December Fun!!

For every day in December I made up a small card, and on the card has a special thing to do that day! These are simple and free things to do...easy enough that I know I'll do them...but special enough the kids will love them :0) Here's my list:
1. Welcome to December talk, new song to learn, and a piece of candy
2. Decorate paper gingerbread men to hang up (I hope to make a garland)
3. Drink hot cocoa
4. Make decorations to hang on your bedroom door
5. Introduce the candy calender
6. Christmas movie at rest time
7. Window painting
8. Make Christmas pictures to mail to Unlce Bill
9. Christmas book at story time
10. Snowman craft
11. Listen to Christmas music
12. Dinner with grandma and grandpa (we already had this planned)
13. Eat candy canes
14. Make Christmas pictures to mail to Uncle Jeff
15. Christmas photo shoot (will use these as gifts later)
16. Deliver cookies to a family
17. Make Christmas gifts for teachers
18. Family Christmas parties
19. The Christmas plat at church
20. Make a gift for someone
21. Write to Santa
22. Christmas computer game
23. Make Santa cookies
24. Party at Aunt Jen's & read the Christmas story from the Bible before bed & family prayer time
25. Christmas!!!
We will do most of these during our morning circle time, that way they will be sure to get done! These are easy enough to do...and fun!

Our Adoption Party

We had a great time at our adoption party. I'm glad it's over, but also glad we did it! We had a great turn out. All together there were probably about 60 people there :0) The kids had a GREAT time! They ate SO much food, thankfully none of them got sick. They ran around with their friends beating each other up with balloons, and playing tag. It was nice to see them have such a good time. We got lots of nice gifts, and got to see how much support we have from family and our church family. I LOVE my church family. I feel so blessed to be a part of my church, they are great people!! Now it's over, we can settle in as a regular family. Life is good!

Shopping Trip

I went shopping with my sister on Saturday....we left home at 5:00 a.m. and didn't return until 11:00 p.m.!! We shopped the whole time! We got to the stores at 6:00 a.m.....and shopped until 10:00 p.m.! We didn't even stop to get anything to eat....we ate finally at 10:00 p.m. on the way home! What a LONG day! It was fun, and I got most of my shopping done. I spent that many hours and didn't even get it all done...LOL...That's a lot of shopping! I'm glad to say that I have stayed on my budget. Things have been shifted around, but the lump sum I was planning on spending was met. I still have about $100 left to spend and that should be about what I need. Maybe a bit more, not much though! Now for all the wrapping!!!

Busy Weekend!

WOW! We sure are having a busy weekend! Yesterday was very nice and relaxing...but we got stuff done. We decorated the house and the tree for Christmas. Today has been busy with getting things ready for the adoption party on Sunday. We went down and decorated today. We didn't do much, but it will do. The rest of the day will be spent baking, making lists, getting last things around, and getting ready for the BIG ALL DAY shopping trip tomorrow with my sister :0) Lots to do!!

Frugal Things Make Work!

