I just purchased two Ebooks that I think are going to be good:) The first is one that I hope can enlighten me on how to get my suddenly disobediante newly 4 year old girl to OBEY! Its called conveniantly enough- Getting your Children to Obey and its by Kelly at Generation Cedar. If you don't know about this family and their current situation. Please hop on over to A Wise Woman Builds Her Home and read about how God is Mighty to Save!!!

The 2nd purchase I made this morning is 31 Days to Clean by Sarah from Like a Warm Cup of Coffee. Iv already paged though it and I think that this will be a real blessing for my home!

Okay, I'm off to do some reading! Please pray for all those who have lost life and homes in the ravaged states in the South. And please be generous with the blessings God has given you by passing it on to those in need.
     Feed the hungry,
      and help those in trouble.
     Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
      and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
      The LORD will guide you continually,
      giving you water when you are dry
      and restoring your strength.
     You will be like a well-watered garden,
      like an ever-flowing spring.
Isaiah 58:10-11

1 for 2011

She watches over the affairs of her household
   and does not eat the bread of idleness. 

So this year I have a goal of seeing our family's routine go from sketchy to wonderful!
Its not that we have to be boring about it or stick to our routine and system like its law. But a good household routine and system for getting the things that need to be done in place helps make the rest of life more enjoyable.

I've been reading Large Family Logistics.
And its given me some really great tips and ideas! So Iv been trying to implement some new routines and home management techniques to keep things running smoothly around here. So far, the house is looking better then ever, I feel less stressed and the children are doing well with there routines also!
I highly recommend the book, even if you only have one child.

Another tool Iv found that I just love is Money Saving Mom's Daily Docket. Love it!!! You can customize the PDF file to fit your life and it has really helped me out big time!!

Lists, To Do's, Planning....

So I think instead of nesting in this pregnancy, I'm listing;)
I have this insatiable need to make al sorts of lists. Calenders, to do's, schedules, plans. But this is a good thing...well actually its a great thing! Because for me there is nothing more satisfying then marking off a item on my to do list!!
So although I don't have the urge to nest (just yet) I have a list of nesting items on my to do (in fact I have a 8 week schedule of tasks, it started today)and each item I get to mark off is so one more way I can prepare for Baby:)

One list I have and will be starting to check off is a freezer meal plan.
Here are some things that I will be cooking and freezing for after baby's arrival.
Seasoned taco meat
Meat Loaf
Chicken and Dumplings
Potato Soup
Mashed potatoes
Meat ball marinara
Chili
Chocolate chip cookies (for the holidays of course)
Banana nut bread
Blueberry muffins
Pancakes
Chocolate chip butterhorns
pie crusts (again for the holidays)
And I'm stocking up on things like frozen veggies, shredded cheese (it freezes great in small portions), canned items such as refried beans.
Anyway, that is just the start of my list, I "plan" on having a month worth of meals, plus some extras premade for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Oh yeah I'm also addressing Christmas cards this week!

Proverbs 19:14, says, "House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, BUT A PRUDENT WIFE IS FROM THE LORD."
Im sure Big Daddy will appreciate all the meal prep when baby is here, after all I know I'll be spending my time feeding baby and not cooking in the kitchen:)

Randomness

Oh things have been a little hectic around here as of late. But I think its finally slowing down to a easier pace!
The last two weeks we have been dealing with the cleaning and repairing of our rental house in Dallas and that has kept me away from the computer:( I haven't been able to update on things like my pregnancy, our garden, our plans, or participate in the Completing Him Challenge. I'm two posts behind on that and I don't think I have the time to catch up, but I have been reading others posts and really enjoy it! I think its a great challenge though!

Now for a quick update and then its off to make eggs and bacon for breakfast!

Pregnancy is going wonderful! We have decided (and I may have already posted about this) to NOT find out what gender we are having! I think it will be a grand surprise and one of life's more memorable moments:) Although we still would LOVE to have a son, if the Lord has decided on a 3rd daughter for our family then we will gladly accept her and be ever so grateful for her:)

I'm so disappointed in our garden this year:( Between a late freeze (okay maybe we just planted a week too early) and major heat, then some serious rainfall (7 inches in 1 day!) our poor garden just couldn't take it! But every year we plant and every year we learn new things. This year we learned that if you plant wheat you must harvest it when you your suppose to, or else it will rain and your wheat will mold and all your effort will be for not!

Oh yeah, we're not getting a ultrasound done either. Unless something comes up that would indicate we need to further investigate by getting a u/s done. Im so excited to meet this little one this fall!!!

