Autumn Asks: What Are Your Most Often Used Kid Sayings?

We all grow up in households that have certain phrases or saying our parents use on us. Some of them can be pretty funny or stupid. Some cause serious eye rolling (er...excuse me, its "looking up" according to my current teen).

When I was growing up I had a few favorites.

Whenever we asked where we were going, the answer was usualy: Dallas.

I have come to learn that this was an an answer given to my mother by an uncle when she was little. And it has made its way into our family also. Our kids were always asking where we were (13 hour car trips were measured by the state for our kids - and were very common). Our answer became: We are no where near Dallas. (And we were usually on our way to the DFW area so it was kind of funny.)

Another favorite of my mother's was : Don't touch that! It will give you Yogimitus!

That was the fake, gross medical name for something very nasty. Sometimes gross discriptions of symptoms would accompany the claim. It was never good. And yes, I carried this one over.

I've heard some other people lately using some pretty funny stuff. Some is so very practical or encouraging. All are a learning point if you let them be.

Some of the most used around our house are:


- LIFE ISNT FAIR
-Use your words. (All kids - I hate whining)
- I can't hear whining.
- There is always a winner, and always a loser. You won't be either all the time.
-It would be pretty funny if your face stuck that way. (A Songbird exclusive. Man that kid had a sourpuss face when she didn't get her way for YEARS!)
- But was it fun? (espeically after a loss)
- By participating you are already one step ahead of those that sat in the stands.
- DONT EAT IT!!!! (How I handle girls coming across turds, bugs or anything gross - defuses the panic)
- Never quit. That's the only time you truely lose.
- Do what you love.
- Go ask your father.
- Respect others until they have earned your disrepect. (Backwards from what the world teaches)
- Follow the rules, even when you disagree. (And there is always a process to contest what you think is wrong - do it within those guidelines, with respect.)
-I can't wait until you have children. (Usually accompanied by an evil grin.)
- When you are wrong, own up to it.
-You will always be my baby.
- Justification is nothing more than trying to dodge responsibility.
-Sarcasm does not work on 2 (3,4,5,6)year olds. (both older siblings got this one)
- Your family is with you for life - these friends for only a season. (used mostly in teen years)
- Will this be important in 5 years? (used for perspective)
- Do what you know is right. It will cost you friends, but you will not compromise your beliefs.
- Doing what is right will always make you unpopular.
- Do your best and have no regrets.
-And your point is???
- You will always deal with people that try to hurt you. Learn how to deal with these situations because they never disapear.
- I'm your mother, not your maid.
- And that's why you ride the short bus.
- And this is my problem how?
- Any new holes in your body since last time we saw you? ( a dad exclusive to his only son)
-You must be thinking of your OTHER mother! (because I never said/promised that)
- She/he is a from hubs first marriage. (They never ask which marrage ours is (1st))
- You are my favorite ________(Bones, MM or Songbird) in the whole world.
- I'm going to beat you until your nose bleeds. (lets them know they are off the hook and I'm not mad)
- Bored? Great - go scrub the trashcan. Now. (Not a joke)
-Hah. Wonder how this is gonna turn out....Or... Geee, what's gonna happen next?
- I'm not __________ parent - I'm your parent. The answer is no. Or, I'm not responsible for ____________......I'm responsible for you.
- Seriously????

So what are some of the saying of your house? As you can see, I could use a few more of the positive and sweet sayings to round out the sarcasm.

Autumn Asks: How Do You Annoy Liberal s With Your Children?

I read this funny article lately called How To Use Your Children To Annoy Liberals by Selwyn Duke

It was rather funny. It's a little long but worth the laugh....go check it out.

Here are some of my favorite parts: (To my liberal friends - I love you! This is all in fun and I hope you can laugh to....like I laugh at the "Bible clinging, gun toting cracks.)

"How you raise your children matters, too. Make sure they not only play with toy guns but that they do it publicly. And it helps if they audibly say things such as “Bang, bang, you’re dead!” Liberals view this the way a normal person would view the exposure of a child to pornography.

I also should mention that you needn’t fear liberals’ self-righteous, didactic proclamations. Should they choose to say something to you, it only provides you the opportunity to put the icing on the cake. If, for instance, they ask, “Do you really think it’s a good idea to let your son play with toy guns?!” just respond, “Are you crazy? He’s way too young to have a real one.” This upsets liberals intensely.