We went to my SIL's house on Sunday for Thanksgiving, we had a great time! She had cleared out the space where she kept all of her homeschooling books, and had LOTS to give away. So, I took a good long look....and came away with a big bag and a big box of goodies! She also gave us a big set of wooden cubbies!! I just need to figure out how to get them home from her house, she lives 2 hours away! While there we got to skin and cut up a deer that my FIL shot! YEAH!!! Oh...she also gave me a few things to use as Christmas gifts....they were really nice and in perfect condition...so I was happy!
Here's the work part.....and please don't get me wrong...I LOVE frugal things, and GLADLY accept the work....it's just funny to me to see how much work came from these things...LOL
For all the books she gave me I had to totally clear off tow shelves that run the length of the room. One of the shelves held all of Ashley's clothes. We went through each item and got rid of an entire garbage bag, and saved a WalMart bag full for her younger sister to use later. That created work....I then had to make space in the family closet for Ashley's clothes. NOT and easy job! That led me to going through 8 other people things and sorting all of those clothes. WE got rid of a few bags and got many items to put away for younger siblings. Now I need to buy $50 worth of bins to store all of the "too small" clothes in order to make room for the free books! Ok...there's more....in clearing and sorting all of the clothes and using the bins that used to hold Ashley's clothes I had enough bins to label and sort all the books my SIL gave me, great! But now I need to sort all of MY homeschool books, that are upstairs, to put into the labeled bins. That is a lot of work! Still more....Cyle is home now, so we needed more space, and I need to make space for the new cubbies that my SIL, so I am iin the process of trading desk spaces. I won't bore you with the details, but it's a lot of sorting and moving. I need to sort a dresser that holds my fabric and move it to Colton's room, and clear of another small set of shelves to make room for the cubbies. WOW! All of that came from a box of free books! LOL. I'm thankful for it as now we are even more decluttered and organized! Oh...and we had to grind, bag, and freeze the deer meat. We enjoy doing it, we are so very grateful for the meat. We have now put 63 bags of meat in the freezer! I guess my point is this...if you are willing to do a little work, you can save a bunch of money by accepting other people cast offs :0) Most everything we have, someone has given us. We appreciate and enjoy this very much. With raising 7 kids, we don't have a lot of extra money, but we do have the ability to do hard work...and we like it!

Pizza For Thanksgiving!

We have already had 2 Thanksgiving dinners, so on Thursday we are eating homemade pizza! Strange, huh? I'm happy with that. I cook meals almost like a thanksgiving dinner every night! We don't eat as many dishes at one meal as you would at Thanksgiving, but the same foods...I make stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce....etc...throughout the year, so I am happy to have something easy to make :0) We will read stories, watch the parade, and take naps...I can hardly wait!

Should we compare?

We went to my SIL's house yesterday for Thanksgiving dinner. We had a great time! We were feeling some better. BUT...we had kids throwing up before we got out of her drive way for the LONG 2 hour van ride home! EEK!
Anyway....I was thinking about something. I always feel a mix of defeat and inspiration when leaving someones house that is so neat an organized. Strange...how can I feel both of those things at once?? The first feeling I get is the inspiration. My SIL's house is always so organized....she's not a big decorator or has a fancy house, it's small and simple. Yet, she has it so put together. She has everything in totes with labels, bookshelves organized, and everything else in a neat order. This makes me feel like I can't wait to get home to get started on my own simple little house. Then after I walk into my door....this is when the other emotion sets in....defeat! My SIL only has two children, 10 and 17, and her 17 yr old's boyfriend stays with them so he can work at a BIG farm by their house (he lives 3 hrs away) but he's 20. I have 7 kids from 3-10 living here and I babysit two other 4 yr olds! My house is NEVER going to look like hers!! Why should I even kill myself by comparing? I walked into a clean house and within 15 mins. it looked like a bomb went off...we had kids throwing up, kids in time-out, a fire to build as it was only 55 degrees in the house...animals to care for, diapers to change, and a van full of stuff to bring in! What makes my mind think I could organize a bookshelf with books in order by topic and seasonal and have the KIDS USE this bookshelf and still keep it perfect like hers? What makes me think 7 small children will keep all the little parts to their toys organized and with the toy it should go with and in the correct container?? What makes me think I WANT to live like this?? It works for her because her kids are older and they are busier and not home as much as we are...there are a million reason that her home can stay like that....and it's GREAT for her! Yes, I would love my home to be neatly organized....but guess what, it's NOT! and it's OK!! I would have to make everyone miserable to keep my home like this, so I will try a bit harder after Christmas to keep things more organized, and sorted....like the attic, so I know where things are, and my homeschool books.....they don't touch those...that's ALL Me...and I can do better, but I need to accept this lot in life and not feel defected by someone else's life...Insoiration is good...and needed at times...defeat is not...:0)

We Did It....we are ONE big, happy FAMILY!