Because I'm an over achiever in the planning department, I'm thinking about things I can do to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. See I'm suddenly struck by the thought that I will have a newborn who will be just a few weeks old at Thanksgiving and then maybe 6-8 weeks old at Christmas! Wow that alot to take during the holidays. And because I love that time of year I do still want to to enjoy it and have my family enjoy it despite any sleep deprivation I may be experiencing. So I'm putting together a list of things I can do in the next few months to make it easier. One thing is obvious...freezer cooking and baking. Cookies, fudge, quick breads, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy. If I have these things on hand, I can mange a bird or ham and not feel over whelmed in the kitchen. And we have also decided to opt out of any Christmas gift exchanged, really we won't have the money and I don't know how many of those family gatherings we will be attending. But I know I will be purchasing stocking stuffers ahead of time also.

Lastly some of my favorite newly discovered spots on the internet.
Money Saving Mom
Women Living Well

And one of my newest faves-Raising Homemakers! Which is a subject near and dear to my heart!

Okay well that is all for now. Hhmmm maybe a picture is in order to round this post out?

Oh my sweetheart, how I LOVE him!!!! He's not aiming at anything living;) Just target practicing in our backyard:)

WFMW- French Bread

I found this recipe/video several months ago and since then I have made french bread this way at least a dozen times...LOVE IT!
In case you watch the video and miss the amounts here it is:
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon yeast
and Water...watch the video for an idea of how much.

For more great ideas, visit We are that Family!

What I'm doing today

Today I have the itch to cook and organize.
So Im making pancakes for the freezer, they make mornings super easy!
Also I'm soaking pinto beans to make refried beans tomorrow!
Then on the organizational front I'm cleaning the kids room. Toys are being gone through and given away.

WFMW- freezing milk

Anytime I see milk on sale I always stock up, I live in the country and running out of milk is not an option. Yes I keep powdered milk on hand, but I prefer whole milk. Rarely will we go though more then one gallon in a week, but it depends what's going on in my kitchen.
If I'm making yogurt that week, or ice cream in the summer, we will often go through two gallons. But for those weeks we don't, I don't want my extra gallon to spoil. So I freeze it!
When I bring the milk home from the store I just pour out a little from the jug and put it in the freezer. This is important or else you may find your jug has busted once frozen. You then thaw in the fridge for about 2-3 days, yes this does require planning ahead. So take the frozen milk out as soon as you see your under a half gallon in the fridge. You can also freeze smaller portions in zip lock bags or glass jars so that it doesn't take too long to thaw.
EDIT- To answer some questions, no it doesn't change the consistency of the milk, however the milk does separate. So give it a good shake once thawed and you ll be good to go. Otherwise I find little to no difference in the taste and look of previously frozen milk.

Freezing milk Works for Me!

Frugal Friday- Being a One Income Family

We have been a one income family for over 3 years now. Before that I had a part time child care position at our church and prior to that I worked retail. I was happy when my husband and I decided that I would exclusively stay at home with the kids. At the time I was 5 months pregnant with Madi and picking up the kiddos at the church was getting increasingly difficult. A short time after Madi was born I toyed with the idea of getting a part time job again. But the LORD lead me to continue to devote 100% to my family and my home.
And its one of the best decision we have ever made.
I think every family can do it given the right set of tools.
What tools are needed to not only survive but thrive on one income you ask? Well here's my thoughts.

Let me preface this by saying the method of living on one income when you are a family of more then two, so a Dad, a Mom and child(ren) works best when you are following Jesus, and by following Jesus you are living or trying to live biblical. So you accept and embrace the roles GOD has defined for us. Real Men and Real woman are the ones who do best and thrive on one income (aside from the wealthy of course). So the tools that have worked for us-

1. Humility. You must humble yourself to let go of all the things that you think life should look like and hand it over to God. Be humble and ask for HIS help. You can't do it on your own. Staying at home day in and out with your children is trying at the very least and you can't do it without HIS help, period.

2. Get Organized. Not just financially, but through out your home. Recently we made about $900 on EBay from selling stuff that we discovered by simple organization of our stuff! There are tons and tons of great advice and help online to get you organized. If you need links let me know!

3. You have to be Disciplined! We could have very easily taken the earnings off EBay and bought any number of things we wanted. But instead we are saving it for things we need. And you have to be disciplined enough to say no to the things you want and smart enough to know the difference between things your need and things you want.

4. Wise. You have to be prudent and seek wise counsel not only from GOD but from others who you know have their stuff together when it comes to finances. Don't seek advice about how to structure your budget from a working parent of a two income household who is drowning in credit card debt! Go to someone who's been there where you are now, perhaps a fellow member of your church, or perhaps it your own Mom!

5. You must be deliberate, not hasty. When it comes to living on one income this is important. You cannot make hasty decisions when it comes to your money or your time. Talk it over before you buy anything or schedule anything. Once you work on a budget, your not just done with it. Its a continued process, just like your schedule. Your time must be handled carefully also. You may make the mistake of thinking because you will now be staying home, you'll have more time..trust me that couldn't be farthest from the truth. So consider your time spent carefully. Before you schedule that dance class for your daughter on a whim look carefully at what time of the day it falls...is it right around dinner time? Husband decides on a dime to have appetizers with the buddies after work without talking it over with you first? Things like that can really through a wrench in your schedule.

