchen window. That is my gift from Mamacita (Mother-in-law). I had two but one I tried transplanting to a bigger pot and it died… outdoors too. Sigh. Such persnickity little plants. This one looks about pooped but it has looked that way for almost a year now. Amazing lil guys. Love my aloe vera. I can forget to water it for 2 weeks and it will still look fresh and green. Well, as fresh as I can make it.
Have a wonderful weekend!
What I am reading right now…
What I did today…
What I saw today…
And then, there was me… and My baby.
With small exceptions this is what will usually go on in my household.
5:30-6:30 AM (depending on Emma) wake up, feed the baby and slowly creep out of the comfy bed.
6:30-7:00 Eat breakfast, make husband’s lunch.
7:00-7:30- Get ready to leave for work (hubby) Make bed (me) Drink some water after eating breakfast (Emma)
Now it’s time for Mommy and Daughter devotions. Mainly because I need a bit more time.
Emma has Bible time too.
By this time all of us are usually dressed. Usually we would be going for a walk but this day the wind was going to hard so we contented ourselves inside for 1/2 hour. Not exactly sure what we did but soon enough it was time for Emma’s nap. Down she went.
It was then about 8:30, my time for being in the garden. Today I must transplant some poorly looking tomatoes and weed out some of the garden. The tomatoes will go into the row that the peas were in. We harvested em all and ate every last one of them. Next year we will have many more rows of said peas.
On my way in I just took another picture of this gorgeous plant.
Today I had a few letters to get sent. This lil lap desk was a gift many years ago from my dear mother and father. It has served me faithfully. I often think of a burning candle and a old feather pen and ink. But anyway, I set myself to work.
It is about 9:30 now so I will spend the next hour on the computer. I check email, blog some, check other blogs, check my message boards, check any auctions, check this and that, do some research, chat with my friends. Emma usually will wake up about 10:30-11:30
Then it is time to do some other things. Play time is now. While she will play;
I will be busy sewing….
That there became this;
Usually by noon we are anxiously awaiting Daddy’s daily lunch call. Emma knows the telephone will ring and will light up with smiles when it’s her turn to gurgle to Daddy. Not sure what breathing code they have going between them but I know it’s something special.
The afternoon is pretty much our school time. Yes even 7 month old Emma has her school work to do. Here you see her studying about critters from her Usbourne book. She is such a smart lil thing that usually she completes this within 45 seconds of recieving her work.
Emma REALLY loves her Usbourne book.
Next is her Math. Here she is learning subtraction.
“If Mommy gave you 6 cherios and you eat 4, how many will you have left?”
Here Mommy had to do a few errands and didn’t get back home til about 4:00pm.
Now we also mustn’t forget our music lessons. Here we are teaching her Beethoven’s 5th.
Approval from the pianist Daddy is always a must. Daddy gave the thumbs up!
Dinner!
On a hot summer day we like the cool meals in life. Sandwhiches and Cantelope. Can’t go wrong with that!
Euphemia is enjoying her carrots, beef, and rice
After dinner is our quieting down time. Mommy will do the dishes. Euphemia will “content” herself on the floor, Daddy will do various gardening tasks or in the case of last night work more on the cooler electrical. It is time again for devotionals. Euphemia sits nicely on Daddy’s lap sucking her two fingers, while mommy concentrates on Daddy’s reading while her needle goes up and down on the cloth she holds.
8:30 Emma goes down for the night. I am making apple butter tonight as we are running low. I so enjoy the smell of apple and cinnamon cooking. IN the morning the fresh smell helps us get up better. And tomorrow we will have toast and fresh apple butter.
Compost!
mmmm, can you smell it now?
And then we retire. I write a bit in my journal. Hubby will read another few pages from his Louis L’ amour Novel and we will head off to sleep….
Coming Monday! Stay tuned!
Isn’t it gorgeous? I have decided to sell some. You can purchase 1 for $4 + shipping or buy 3 for $10 + shipping. Name your color. Please allow 2 weeks for this busy lady to send them out. They measure 10.5″x11″. Made from 100% cotton. Thank you.