It was an interesting time, to say the least! We were all SO excited on Friday!! We sent everyone off to be with kisses and giggles, practicing their new names :0) Then at 10:30 I got SICK!!! I mean REALLY SICK....I threw up until it was time to leave for the adoption, and that's not it...Ashley started throwing up at 2:00 am, and was sick even at the adoption (all over the hallway on the way to the restroom, poor kid!) and in the van Kyara got sick! But we weren't missing this day for the world...so we got dressed and went. What a fun day! There were 8 kids adopted that day. And it was nice, they had people speak...there was a commissioner, the Judge, and a few others. They had a man who had been adopted as a child speak. It was just a happy day! I have been to court many times to testify and fight for my two boys, so it was awesome to go and have it be such a happy day! I have never seen the judge so happy!! After all the adoptions we all went to a different room in the courthouse and they (the workers of the courthouse and the county) had a HUGE party set up for the kids with cupcakes and pizza!! The judge himself gave each adopted child a gift! What a special thing! It was unfortunate that I spent a great deal of time with my sick children in the van, outside, or in the bathroom. But, I had a lot of GREAT helpers! As you can see from the picture above with all the kids sitting in a row, we brought a lot of people with us! We had my sister's family, my husbands cousin's family, 2 sets of grandparents, and a friend and her kids! They all stepped in and helped Rob take care of all the kids when I couldn't be there to help. I pray someday the size of my own family will be the size of all those kids on the bench! We shall see what God does. Either way...I am one blessed momma!

Oh...we were all still sick yesterday....today..so far so good! We are going to head out for a trip to my SIL for Thanksgiving! God willing.

Touched

I am so touched by the outpouring of love from people concerning this adoption! I feel extremely blessed to have such wonderful people in my life! We have so many well wishes from people, baked goods, money and other things. I went down to the township building to pay for the rental of the community center for our adoption party and someone had already paid the rental fee for us! How nice! TONS of people have offered to help out with the party we are having...a friend and her daughter (4yrs old :0) ) stopped by tonight because they were praying for us today and made our family a cake on a birthday platter...to clelebrate our adoption tomorrow. We have lots of friends and family coming to the court house with us tomorrow...it's just nice to know people love us and our kids so much! God has blessed us more than we could ever deserve. I can hardly believe that tomorrow afternoon we will all be coming home with the same last name!! I'm giddy!! LOL

One More Day!

One more day until Adoption Day! I can hardly wait! It will be so nice to have all the people living here all have the last name...to be legally bind ed as a FAMILY....we can finally make the choices for all the kids....we are almost done! It's a dream come true! I fell so blessed that God saw us fit as parents for these amazing kids...it blesses me to tears. It also amazes me how He will work in spite of ME...I...Kim....and NOT worthy of such wonderful gifts, but yet here they are...and going to be my children forever...incredible.
The adoption will be so fun! We have invited about 17 people to join us at the court house. The county workers are throwing a pizza party for all the families after the adoptions are done. There are 8 children being adopted that day. 5 of them are by us. and the other three are being adopted one per family. My family are all going to wear coordinating outfits. The girls will wear a pink shirt under a white sweater and the boys will all wear tan or brown sweaters/shirts...and all of us are wearing dark bottoms...I think hubby is the only one who will wear navy pants, we will all wear black. I wanted to buy new matching outfits for all of us, but we couldn't afford it. So, we did the best we could with what we already have on hand. The kids will also get a adoption certificate, a gift from the county and we will get our picture taken with the judge. It Will be awesome!
On a sad note, in the paper yesterday it had one of the kids' birth father's name, offence, and charges (jail)....AGAIN! I'm so glad they don't have to live like that ever again!

My Homeschooling Day!

We LOVE homeschooling our kids! I thought it would be fun to post about a typical day of homeschooling at my house :0)

We do an online charter school, all the books and computers are free...they even pay for your Internet! We are really enjoying this school. Before this year we just did traditional homeschooling and liked that too. I just felt like I needed the support and I also couldn't afford the school books for all these kids!

Anyway....we wake up early and the kids watch shows and visit until the little girl I babysit gets here around 7:40 a.m. Then we eat breakfast at 8:00. Before we eat we always sing "This Is The Day" together and pray :0) After we eat we all do chores and meet for "circle time" at 9:00...during circle time we sing LOTS of songs from my full size Scholastic Flip Chart...we talk about whatever topic the preschoolers are doing...like we are doing the 5 senses right now...then we do our pledges to the Christian Flag and the pledge to the Bible, and devotions. After that we split off....littles go and play in the playroom upstairs, and I sit and work with my kindergartner...while bigs do independent work (they work until 11:00 a.m. or so)...my kindergartner is done around 10:30 for a break and then I sit with the preschoolers for their lessons. We all break at 11:30 for play and lunch. After lunch we clean up, littles nap/rest and I then sit down and work with the 3rd graders...5th grader is working on her own. At about 2:30 the 3rd graders are done and I sit with the 5th grader for her subjects she wants help with. After that I finish with the kindergartner as her rest time is over. After school we have animal chores, dinner to make, showers to take, and playing with Daddy! Our days are full...but we make time for fun! Sometimes we take time off in the morning to go play with another family, and then we will make up our work Saturday morning. We also do fun things like do experiments, read books, the girls do hair and nails...play outside...hunt...We feel so blessed to be able to be home all together!!

Homemade Christmas!

The budget is really tight for Christmas this year, so I am making a whole bunch of gifts for the little kids and a few for the older kids. It's seems like my little kids are easily pleased with homemade things....my older kids would be too if I could figure out what to make them! LOL
As for the littles...here's a list of some of what I am making.
Bean Bag Toss...made out of a diaper box and other materials I already have... FREE
Clothes Pin Drop....made out of a coffee can and clothes pins...FREE
Polly Pocket Houses...made out of boxes and other recycled materials...ALMOST FREE
Embroidered pillow cases for all 7...$1 each
Mod Podge'd note books for all 7...$1 each
Princess Wands....for 3 little girls...Almost Free
American Girl Sled....from an old wooden decoration, painted to look new....FREE
Dog House and New Dog...made from box and used stuffed animal...Almost Free
Barn and animals....made from box...will buy animal...so CHEAP
Stitcheries....FREE
That's all I can think of right now. Soon I will take pictures and share! I spend about an hour in the morning working on the gifts while the kids are still asleep! Then I wrap as I go...the bigs play a game with the littles and I go wrap! I am getting excited about Christmas!!

Faith...or the lack of faith

Well, yesterday was interesting....I was just going along with my day...teaching science...and the phone rings. I answer, and it is our lawyer for the adoptions....my heart sinks....what does he want?? He was calling to tell me that he couldn't get a hold of my case worker, he had been leaving voice mails, and that we are missing a paper that was necessary for the adoption of the two boys...they had everything for the three girls, but not the boys! I thought my heart was going to stop beating. I must have looked awful because my kids all stopped with their school work and just sat in silence....staring at me....all I could think about was not getting to adopt the boys on Saturday! So, I called the county office and left a hundred messages with people who may be able to help us. At this point, I was truly feeling like I was going to throw up, my chest was hurting, my stomach was in a tight knot of burning pain...I mean serious mental stuff going on....so, I called a few people to pray...I was still having all the physical side effects from this awful news when Rob gets home from work. He walked into the house and took one look at me and came rushing to my side wondering what was wrong... I told him and he just smiled and said "it's OK"... I was shocked by his comment, and upset that he was not joining me in my sinful pity party! I asked him how in the world he could say "it's OK"?? He just looked at me with those big brown eyes and said "They'll either figure it out or they won't, it's not the end of the world...the kids are all healthy, alive, and will eventually be adopted. God is with us, and knows what's best."....I was picking my jaw up off the floor...and the steam was blowing out of my ears...thinking ....what is wrong with this man! Then the big question came...he asked me..."where's your faith?"....I about fell over...but what I needed to do was fall to me knees and ask for forgiveness from my Father. Why do I always fall so short in trusting Him. I KNOW His ways are best...that He will work all out according to His good and perfect plan....but I also know that sometimes His plan does not meet up with MY plan! There, I said it....I am weak in my faith. I get things in my head, and make plans, and then get really pushy when they don't play out as I think they should. I KNOW this is wrong...I KNOW God is good...always...but I need to have faith in the fact that all that is true for ME...not just to say it...but to live it. So, as I am working and praying through all of this lack of faith in myself...the phone rings...the county took care of it...it will all be OK...and I got to grow! WOW...God is such an amazing teacher!

