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!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
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!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
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!!!
Friday, November 26, 2010
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!!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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!
Monday, November 22, 2010
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)
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)
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