Lastly, if a liberal asks you why you have so many kids, you can just explain how survival of the fittest ensures that the right members of a species breed and inherit the Earth. And be sure to follow up with, “Besides, every time I have another child, there’s one more person in this world to pray for you.”

You really should go read the whole article - I didn't even scratch the surface. It had me choking on my tea and blowing it out my nose.

And let's follow this up with a conservatives reaction to her child being threatened by a gun this week.

Songbird wanted to walk to the corner store with her bud to buy a soda. Ok. This is a first, but we live in an area that is still rather "country" and not heavily populated. And the corner store is not that far out of our neighborhood. So, for the first time we said yes. They are almost 14 and will entering high school in the fall. It's time.

And during this excurstion they find the store is closed as it is Easter. And in the parking lot sits a couple of high school boys (they think) drinking beer. They yell at the girls, then honk when the girls cross to the other side of the street. Then they jump in their car and follow the girls. Honking. Flashing their lights. The girls keep moving on and try to stay away from the car. So the car stops and the driver pulls a gun and cocks it. (Pointing in the air not at the girls - so he's had some instruction at least). The girls run into a neighborhood right there and find a man reading his paper in his front yard and call the other girls mom while standing close to the man. The car leaves.

When the man asks whats going on --he DOESN'T call the cops. The other mother is coming so he just stays outside with the girls until she shows up.

Is this not a comedy of errors?????????

First, with both girls having cells, why wasn't one or both of them on the phone with 911?

Second, why didn't they get a license number? That is actually a form of terrorism, felony, plus alcohol, plus I'm betting they didn't have a concealed/carry license. Big jail time.

Third - why didn't the man call the police?

Fouth - why didn't the other mother call the police?

Fifth - why didn't my daughter call us?

Sixth - why didn't the other mother deliver her home and bring her in???

So, when my frightened child returned home and we got the story we were stunned. She didn't do anything right. So, big time learning/lesson for the rest of the day.

And yes, I did call the police to let them know it happened and to increase presence in our area for the night. I'm sure the kids were long gone, but its all we could do since the girls couldn't even give a description. Geesh.

And what would I have done about this? Well, first, how about a trip out back to the woodshed with the boys daddies - I'm quite sure the boys wouldnt have walked for a week when their dads were through with them. And how about thousands of dollars in fines and a probation officer they also have to pay for a couple of years.

Did I think that guns need to be outlawed?

No.

But I am stepping up my timeframe on my concealed/carry class and the new smaller gun that I can handle better. I'm pretty weak so cocking the ones we have is a real hazard to myself and anyone else in the immediate area. And I don't see carrying my daddy's .22 in my purse. Heehee.

Do they make gun racks for mini-vans?

Her Mother is Dead???

So Mighty Mouse is adopted. It's very obvious.

And she knows that brother and sister grew in mommy's tummy. She grew in her China Mommy's tummy. Even though she wanted to grow in my tummy - she KNOW's she did not. This is almost a daily topic of conversation around here.

MM is nowhere near as advanced as some of the other children her age and much younger when it comes to adoption questions. Some kids start trying to figure this out by the time they are 2. MM gave us until 4 before she started questioning her story and her life.

We have always read her story books about adoption.

We have always watched her video of when we went to get her in China and bringing her home. It's actually her favorite thing to watch.

We have a sort-of Lifebook. It's her story that I put together for her. She likes to flip through it also.

We answer every question she asks - truthfully - not cleaned up or pretty (while balancing age appropriateness).

Sometimes we bring it up for some reason or another.

We attend functions that are full of other adoptive families that look just like ours.

It is not a subject we are afraid of. It is a subject that can be hard to answer her questions about. She doesn't like to hear that we don't know an answer.

This weekend we went through the whole "You are the best mommy in the world" routine she likes to do with me. We were in the backyard pulling up weeds.

Out of the blue she tells me her mother is dead.

She is???

Her CHINA mommy, she tells me.

I tell her I don't know for sure, but I don't think so.

She assures me its true. She remembers.

At this point I hollar over to hubs - Hey! Did you know MM's China mother is dead??

"She is?? He questioned.

At which point MM rolls her eyes and say - "Just kidding".