6. Full disclosure. Talk about everything with your spouse, everything. Even the lunch date you have with your girlfriends or the cute shirt you saw and thought about buying. Full and open disclosure of every cent spent is necessary when you are first starting out. Because see most people who have two incomes sometimes spend extra without really talking about it with their spouse simply because they think they can cover it with their income.

7. Stop being a consumer! Start being a producer! You must turn away from the old ways of figuring out how to get more stuff and start figuring out how to produce a meaningful and lasting legacy for your children and YES it can be done on ONE income. There are so many frugal ways to buy the stuff you need and even the occasional thing you want in a frugal manner where you don't have to break the budget and you will actually get ahead more so on one income then when there was two!

8. And this may be the most important yet the hardest one to do. Be CONTENT. Stop comparing your house to the one down the street. Stop wishing your had a newer car, or nicer clothes or a new pair of shoes. Just be content in whatever situation you have and live and make the most of it. Once you start doing that and maybe even trying to give some of it away you'll find that living on one income is so easy!

Oh and since you will be staying at home now...consider homeschooling those kiddos of yours huh?:) Okay did I go to far?? :)

Okay next Friday Im posting more about transitioning from a two income to a one income household. Come back y'all!

Works For Me Wednesday- Clothes pins

I have alot of clothes pins around my house and have found many ways that they come in handy.
There's a list here.

But my favorite uses are as a chip clip and to hold a towel around my kids for when they eat messy foods like spaghetti, works for me and my laundry!

Oh and if you want to get fancy, Iv seen people paint them with cool little flowers and bright colors! Neat, but I don't have time for that:)

Works For Me Wednesday

I recently read a post about the struggle to make Sunday the day of rest. The Sabbath day. Keeping that day Holy is difficult. Especially for Mom.
Between cleaning, cooking and caring for your family were does a loving Mom get her rest in?
Well here is what works for me.

1. Make Sunday meals simple. One pot meal for the big meal, rather that be Lunch or Supper. Also known as Dinner and supper 'round these parts:)
The crock pot is my best friend on Sundays. Chili is the one thing that seems to work the best. You can throw in in the morning, it will be ready by the time you get home from Church and you can do a variety of things with it. Chili dogs, Frito pie, or just keep it simple and serve it with some crackers.

2. To reduce dishes...use paper. I know not very fancy,but we are looking to reduce our work load here!

3. Dress simply. Keep you clothes and your kids clothes easy. Casual dress but no jeans is usually the rule for me and my kids. And I stay away from things that need to be ironed, and if it does I do it the night before. Plus lay the clothes out the night before so your not searching through the closets that morning. Oh and let the kids dress themselves if at all possible!

4. Because we are a home school family and get to do whatever makes us happy:) LOL
We do a 4 day school week and leave Mondays as our chill day. Another words Monday is the day mommy catches up on the things that didn't get done on Sundays. The girls usually do crafts and art, watch movies and play on Mondays.

5. Keep things in perspective. I know for me I can look around the house by Sunday afternoon and just be disgusted at the amount of mess there is. I mean I just cleaned yesterday! But really its because my house gets lived in, the kids play, we eat, we hang out together and focus on our family and the Lord on Sundays not rather or not the kitchen is clean.

And it works for me!

I feel the need to purge...

Not like that, I love food to much to ever deliberately throw up:-)

But seriously I have this urge every few months, mostly with the changing of the seasons, to clean, organize and get rid of stuff.

So last night we took a ridiculous amount of stuff to the goodwill. Two extra large (yard waste size) bags FULL of clothes, a monitor, a stereo, toys, books, lots of stuff. Stuff that we don't use, don't wear, Im not even sure why we have the stuff. Some of the clothes I gave away I kept hanging onto just in case, maybe Ill wear it, I might find something to match it....whatever the excuse.
And we also went to Target and purchased a bookcase. The kids have a ton of books and so do we, this is great, but annoying when you don't have enough storage.
So I organized the books this morning.
This afternoon's task is to go through all of Cheyenne's toys and get rid of (probably half) some to the Goodwill. Her birthday is coming in May. Its amazing how much stuff my kids collect. Don't get me wrong I love the fact that we have such a large family with so many generous people, but it gets a little overwhelming sometimes.
My child cannot keep her room clean, not for lack of trying. Its because she has too much stuff for a 4 year old to take care of. In our home we put a huge emphasis on respect for each other and the things we care about. How can a child really care about and take care of 13 baby dolls? I mean really.
So hopefully by the time we get done today I will have a much more organized house, and my kids will have the toys they love and room to play with them. And a much easier time at picking things up.

Matthew 6:19-20

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal"