Easter Sunday

As promised to our family, here are the pics from Easter morning. The kids all looked beautiful! Apparently Lauren (whom we've taken to calling Lolo btw) wasn't interested in smiling for most of the shots, however....someday I'll get one with ALL of them smiling! (I hope, and maybe then we will also work on them actually sitting up and not looking like they're being eaten by the couch....but I digress.) 8-)

(you gotta' love Lolo's hairdo!)

Now we just have to wait for the newest lil' Block to arrive and get a WHOLE family shot!

Blog Schizophrenia

For those of you who have visited my blog in the last week, you may have noticed I keep changing my mind on this blog's appearance. I wanted something cute for Spring, I think I've FINALLY decided on this one. Sorry for all the fuss!

Super cute homemade hairbows for little girls!

Go to Classy and Sophisticated for the tutorial on how to make these beautiful bows for your little ones.

What do you think about this?

I found this in the sales ad for Walgreens this week. I had never heard of it before and am curious to know what you guys think, apparently it's a pee in the cup type of test (ala pregnancy tests) that will accurately predict the baby's gender:

click on image to go to site

Currently reading.....

Here are some books I have read this week or are currently in the process of reading. I highly recommend them all!

Cleaning Plain & Simple
Lots of tips for cleaning the house, stain removal and making homemade cleansers, plus the cover is adorable. 8-)
(sorry, no preview on Amazon....)

The Complete Tightwad Gazette

If you haven't read this before, I highly recommend it. I read it a few years ago but didn't really make any effort to employ some of her strategies. Looking at it now I have found lots of tips to put into practice around the house to save $$$$. (click on image to preview at Amazon)

The Apron Book

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!

It is so darn cute and inviting. It really is a book solely about aprons, sounds exciting huh? The author has pictures of aprons throughout the last 200 years or so, but mostly focusing on the 40's through today. She includes photos of aprons and stories from the family members of who wore them, how they were used and what memories they created.

SO CHARMING!

In addition, the author includes many patterns for you to sew your own aprons in all different styles, including pattern ideas for children. (also click on image to preview at Amazon)

I've become a fan of the apron over the last year or so, but haven't yet attempted to sew one. If I have some time this week I think I may finally give in and see what I can create.

Here are some cute apron links which inspire me (but I'm not willing to shell out the $$$ to purchase one, I guarantee you. I just really need to quickly develop some mad sewing skills.....). Just looking at these cuties makes that inner homemaker in me LONG to get out and bake, clean, sew, paint, decorate....you name it!

Jessie Steele
Jillie Willie
D Lux 57
Elizabeth's Embellishments
Taygalook

My first attempt at couponing!

I went this week on my first planned frugality attack of Target and Walgreens. Here's the rundown on how I did:

Target -
They had an advertised sale if you buy a Fusion Power razor and a Gillette Men's Shave Gel you would receive a $5 Target giftcard. I had coupons for both the razor and the shave gel from Sunday's papers. I did this promotion three times and here is the end result:

Total spent Out Of Pocket (with tax): $21.00
Money saved by the sale plus the coupons: $19.40
Free money earned by gaining Target giftcards: $15.00

So I spent $21 but SAVED $34.40 total! I then used some of the money from the giftcards to pay for Lauren and Abby's easter basket stuff. End cost on that purchase? FREE!

Walgreens -
Advertised sales on Physician's Formula Cosmetics and Garnier Hair Products
I spent $13 on PF Blush/Bronzer and got a FREE lip gloss! I will receive $11 back on a Walgreens gift card for making this purchase at the end of the month.
I spent $20 on Garnier products (hair color/dye, shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, shine enhancer and a hairspray!). I will receive $11 back on a Walgreens gift card for this purchase at the end of the month also.

SO, I spent $33 and will gain $22 back at the end of the month to roll over for next month's purchases.