Now. How the heck was I supposed to handle that? I'm quite sure I bungled it pretty good. But what in the world do you say to that???

Sigh.

I sure hope she survives my parenting.

Autumn Asks: What Does Autumn Need?

I ran across a post at 8 Things About Me about what she needs.

Okay, not really.

She put her name into google search followed by needs and then copied down the first 10 results. It was funny. So being the geek that I am, I tried it to.

So what does Autumn need?

1. Autumn needs a home where people will be with her -

2. Autumn needs a middle name.
(Nope. Got one. A family one. That is all you need to know.)
3. Autumn needs adoption.
(Hmmm. Maybe I'm being tossed out of my current home? Wait! I know just who to call!!!! It doesn't get more exotic than me!!)
4. Autumn needs a Trim Tree of Life.
(Love all things Celtic. My roots are showing.)

5. Autumn needs your help.
(Always. I'll take all the help I can get.)
6. Autumn needs to be a Cover Girl Model.
(I think they got the wrong Autumn that time. Maybe Autumn 20 years ago.)

7. Autumn needs YOU.
(And Michael Jackson does too. If you are a little boy.)

8. Autumn needs guitar player.
(Well. I have always had a thing for the boys in the band.)

9. Autumn needs the following info for your demand to count.
( I don't do demands. Just ask hubby.)
10. Autumn needs intensity in makeup to match intensity in coloring.

Tell it sister.


So what do you need??

Autumn Asks: What's For Easter Dinner?

Just out of curiousity.

We are having burgers on the grill. Yumm.

When we were discussing the menu I mentioned that I just don't have a traditional Easter Feast as a memory. That's not saying we didn't have one - just saying that I did not grow up in a "Christian" home so there was no real importance on the Holiday in my memory banks...beyond getting my favorite candy(Robins Eggs).

DH and I discussed the Easter Ham.

And this is the one I am curious about.

So, way back in the old testament, God gave us dietary guidlelines.

These guidlelines were their instructions on how to eat to sanctify themselves for God. Hand-in-hand with the whole sacrifice thing.

In those guidlelines we are told not to eat pork. Well, we were given a list of things not to eat and pigs fell into those guides.

So how did Easter Sunday become such a huge ham eating holiday??

Yes, I know we aren't under the law and old testament instructions. We no longer need to do special things to sanctify ourselves -- its all covered by the blood of Jesus. I understand that.

But here's the thing. God gave us instructions on how to best take care of our bodies. After Christ we threw that out. Each generation gets farther and farther away from that model.

And look at us now.

Now I'm not saying we have to eat the way they had to in the old testament. It won't sanctify us and get us into heaven. And not eating that way won't keep us out of heaven. I'm not trying to make that kind of a point.

But it confuses me.

It's like the whole angel thing. All the angels in the Bible were male. All the ones we see/buy in our society are female.

Huh?

How did that happen?

Things that make me go hmmmmm on an Easter morning.

Andorra

Andorra is a tiny country buried in the mountains which separate France and Spain. Technically a principality (with two co-princes) it is just a few hundred kilometres of mountainous landscapes and rivers.
Since it as carved from the hearts of the Pyrenees mountain range, it contains some of the most dramatic scenery - and the best skiing - in Europe. During the dry months, there are plenty of good hiking opportunities in the high, remote parts of the country.
Basic Facts:

• Full country name: Principality of Andorra
  
• Area: 175 sq mi
  
• Population: 66,824
  
• Capital City: Andorra la Vella (pop 22,390)

• People: Spanish (61%), Andorran (30%), French (6%)

• Language: Catalan, Spanish, French (and many speak English)
  
• Religion: Roman Catholic

• Government: Parliamentary co-princedom

• Co-Princes: Jacques Chirac (France), Joan Marti Alanis (Urgell)
  
• Major Industries: Tourism, duty-free shopping, sheep, timber, tobacco, banking
  

Andorra is not a member of the European Union. At one time, the country was a haven for smugglers. In resent past it was a haven for duty free shopping. Now its a tax haven if you buying electronic goods, watches and, traditionally high taxed in Europe, parfumes, booze, cigarettes and gas/petrol. Andorra has no own currency and it uses euros. English is widely spoken in Andorra. The local language is Catalan, and French and Spanish are also spoken.

I couldn't find out much about a native dress. Looks like they were pretty much inhabited by shepherds and such in earlier times.

For art and culture, they appear to be a country that loves sculptures.

I'm not much for skiing...but I love to hike. Anyone want to join me?

Autumn Asks: What Have You Said That You'd Never Have Believed Would Come Out Of Your Mouth??

How about:

Meet our new pets. The chickens.

Nope. Not kidding.

Actually, I haven't gone over the edge yet. There is a reasonable explanation.

See, I'm not supposed to eat regular eggs. I have to have free range, etc. The chickens that lay the regular eggs are fed a feed that is full of wheat and others stuffs I'm not supposed to have...so I was told to stay away from them and buy the other eggs. You know, the expensive ones.

Anyways. So I have a friend that has similar problems and girls with similar problems. They have a little bit of property and do not live smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood like we do. So, they raise their chickens for their eggs.

Mighty Mouse loves those chickens. And even more, she likes to hunt for the eggs. So my friend always left a few eggs ungathered so that Mighty Mouse could hunt them with her girls when we came over. Now that's a good friend.

But something killed all the chickens last winter so they had to start all over this spring. So my friend asked if she could pick MM up when she went to pick out the chicks so that MM could pick one out too. And of course Songbird wanted to go also. (Poor, poor city kids)

So, I offered to give the girls money to "buy" one each since they were picking up 4 more.

So, when we were finally able to get to the feed store before they were sold out (yes, apparently everyone wants to raise chickens this year....the feed stores sell out in a day!!). MM picked out a chicken for herself and her sister (who had a track meet and was bummed not to get to come). She paid for "her" chicks and they were packaged up.

Then, we delivered them to Mrs. B's chicken coop.

And I have two very happy children.

How sad is that????? LOL!!!!!

And no, they really aren't our chickens. The $2 for the chicks will in no way cover their care at Mrs. B's - but they give us their excess eggs so I thought it would be a good idea to pay for two of theirs. But don't tell my girls.

And its been good for laughs.

Songbird: I want to name my chicken.

Mom: Seriously??

Songbird: Yep. I'm naming it Paco.

Mom: Aaahh. Paco, the chicken Taco.

Songbird: GASP!!! MOMMMMM! drama...drama...drama.......

Mom: Well. You really shouldn't name your food.

Songbird: Major drama.

Oh well, maybe it was traumatic for her....but I thought it was hilarious!!

You asked for it....

Several people asked about our exact recipe for the laundry soap we are using after I fessed up to making my own in order to save money.

So, here ya go. This is what I use.

4 cups Borax
4 cups Washing Soda
1 bar Lirio (lavandar scent), grated
1 bar Zote, grated

Process fine - used 2 tablespoons per load

Borax is easy to find just about anywhere - Walmart or your grocery store

Washing Soda is a little harder. Our Walmart carries a big box like this but it is Baking Soda, not Washing soda. And the Baking Soda even says its for laundry - so don't get confused.

My bar soaps I find at Walgreens. They are $1.39 each. This is the smell combination I like. And my mother was just here for a week and I put it through the mom test. Even she liked the smell of the clothes after they were done -- and I used one of DH work undershirts as the tester.
I also buy the oxygen cleaner at the Dollar Tree to use. Some people add this to their recipe - I just use it on certain loads. Check your dollar store instead of paying the oxy-clean price.

I'm not going to do a tutorial as I learned this all from Heather at What What You Have. Follow the link to use her tutorial. Can't see that I need to reinvent the wheel when she did such a good job. Her recipe is a little different.

Also, at Tipnut.com they did an article on 10 homemade laundry soap recipes. They have recipes for liquid as well as powdered. You might want to look at them to get an idea on what products you might like to use or see if you are brave enough to do the liquid. It doesn't look hard, but I'm all about the EASIEST way, so I just do the powder for now.

Good luck to those that want to try it. We all have different scent likes and water issues to deal with, so don't give up right away if you are interested. You might need to try a few different recipes to get it dialed in. And along those lines...you might want to half my recipe the first time in case you don't like it.

The First and the Last

The first week of April is a big week around here.

My baby turned 5.

Wow. I guess I really shouldn't call her a baby anymore. But she just seems so much smaller and younger than the other two at five. School looms just around the corner.

And if that isn't shocking enough to the system...

My first born turned 20 today.

How could that be?

So we had our traditional Birthday dinner. Grandma came down to celebrate (she always makes the birthday trip). Bones picks the meal and Mighty Mouse picks the dessert. So it was chicken souvlaki with tzatziki - a dish my husband ate in the Greek islands and then came home and learned to duplicate. MM picked a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting and vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. It was good.

We are very low key on birthdays here. MM got 2 small presents from us and Bones got none. I asked if he wanted me to buy him a gift or forgive him one months car insurance since he owes me for two. He took the debt forgiveness. Smart kid.

And a new face at the table this year was Bones girlfriend. Thank goodness this one is his age! I was nervous with all the Baylor girls....older than him (read drinking age). And this one sews.

And before you know it, Songbird's birthday will be here. The big 14. And fall brings High School.

And life just keeps on rollin on.

Autumn Asks: What Are You Doing With Your Tax Return This Year?

There was an interesting article from ING Services the other day:

AMERICAN TAXPAYERS PLANNING TO SAVE RATHER THAN SPEND

New ING DIRECT Survey Reveals Majority of Americans Receiving a Tax Refund Intend to Use It to Pay Off Debt, Invest or Save

In the past, we really looked forward to tax refunds. They were used to do two things...first pay off any debt we had, and second, for a fun purchase or project.

Yes. Two things.

Aren't you supposed to get SMARTER as you get older?

If so, how come this tax refund will go straight to bills (and one broken fence) and hardly put a dent in it????

So, we are definitely one of those couples that will be putting the whole tax refund to fix a broken thing and then on credit card bills.

According to the article:

More than 50% of Americans (65% for people under the age of 35) will be using this refund to pay basic bills, in other words, just to survive.

More than 70% of the people who receive a refund won’t be spending it, but will be using it to pay off debt or putting it towards savings.

So, we are waking up. We are focusing on eliminating debt and on savings. Without the savings, it almost impossible to stay out of debt. People are getting it.

The sad thing is the number of people who are using it to pay every day living expenses. Basic bills. Can you imagine being in that place? I am so thankful we haven't reached that point. And my heart goes out to those that have lost jobs and are living in a very scary place right now.

How about you? What are your plans for your tax refund this year? Are you doing something fun? Or are you digging out or saving?

Autumn Asks: What do you like about yourself?

While cruising through some of the blogs listed on the blog party last week, I came across a post on 50 Things I Like About Myself on a blog called To Think Is To Create. The author notes that this is a good way to help yourself feel a little bit positive about yourself on a bad day. As the mother of 3 boys...all with autism, I can see how she might need a little positive reinforcement at times. Now that is a big job!

Anyway! I wasn't sure if I could come up with 50 things I like about myself...but I gave it a shot. Here's what I got...

1. I have a sense of humor. Okay, maybe its a little off or twisted...but I've sure got one. And it has served me well through tough times and crazy family.

2. I'm straight forward. You ask, I'll answer. I'll try to have a little class and not be rude, but sometimes I fail on that level. It's a work in progress.

3. To the point. Not the same as above. Ask a question and you will probably get a 3 word answer. If you are looking for long explanations or stories you've come to the wrong place. Yes and No are answers. Because...is a story.

4. I am level headed. But that can also come off as being cold. You give me bad news and you will get brainstorming on what needs to be done. Emotion comes after the thinking.

5. I love children.

6. I love teens even better.

7. I love taking pictures. Just wish I was better at it.

8. I am a hard worker. When I work (snicker).

9. I love to give. A meal. A small gift. Time to a friend. A helping hand.

10. I'm married to the only person I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with.

11. I'm almost always on time... or better yet, early. (This makes me freakish to others.)

12. I like having red hair and blue eyes. Too bad I've buried them under 40 extra pounds of face.

13. I like being one of God's own.

14. Fingernails. Strange answer, but I've got genetics that cause nails to die for.

15. I like that I am a SAHM.

16. I like that I am always reading and learning something new.

17. I like doing things with my hands and creating.

18. I like my relationships with my mother and sister.

19. I like that I have been able to travel all my life.

20. I like that I have a husband that likes to travel also and wants to travel with me.

21. I like that I have friends all over the states and overseas also.

22. I like that family time and simple entertaining makes me happier than money and things.

23. I like that I have been able to refrain from taking a baseball bat to my husbands knees in order to get him grounded from flying and doing desert rotations.

24. I like the fact that my family tree is full of career military and vets that have served their country proudly.

25. But, I also like that I talked my son out of serving in today's military.

26. I like the outdoors more than I like shopping.

27. I like that I started a mother/daughter book club and learned lots of new things about my daughter.

28. I like that I do not have a closet full of shoes. Sorry - I just don't get that.

29. I like that I don't have a single tv show I have to watch. (Like internet addiction is better, right?)

30. I like that I can live within a budget and know how to save money.

31. I am not a perfectionist. Frees me up to do things and not over stress the outcome. And because of this...

32. I very rarely suffer from guilt....especially the dreaded mommy guilt.

33. I like that when I get angry, it is short-lived.

34. I'm raising my kids in a comfortable home, not a house I'm afraid they will mess up. (My grandmother and great-grandmother were that way.)

35. I like that I can stand up to family members that talk dirty or sexual around my girls. NOT acceptable. I am raising ladies.

36. I like that I can focus on raising my kids to be responsible, God fearing adults instead of being their friend.

37. I like that I can say no to my kids.

38. I like that I can so no to over scheduling outside interests. (Without the guilt)

39. I like that I've managed to stay out of the hospital, with the exception of child birth.

40. I like being an adoptive parent.

41. I like that I made it through the first teenager without killing him.

42. I like that I can cook. (HATE cleaning though)

43. I like that I can be organized if I want to be.

44. I like having the ability not to feel slighted or hurt by the little things that upset so many other women. Yet I can walk away from the abusive or unhealthy relationships and not feel guilty. Life is just too short.

45. I like being the helper. Not the boss...the helping hand of the boss. I'm not a dynamic leader, but I love helping the dynamic leader with the things that slow them down.

46. I like playing the radio/cd way too loud when the kids aren't in the car....while listening to music that I wouldn't listen too if the kids were in the car.

47. I love that I come from families that still don't believe in divorce.

48. I love that a cup of hot tea and a book are all it takes for a peaceful morning/noon/night.

49. I love that I don't have to be entertained by others.

50 I love that I made it through this list of 50 even though I never thought I would and it took hours to think of all of these.

If you read this consider yourself tagged. I want to know what you like about yourself. And let me know so I can read it! But, unless you are just obsessive like I am, you can keep it to 10!

Autumn Asks: Are you all about frugal lately?

Frugal, frugal, frugal!

Talk about the newest buzz word.

And its a good buzz word. At least it is if you are actually being frugal...and not just cheap. Cheap is no fun - for you or anybody else.

There have been many good posts lately on living a frugal lifestyle in this economy.

Over at Frugal Babe there is a guest post called 5 Qualities You Need to Be A Frugal Success.
She lists them as: (Pop on over to read the whole thing...not lengthy.)
1. A thick skin - for when you are made fun of
2. Creativity - to reuse what you have
3. Blindness - to what others are spending money on
4. Diligence - extra work to cook from scratch, garden or whatever
5. Cleanliness - maintenance makes things last longer.

Lots of common sense. These things aren't hard or too much for us to take on.

And along those same lines, there is a post at The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur called 7 Reasons Why the Recession Is Good For You....... (a good read)

1. Tough times make you monitor cash flow like a hawk.
2. Focus on personal friendships.
3. Make better choices about spending money.
4. Experience memorable but simple entertainment with family.
5. Forces you to cut the "fat" out of your life and business.
6. Tough economies force you to innovate.
7. Spend more time at home eating home cooked meals.

For the most part we have always been frugal. We don't like to spend $80 on a pair of jeans when we could get a pair for $30 (talking new, not second hand). Could care less about brand names. We shop sales and second hand stores. We buy the lower priced groceries in many cases...although we do have a few brand names we will not compromise on.

But I have learned a few new tricks lately also.

I found out that milk prices in our area tend to be about $1 cheaper at Walgreens and CVS. You have to watch the ads...but this one pays off just about every shopping day. It's the way they get you into the store to buy all that stuff that you can get cheaper at the supermarket. So don't buy the other stuff unless they have good deals going. (And there is a whole subculture of people that save incredible money with these two stores with coupons and rebates). As a side note: I do shop several stores on shopping day, but they are all in a circle that leads right back to home...I'm not going out of my way....this makes it reasonable and doable. If it was spread out I probably wouldn't make as many stops as I do.