Paypal prefered- c.neipp@gmail.com (please note to me what it is for). Or please email me at , c.neipp@gmail.com for money order. I am so excited.
Yes, I am pregnant! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM SO EXCITED! When I was pregnant with Euphemia we called her JR. Muffin. Well now we have a #2 Muffin on the way!
Will it be a boy?
Will we have a Abigail Ruth?
The morning sickness isn’t as intense. Keeping up on the household is a bit more difficult but I can’t begin to describe the excitement when I look around a clean home! It is always worth it and my hubby is so happy when he see’s it! How I love my man!
For your enjoyment!
Be it ever so humble… There’s no place like home.
After a very busy week, I am much looking forward to a very relaxing day at home… but alas, the week is not over. So, why do I long to sit here? Let me explain;
Monday; Already blogged about that. Remember my shopping trip and PO? And the LLL meeting
Tuesday; Birthday party and bank trip
Wednesday; Visiting and another PO trip
Thursday; Today, Shopping, Park with siblings, unexpected trip to home to drop off a child I wasn’t suppose to watch today (tomorrow is the correct day.) Clean house for lady. POor Euphemia has lived in a carseat all week. BLECH!
Friday; Brother’s birthday, Tax appt., watch said child, clean again
Saturday; Baby shower
Sunday; The Lord’s day and meal with In-laws. YAY!
WHEW! If you despise being home I really encourage you to seek out why and find ways to change it. Home is the utmost bestest place to be.
My next entry will be Monday. See you after the weekend!
Sit down, grab your coffee or tea and enjoy my entry, as I write this I am finishing up my Mocha Cappuchino from Starbucks
So, I am gonna take a break from all my sibling writtin’, Mainly because my Mother isn’t up yet to send me a picture of my brother. My sister owns all the good ones. REmember her? The photography girl? The sinn….er sweetest sister? Ahem, so anyway I will be writting about what’s going on here because I know everyone is just dyin’ to know what housewives are really like.
Well today I had to make sure my hubby went off to work. Not because I had something important to do but because he would like to keep his job and that requires being there on time. So with a rumble tumble from the bed, I fed the baby and set myself to making two meals. One for us (breakfast) and one for Hubby to take with him. He stays at work alone at lunch time while the rest of the employee’s at the automotive repair shop goes and gets a Big Mac from Macdonalds. Not only does hubby enjoy my leftover home cookin’ he knows he doesn’t have to worry about how much msg is in there or whether there is wheat. He is having Spring Rolls (made by me) (rice wrappers), Left over tri-tip from last night (week’s special) and a boiled egg (daily egg, Carolita) and some grapes because there was no apple special this week.
So off he went. By dear!
Now, it was my turn. I scrambled to get babykins ready to go out. Pulled back my tangly hair to make it somewhat presentable, threw on a skirt (cause my knit shorts just weren’t acceptable for going out in). That’s when I notice my shirt. A coffee stain that didn’t come out. Oh well. I’ll have to look like a mom today. Dash to the car. Drive 1/2 mile to the wally world and pick up some;
Cream bias tape for some dresses
Pink buttons for said dresses
Birthday card for neice
Root bear for 21 year old friend’s birthday tomorrow (the only “liquor” she will ever drink)
Manilla envelope
Oooh! Tomato plants!
Aww that reduced Ranuculus needs a home.
White bias tape for the white pettidresses
CHOCOLATE! (it’s gonna be a long day)
And then, to start the week off, a good starbucks coffee with what change I had left (and JUST the amound too, I think I had 1 penny to spare.)
So, now we dash on home. Babykins who has been up for 2.5 hours by now is ready for her morning nap. So by the time we get home, off to her bed she goes and I start sewing on buttons. I check up on my friends by their blogs or Instant Messenger. I plan the rest of the day which include;
Going on AGAIN to
Mail packages
Grab Monday’s produce special at Stater Bros.