I also purchased a Colgate toothpaste for $3.49 and earned a coupon off my next purchase for the same amount, which basically makes the toothpaste free. I then saved $6 with a store coupon on Lipton Tea, $3 on Kraft Mac-N-Cheese, $3.75 on 3 individual boxes of Puffs with lotion, $6 on Crayola crayons (64 count) and then proceeded to purchase the following:
8 cups for $1 (kid size)
4 hot-wheels type cars for Isaac's Easter basket for $2
6 bottles of bubbles for the baskets $2
and a variety of other small items I needed that trip.

Total Saved: $44.24 not counting the easter basket sale stuff.

I think I'm going to like this couponing business.....

Here's another blog to look consider.....

I'm currently interested in all things money-saving, especially when it comes to feeding our large and still growing family. I've been reading some blogs from women who are WAY more skilled in this area than I am and thought you might like to glean from their wisdom as well. 8-)

Check out this blog and be amazed at what careful planning and a couple of coupons could do for you and yours......I really have to learn how to do this........

edit (4/5): here are some more blogs to check out....WOW these women amaze me!
Saving with Shellie
Redemption Unlimited
Frugal in Franklin
Money Saving Diva
Being A Wise Steward

Trust me, there are many, MANY more blogs on this topic I could add to this list. For now, though, I will keep it small and see if any of you catch the couponing bug along with me.....8-)

We all need a little help in this area right?

I have benefited greatly from reading the writing of Crystal Paine, a young Christian wife and mother who runs the website: www.biblicalwomanhood.com I recently found another of her blogs here where she writes about saving money, saving on groceries, budgeting, living frugally etc. Please stop by her site, I'm sure you'll be blessed!

Week 15

For the last couple of months I have been somewhat miserable, but it appears that FINALLY(!) that is coming to an end! Yippee!!!

My morning sickness is now gone and my energy is returning - although, these toddlers of our's will always be able to outrun me, I'm sure! 8-)

The unfortunate piece in all of this is that we apparently traded my tiredness and nausea for another round of the stomach flu amongst 4 of the kiddos this week. Sigh. It started Monday morning with Lauren and has slowly made it's rounds to each of the other girls. Thankfully Dave, Isaac and I appeared to have been spared this time....at least for now. This round came with not ONLY fantastic bouts of vomiting but ADDITIONALLY the worst diarrhea I've ever seen in my kiddos. Needless to say, the house is smelling a little....well......ripe, thanks to Lauren and Abby's continual diaper changes and all the remnants of what SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSIDE THE DIAPER landing on their pajamas, clothing, sheets, blankets...you get the idea. I just REALLY want WARM WEATHER to get here!!!!!

What a nice way to update all of you after all this time huh? That's what friends are for!

This pregnancy is no joke.

Hey all, I haven't posted in almost a month. Mostly I've been sleeping, nauseous, sleeping, nauseous, sleeping, etc. every day. It's CRAZY! I'm always exhausted in the first trimester, but never to this extent. I can't even stay awake to teach Kailie anymore, I do about an hour of school and then we move to the couch where I snooze while she completes some workbook stuff and wakes me if she has a question. Thankfully this is week 8, so only a few more to go and I should start feeling better. 8-) I also ordered some SuperMom vitamins, per the recommendation of Colleen and I'm anxious to get them and see if they make a difference.

Here are some photos of random stuff from the last month or so just to catch you all up:

Emma's OK

Thank you all for your support and prayers for our family! After all of the tests, everything with Emma is fine and all results were normal. The neurologist said it isn't likely to happen again, she most likely had a drop in blood pressure due to standing too fast or her knees were locked or something like that. Let's hope it doesn't happen again! Since Sunday she's been acting like her normal rambunctious self, so this Mommy feels like everything is fine. 8-)

It's about that time....

Well, I guess we'll be settling for being a 2 car family for awhile. 8-)

This one is expected to arrive on or about September 25, 2009!

Just when I thought we were all healthy.....