Seat Anyone??

Don't mind the mess behind the car seats...that's the mud room and it tends to get messy...Rob ditches his hunting gear in that room too!
anyway...the church used our big van to take the kids somewhere...so I had my kids clean out our van so there would be room for the kids to sit! It just made me laugh to see how many car seats we had in there! LOL....

Too Much To Do!!

Oh, how I wish I felt like this guy! But...I don't! I am so stressed out my stomach hurts! This is not good and I need to hand all of my anxiety over to the Lord. I have SO much to plan and do in the next 3 weeks it makes me sick to think about it. We are having Thanksgiving here tomorrow, the adoption is next Saturday...so we are finishing up all the loose ends for the adoption, we are going away for a Thanksgiving dinner the next day, the next Friday I go to the hall and decorate for the adoption party, the next day is shopping all day, the next day is the adoption party...I also need to take care of getting the adopted kids all new stuff like SS cards and such. Then there is Christmas....with a family to shop for and wrap for...this is a BIG job. I also need to keep up with school and teaching Sunday School. There will be hunting and babysitting...It is ALL fine, and WILL BE all fine, I am just looking too far ahead! The Bible tells us not to borrow tomorrows trouble and that is just what I am doing! Things always work out and get done...this will all get done. So, for the next 2 months...and this is BIG for me... I am not going to read for pleasure! This will almost kill me, but it's for the best. I get sucked in and read for ever when that time should be spent being pro-active...speaking of which....I'm now moving on to the things on my list to do!!

Frugal and Yummy Breakfast!

I just thought to post how we make great tasting eggs...fast! We often make our scrambled eggs in the microwave! I simply crack 18 eggs into a large bowl sprayed with pam add a splash of milk and some salt & pepper...microwave 3 minutes and stir...3 minutes ans stir....then I add pieces of meat and cheese...3 minutes and stir...they are usually done by then. During this easy for me cooking time I have plenty of time to make all the toast we need for 9 people and juice! This is one of our favorite breakfast foods...this also is a nice one to make along with french toast as the cooking time is so easy, it allows for the time needed to make french toast without feeling like your zipping around the kitchen like a crazy woman! LOL

Who Is Really Doing All the Work?

Just ask the little man and he'll tell ya! He really thought he was doing a number working with Daddy! Too cute! My husband has SO much patience, it amazes me!! He was shoveling our ditches with an injured back and with the constant "help" of a 3 year old BOY! We are blessed, huh!

What Took Me So Long??

I have walked around with the button that fell off my coat in my pocket for two years! Yes, TWO YEARS!! Today I sewed it back on...and I was missing another button as well...and I sewed that one on too!! It took all of five minutes (and two years) to do! Geesh.....

In the Groove

I was just talking with my hubby this morning before he went hunting about how we are in the "groove" as far as school is concerned. I like this time of year because we all know what it expected of us. Not that we always meet the mark, but it's easier to catch up now that we are in our "groove". I like it when things run smoothly....well, as smoothly as they can considering I live with my youngest son! He's an "interesting" fellow! LOL...cute as a button, but keeps mommy hoppin'! I am happy with our choice to use the charter school...it is very hard curriculum, but I LOVE the ease of it all....no planning for me, no record keeping for me, I don't have to make a portfolio, I don't have to schedule testing, I don't have to search for and buy curriculum....the pro's outweigh the con's as far as I am concerned. So, this week as everything else is spinning out of control with all I have to do...which is A LOT....I will know that school will not be put on the back burner because I don't have the time to plan and print stuff, it's all done for me....all I have to do it teach it..and that's the fun part!

I'm going to be a GRANDMA!

One of our old foster children whom we raised up is pregnant! She just called with the news! We couldn't be happier! It's too exciting for words! YEAH!!!

Wait...does this make me OLD?? A grandma at 30....that's fine by me!! :0)

Bad day....for hubby and man kind!

Today has been a bad day :0( Hubby could not find his deer that he shot last night...such a bummer. He walked and walked through the thickest stuff you could imagine....for miles...and still no deer. He was SO tired when he got home...and he's no stranger to hard labor, so I knew he had been through the mill! Later this afternoon I went to Walmart while he stayed home with the kids, and he was burning trash and all of the sudden he felt like he got shot! He said it actually knocked him out of his slippers! A "D" battery had gotten thrown in the burnables!! It exploded and shot him in the leg! It burned a hole right through his pants and left and ENORMOUS welt and bruise on his leg! He said he had never been hit so hard with anything before and really thought at the time he had been shot! Poor guy! He is out hunting now...in the sleet and rain...what a trooper!
As far as a bad day for mankind...The lady I babysit for told me that there was a murder in the next town over...30 minutes away from here! We have NEVER had anything like that here! A lot of strangers are coming due to the gas wells all over the place, and the crews are rough! Not all of them I"m sure....but a lot are! That's who did the murdering...three gas well workers. I guess there were 20 state troopers there! That's a record for out here in the middle of nowhere! This is hearsay...it's not been in the news that I have heard...but I don't watch the news either, so who knows. My daughter has been stopped by gas well workers three times while on a walk to see if they could give her a "ride"! What is that!!! We are not even safe here anymore! Our area is like this....NOBODY locks their house, takes the keys out of their car...even at Walmart...you could leave your purse in the front seat and know it would be safe...we all know each other and people are honest and good (for the most part)...we had a lady move here from California and she said it was like going back in time 20 yrs.! Now it's all changed. I'm sad. Also, a 16 year old girl was raped in a near by town. What is happening out there? Are we safe anymore? It's a sad day!

Bad News, Growin' Up, and Chicken Poop!

What a title! Well, I'll start with the bad news....rob shot a Big doe last night, but couldn't find it! He was so deflated. It was incredibly sad! He got a shot that would kill, but it was just too dark to find her after waiting the recommended 3 hours before tracking.

The growing up part....this is a BIG one for me! After Rob waited the three hours to track his deer, he bundled up the two oldest children to go help him.This means that they are growing up!!! I never thought the kids would help do something like that...at night...in the rain...in the DARK...where the bears, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and such are!!! We had a long talk with the kids about safety and what to do if they run into a bear or other wild beast! Not one of my favorite talks to have! My kids are VERY used to the woods and wilderness in the day light! They know our woods and adventure there often....but not like this! they were so proud and excited to help Daddy. We prayed together and then off they all went on four wheelers to the woods! They came back an hour later...with no deer. Ty walked in the door and said (In Ty fashion) "you;ll never believe what I went through!" ...proud as a peacock, he told me all about it! He fell in the creek, got his face scratched by thorns...Ash fell in a hole up to her hip! They went on and on....soaking wet...and HAPPY! Yes, they are REALLY upset they didn't find the deer....rob will look this morning and will probably find it in the day light so Long as a bear didn't eat it first. But, if you could imagine a proud Daddy...that was my hubby! The kids were tough, and didn't whine, and were learning about the thing Rob LOVES....hunting! Go kids!!