Make Library stop (gotta see what books they have this week)
Grab knitting books at Library for beginners and try to figure out some stitches.
Stop by Walgreens and see if they still have the 99cents a dozen egg special (please Lord!) Did you know we pay almost $3 a dozen for eggs now? Ridiculous. I want my own chicks! WAAAAAAAAAA
Ahem, alright lets move on.
Things i need to acomplish today;
Keifer (already made but by tonight it should be 48 hours since I made it so I will need to check it and see if I need to make another batch. David goes through them so quickly. Hee hee, gotta love that guy)
I need to get some white pettidresses done. They are all cut out but need to be sewn (that’s the easy part! I hate cuttin out!)
Laundry
Livingroom tidied up and organzied as part of my challenge for re-establishing a more fruitful marriage. Long story.
I have a LL Meeting tonight.
And so much more so I better get off and hop to it.
What am I gonna do for dinner?
A Ranuculus flower
Whew, after all the work I did yesterday my feet are begging for a rest and here I go off to typ a wee bit before I set myself to working again. I am thinking about doing a blog contest. I am just dying with curiosity about how many people really do read here. I shall not make an announcement anywhere. Let it be a surprise. I am not sure for a prize yet. I don’t know if any males read here and are too bashful to say anything. Should it be something I can make? That would be the easiest thing for me. Should it be a gift certificate for all those that can enjoy? hmmm decisions decisions. Blog contests are so much fun and I enjoy participating which means I should also give.
Anyway, after going into thoughtful land I return. For those that I chatted with yesterday, yes I did get the keifer done. I made it. It has to sit atleast 24 hours and my finger nails cannot take much more suspense. I used fresh goats milk. Yep, my FIL has goats. 3 or 4. 3 are pregnant so there must be 4 if he is still able to milk. Keifer took about 1 qt. of milk. If you like buttermilk you will probably like keifer. As the price of yogurt keeps going up I am trying to train my tastebuds to accept the new taste. I love buttermilk for cooking but not much of a drinker myself. *hick* Also, did you know that instead of buying keifer starters you can use already make keifer as a starter? I am sure i knew that somewhere but when you actually have to use knowledge you gain it begin to really sink in.
OK, so keifer was rotting…er I mean setting and then I had to make sure the laundry was done. While we do have a dryer we have found the conveinence of hanging out the laundry much more inviting. I hate the smell of dust on my clothes when being hung out to dry so I took the advantage of a fresh morning after the rain to hang out the white laundry. I have three lines. The back line I use for all the long stuff because the neighbors windows are right by my line and I don’t fancy them sticking their head out the window and trying to guess our underwear size. Middle line is for undergarments and the front line is our socks, baby clothes, rags, etc. Course I do use the dryer for my bath towels. Gotta have em fluffy and soft! Sheets too. Nice warm sheets. A dash to make sure that as soon as they dry they go right on the bed and get covered up and wait for us til the lights go out in the house. Ahhh… what a time to go to bed with fresh sheets.
So laundry is done. Now I have another row in the garden to do. Since we are in the desert the soil has to be worked on. So once you take the layer of mulch off with your big fork you have to dig up the soil and put the homemade compost soil in. Then you gotta work it in and get the tomatoe worms out. Preferably throw em as hard as you can against a rock and make sure they splat. Yeah I know. It aint fun work but I plan on keeping my tomatoes this year thank you very much. The whole process is about 45 minutes hard work. Then the soil is ready for seeds. This time it was radishes. In the ground we have 2 rows of lettuce, 1 row of tomatoes and now radishes. Today I hope to get sugar-snap-pea’s in before it gets too warm.
So, today my job is to get the house in order, fold and put away laundry, make sure we have a edible dinner, and get to work on my new neice and godchild’s quilt. It will be a simple flannel patchwork but it will be used with love. I also made a white crisp bonnet for the christening. How I wish we could be there. But from California to Indiana takes money and time. We don’t have either. While we could make the time easily, we couldn’t make the money. It’s so saddening that in the space of 1 year I have missed both my godchildren’s baptism. sniff Sniff.
So, here is the entry for today. Don’t forget to leave a comment!
God be with you.
Do you remember the first knitted dishcloth I did? See here . Well, I have a very happy husband. My marriage wasn’t saved over a dishcloth (we would kind of have to be in a troubled marriage in the first place) but the counter’s were saved from a stinky sponge that hubby uses for a quick wipe down. My dishcloth was used instead! Can you say, Hubby loves this dishcloth! If the example(s) weren’t enough he is constantly telling me how much he loves them as well. Woo hoo! Happy Hubby, happy Wife!
So here is a distant cousin of that dishcloth,
My hand is there to show the size of the cloth. I say “distant” because it will soon be finding a new home. I did a different stitch with this one because it was a solid color. I thought the design would give it a wee bit of oomph.
While I was doing the dishes I had all these idea’s for writting in my blog and now that I have sat at the computer I can’t think of them all. Only 180 word count right now. 
so sad. How short a memory I have. Dori anyone?
I never have any time to read books anymore. I like to pump and then head on to bed once Euphemia is down for the night. Well for the remainder of the week I am going to make the effort to read at least 1/2 hour before heading to bed. It is not as long as I am use too and I have so many books I want to read (most of all my new one by Jennie Chancey that just came today; Passionate Housewives Desperate For God) but the time flies by and I DO need the sleep.
My goal for next week will be finding out the best way to do the internet. I like to check up on thing peridically throughout the day while I think of them. This of course leaves the computer on for most of the day and while that is all fine and dandy, it is not in the fact that I just sit down at it and check this and that out. End up spending more time on here than necessary. Ha, what else is new?
Here is a small list of what I like to do on the computer
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Check blogs
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LIsten to Alistair Begg on truthforlife.org
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Listen to Ravi Zacharias on rzim.org
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Listen to Nancy Leigh DeMoss on reviveourhearts.org
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Check the message board I frequent on
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Update blog whenever possible
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check ebay for sales or watched items
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check websites with merchandise on them.
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check email
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bla
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bla
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bla
this list is getting too long!
YIKES!
Ok. Now that I have written my goals out. Lets see what I can do to acompish them. Whew. Anyone up for the challege with me? Minimalize your computer time! Work on your time at home! WOO HOO! Of course remember this blog! Don’t cut out my dear lil blog! You know you love it! Of course you do! Don’t you love my !!! marks? They really send a message dont they!!!!??
I am often asked this question. “What is it that you do?” Should I respond with,
“I’m a full time mom”
“A stay at home mom”
“Hearth Keeper”
“A stay at home wife and a full time Mother”.
Honestly, I really do not know how work mom’s do it. Yesterday was a busy day. I was here and there and everywhere. We hadn’t really done our shopping in a week, I had laundry piled a mile high, I had my last Christmas party to go to, and I had meals to make, a baby to take care (much more willingly then any of the other stuff on the list!!!), I also had to finish up the cups to take to the Glow Source store I mentioned in previous blogs. Dinner was late because Emma decided she needed my undivided attention. We laughed, we played, she ate and I read to her from Genesis (what a way to start the new year off!). Poor hubby dear. After having to get up at 5 because Emma was so hungry he was thuroughly exhausted and longed for a restful evening. I can’t imagine having to do all that and still finding time to make sure another company was running smoothly. My own home has been neglected just by being on the computer in the morning. Shame Challice!
I try to keep up my blog, mainly to teach ME how to write and to take time to enjoy the moments that God has given me each day. But I know that it is more important to keep a home a haven. And so if I dont get to update everyday I do apologize to my readers. I can’t imagine the pressure of the larger bloggers have about updating every day. YIKES!