Yesterday at church Emma collapsed. We were standing for the singing time and I looked over and saw her completely in the aisle, flat on her back, arms at her sides...no response. I grabbed her hands to get her up but she couldn't sit up and when I pulled her head up her eyes just rolled back into her head. Dave came around the pew and lifted her up, she started to regain consciousness and then I carried her to the back of the church, because Dave was supposed to start preaching in roughly 2 minutes! Sigh. Thankfully a member of our church is the director of our county's EMT department. He saw her fall and was waiting for us at the back of the building. She came around and drank some water and had some crackers. We took the family home after church and Emma and I went to the ER.

After 2 hours which included blood draws, exams and an EKG they could find no reason for her fainting. They spoke with a neurologist and he ordered a CT of the brain and an EEG and then a consult with his office. We go tomorrow for the CT scan and then Weds for the EEG and the consult. Hopefully all is well. She's been acting fine since we got home yesterday, but all prayers will be much appreciated until we know for sure.

Back to school

Well, first let me say thank you to everyone for your prayers and support during our illnesses. Isaac is doing better and the other kids seem fine (for now!). We returned to our schooling after a nice l-o-n-g break for the month of December. Here's a breakdown of Kailie's schedule for this week:

2nd Grade

History/Geography/Bible/Writing:
Tapestry of Grace Y1 (see sample of the period we're studying here)
This week's reading:
Time Travelers (Usborne)
Tut's Mummy Lost and Found
Mummies in the Morning
The Child's Story Bible (Catherine Vos) Exodus 1-5 for this week
The Children's Illustrated Story Bible (Dorling Kindersley) Exodus 1-5
Deserts (now in a combined volume called "Wild Places" from Usborne)
Mummies Made in Egypt
Geography from A to Z
Story of the World Volume 1

Grammar/Spelling:
Primary Language Lessons (also using this for our source material for poetry memorization)
Spelling Power

Nature Study:
Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 2

Read Alouds:
Farmer Boy
Baby Island
Pilgrim's Progress

Math:
Math Mammoth

Character Study/Bible Study:
Polished Cornerstones

Hymn Study:
Then Sings My Soul for singing/listening we own all the Indelible Grace CD's which are modern arrangements for hymns, listen to them here

Home Economics:

Pearables: Level 1

Sewing Machine Fun for Kids

Art:

How To Teach Art to Children

Music:

The Story of the Orchestra

I love homeschooling and I love that we don't use any typical textbooks/workbooks either. It definitely requires a LOT more books than a textbook approach would, but it is so worth it for the love and interest in learning it develops in a child.

In case you're wondering, we get through this list of books in about 3 1/2 hours a day, which means Kailie saves around 4 1/2 hours a day for more fun stuff and play than her public school peers.

More sickness.....

I took Isaac to the MD today, thinking he was also suffering from an ear infection. It turns out that he actually has strep throat and scarlet fever! I didn't even know you could still get scarlet fever these days....sigh. So please offer up some prayers for our little man, he is very sick right now. 8(

Put the baby in the beemer

And some more....this one is on Family Worship

More with Voddie

I love Voddie Baucham

It's been a long time

We had both of our computers breakdown in December....sigh. Now Dave's laptop is working again so I will be able to post somewhat sporadically. We are in the midst of illness, like many of you. Abby was first with a stomach flu right before we left for Illinois for Christmas. Then Lauren got a really bad cold (which she still has.....). Emma started crying in the car on the way to Illinois. She ended up in the ER a day later and we learned she had a double ear infection. Then all was well until yesterday when Abby was walking around saying, "My eawuh, my eawuh" and holding her ear. She went to the MD, sure enough she has an ear infection as well. Then last night around 10 Isaac came to the door of our room covered in his own vomit....so into the bathtub he went. This morning Dave woke up with the same stomach flu. Hopefully everyone will be healthy soon, especially Lauren who has been ill for about 3 weeks now.

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! 8-)