Lastly, for the chicken poop thing! I got up at 1:30 a.m. to let the dog out..and after I let him back in...I turned around and stepped in something cold and wet...it was dark and I was MAD! So, one one foot I hopped to the kitchen and turned on the light...to discover it was chicken poop! ARGG! I had to scrub my foot...then my hands....then the floor...then my hands...the entire time I am thinking about making chicken for dinner the next night! Then the dog finally decided to eat his dinner...and I was softening...the dog is 13 and sometimes doesn't eat anymore...so I waited and watched my beloved pet eat...when he was done I went to bed...still a little mad about the poop thing...then I heard the dog attempting the stairs...it's so hard for him...So I was praying for him to make it all the way up...otherwise Rob would get up and carry him the rest of the way. And soon I was just talking with God...and not mad about the poop anymore. It's funny how I can let silly things make me so mad! It was a check for my heart...to calm down and let things be! One of the kids tracked in the poop on their boots after helping their dad...how could I be mad! How could I be mad that the kids love their chickens so much they are so tame and all those dumb birds want to do is come in the house! If you leave the door open for even a minute extra a chicken will find it's way into the house! I can't even tell you how many times I have been seen chasing a chicken around inside the house! Not my idea a fun! But, it's time I accept this way of life...hunting, and chicken poop, little kids and big kids....thank you, God, for my lot in life!

Adoption Party!!

I am SHOCKED at how fast our adoption is approaching! I put off planing this party till the last minute because it overwhelms me! LOL...But once I get started with the planing it all goes fine. Just the thought of digging in makes my stomach turn! Enough of my wonderful friends and family have harped on me enough to start :0) I made a guest list, as well as an open invite to my church family. So, now I need to get invitations today and get to work on baking cookies and such. We are going to have around 110, I think....give or take. We may have more people from the church "drop in". I am having only finger foods as I can't do a meal! EEK! I have had many offers for help, so I think it will be ok. I am going to start gathering food and make a trip to Sam's for food and supplies. We are going to have a table decorated for their Life Books, a table decorated with information on it about foster care and adoption...and the life story of a child who is being adopted, a table with pics of the adopted kids, and another table with our "new" family stuff on it, like pics of all of us with the judge, all the kids together, and I'll have each child draw a pic of our new family and have them sign their "new" names! We are going to have organized games for the kids to play too! I hope it will all work out! Wish us luck!!

Frugal Food

Hubby hunts...a lot. He shot a small doe the other night. WE primarily eat only what we shoot. We do not buy meat, it is an expense we just don't want..and another bonus is that we know where our meat is coming from! We usually take it to the processors and get it ground and bagged...last year was $.79 a pound and we get around 7 deer done. (people give us the deer they shot to use). Rob was able to make a meat grinder from an old Cabella's hand crank meat grinder someone gave him. So we ground our own meat! We got 24 BIG bags of meat. I'd say they were about a pound and a half for each bag! Free meat is good meat!

Mish Mash!!

We have a big week this week!! It started on Sunday with our fun and wonderful Fall Fest at church!! We had SOO much fun! So much fun, I couldn't even fall asleep that night! LOL Then yesterday Rob was home to hunt. That messed up our day (in a good way! ). While he was home between morning and afternoon hunts we played with the kids, got a nice lunch, he helped with school, and during his afternoon hunt he shot a doe. :0)
Today is "Toy Story Tuesday!!" ...Toy Story 3 will be out on DVD, so we will be at CVS at 9:00 a.m. to claim our copy! We also have school, I need to bake as we have company every Tuesday for dinner, and we will cut, grind, and bag our deer meat to freeze.
Wednesday we are going to a friends house to play..then school will get done. So, that will be a late one!
Thursday we have the day off school as we are going to have our girls' sister for the day (the ones we are adopting have an older sister)...that will be all day!
Friday we will be getting prepared for our shoe boxes for church and some of the kids go shopping with their Sunday School teacher.
Saturday we have dress rehearsal, school (because we are taking Thursday off) and we need to take apart the hay maze at church (Rob will do that one! )

On top of all that...we have foster care stuff, adoption stuff, and some kids have Dr. stuff. I need to plan an adoption party, plan my Thanksgiving party, and some day would like to clean my house! LOL
There was a time where I would have freaked out over all of this stuff, felt totally overwhelmed, and drove all of the people who know me nuts! LOL...But, as I get older I seem to be able to take more on in a calm manner. That's a good thing....or I'd be in a bad spot!!

So, I guess we have a busy week! But it should be a fun one! :0)