So, Christmas, it was wonderful! Christmas Eve with a candle light service, going over to Mumsie’s house to open up one gift (David and I had a exception. We opened 3!). Christmas morning was spent at home. David read in his soothing gentlemanlike voice Luke 2, Matthew 1, and Isaiah. Emma snuggled up with me in the rocking chair. Our bellies content with the Christmas breakfast of eggs, morning glory muffins, persimmons, and the rare water. Our stocking were opened bit by bit. While I was making breakfast David would open a gift.
We decided to go with a poem on how to choose gifts,
Something to wear
Something you need
Something you want
and Something to read!
I got a pair of boots to wear, a mop as a want, a pair of copper scrubbies and a need, and I got to read the label on my new Scotch Brite Spong brush! What a man! He knows how to spoil his woman!!!
David recieved a pair of new pants for something to wear, as his are very faded for Church. A camera bag as something he wanted, a new devotional as something to read, and a new Pioneer Woman Calender as something he needs. Everyone needs a calender!
Emma recieved her new hat that I made from both Mommy and Daddy. Her Bestamor gave her Carl’s Christmas, and a pair of wooden build up blocks. Mom, if you read this, what is the correct name for them? We were so blessed by the generosity and love from those near and dear to us as well.
We were so thrilled to have Dan and Adrienne come up for our New Years Eve Day open house Party. Whew, say that 10 times fast! Unfortunetly, sadly, we didnt get a picture of us but here is the picture we did manage to get-
Well, all taht being said, I really must go. Happy New Year ya’all! God bless ye!
When I was in my early teens I read a book by Ginny Aiken titled, Camellia. In this book you find a very pregnant Martha Stewart, Betty Crocker and her own self, Camellia. I always wanted to be her. To run a very homey bed and breakfast. To have a welcoming home. To be able to have homemade quilts decorating my home. Ahh yes… In the book she makes Zuccini bread and Apple butter. I never really thought about it, but I have done that. David and I love to enjoy a fresh morning with the smell of Apple Butter that has been cooking in the crockpot. We love that spicy smell. I have made zuccini bread a few times because Zuccini is cheap. While I am still not a good quilter, I have a good friend that is one. My home is filled with Cathe quilts. I am blessed in the fact that my hubby didnt die when I was 4 months pregnant and he loves me dearly. I gotta hand it to the southern women. The hold onto the great traditions. They love to hold the home together. They make their men meals that will appeal to their appetite and not just the stomache. Their home is the magazine model and we mimic it in our own suburban place. Sir Thomas More said, “Ahh the country life.” I think he knew what he was talking about. How I long to see some green acre’s and a smell a good fried chicken cooking and biscuts flaking in my mouth. I guess that Proverbs 31 woman is still being worked inside of me. Now to put what I know into practice!
The pounds are going away! I am in a Biggest Loser Holiday edition. Our goal is not to gain any lbs this holiday season which is very difficult when you are making lots of goodies, forgetting to eat so you pig out, and you are too busy to do any exercising. The upshot, if you have a very good scale, you can loose 5lbs in a few seconds. How you may ask? Well, here is what I did. First I weighed myself. 162 (hey, I am a 5ft 9″ gal!) Not exactly what I was hoping for. So I decide to shred some clothes and see what happens…. ugh, I gained 2 lbs doing that. Ok, undies go back on. Weigh myself again, 162. hmm…. I get on the scale and weigh again. 165.5 . WHAT?! I grab Emma to weigh her…. 174. I get her off, 162. So I am just stuck with that 162. David says, she cant be only 12lbs. So I step back on… 157!!!!! WOO HOO! And so my dear friends, that is how you can loose pounds this holiday season… Reason with your scale…. Add clothes on, dont take them off.
More from our home journal, With Christmas being next week ( are you in denial too?) I have been baking my holiday gifts and trying to get so much sewing done. To help make ends meet I have also excepted a position at Glow Source. I do the replacement batteries. I can take them home and do them. It’s been very convienent, unless I start them just before dinner. ;) So my days are quite busy with being a mom, wife, homekeeper, and the all soccer mom.
Here I end, to wish you all a Merry Christmas.