I started making my own laundry soap. Weird, huh? Takes about ten minutes of my time and costs pennies per load. And I found a bar soap combination that I love the smell on for this. We really were very skeptical on whether it was really going to work or not....and it does. Not only that, we got rid of so many chemicals that way...and our washer doesn't get that smell anymore after a couple of days (we have NASTY water here that is full of stuff that stinks). Double bonus.
And I can't help but be thrilled that I'm not paying that huge chunk of change for those brand names that just don't last that long in my house. Plus it helps offset the cost of a cart full of fresh fruits and veggies over canned or frozen.

We are making more of our gifts. Now, this isn't always cheaper when you look at just the price of supplies sometimes. Yet, with the savings on the gas spent for searching for that gift, the quality time spent at home working with your hands, and the teaching my daughter is getting (and the youngest is seeing), maybe it actually breaks even. And once I have more of a stash built up, it will be a cheaper than it is at the moment. Nothing is cheap to get established anymore. Skills gained and at home entertainment (because this stuff is fun, not a chore) should be factored in also. I'm loving it anyways.

Increased hospitality at our house is another frugal thing we are doing. Yes, we usually put on a meal along with whatever else we are doing...but its not going out and paying for entertainment, it lasts longer and we are all so much more comfortable laying around the living room or playing games in the back yard or whatever. Plus, the others always bring food or drinks or whatever and chip in. It's all about the company. It's much more fun than going out all the time.

Our new priorities are also teaching our teen about peer pressure. You get it even as an adult. You can say no and survive. You can take ridicule and let it roll off your back (because these are choices, not forced circumstance as so many live in). You can walk away from toxic relationships and not die. You can cultivate deep relationships with others you have things in common with, and live a full and happy life with a SMALL circle of friends instead of being everyone's buddy. You can be happy and content even when the majority around you thinks you are a freak or stupid or weird or the cause of the whole financial collapse of our country (snort!). And mostly, you can have empathy for the materialistic bullies who are falling so far, so fast, and finding themselves the focus of the wolf pack instead of the head of it.

So how about you? What new frugal ways have you developed lately? I don't want to say since the economy became a problem, because we actually started this process before then. But I think the writing was on the wall when the housing markets first started to fail about 3 years ago. That's when we started taking notice that our countries debt was about to stand up and demand a change.

Have any new suggestions for me? I'd love to hear them.

Say Cheese

Might Mouse's new jumper is finished. I made a fatal measurement error so she won't be wearing it very long!!!
Songbird performs last Sunday. I really need to get some video of these kids! They are so good.

Autumn Asks: So How Have I Been Doing On My Decision To Make Use Of My Sewing Machine?

I'll show you.

I was unhappy with the first monk bag I did so I tried again. I needed two new bags anyways. This one I didn't make bigger so I am happier with the size. But, I somehow lost a whole page of directions, so the handle wasn't completed correctly. Guess I could just run a stitch through it so it would remain folded...but its soft and comfortable this way so I left it. Still, I considered it a mostly fail as it wasn't done right and doesn't have the nice finished look of the other one.

Next project was a laptop sleeve for my new laptop. The one we had didn't fit it and I wanted to be able to throw it in my bag without carrying the whole laptop bag bulk. I used a free pattern off the internet and added a zipper in the end. First one turned out too small because I didn't factor in the thickness of the computer right. So I ended up with a matching accessory bag for my mouse, mouse pad and cords.
For the padding I used an old furniture pad from the garage. I don't like it. Wish I had just bought something with a smoother texture. So again, I consider this project a partial fail. It works and I use it, but I wish I had used another type of padding. And I had a hard time with the zipper since I was going by the seat of my pants putting it in with no instructions....and I know I haven't sewn with a zipper since like 7th grade. (And yes, I am one of those geeks that leaves the factory protection on my computer top until it starts to fall off....drives my husband nuts.)
Next I tried a pair of reversible baby shoes. I was making them for a gift but they didn't come out nice enough. They are not hard, but you have to be very careful not to get pleats in the toes when you are finishing them up. Since I ended up with a pleat in each toe, I didn't wait to use them as a gift, I just gave them to my friend. I will definitely make more of these. They take almost no fabric, almost no time and are rather easy once you do a trial run and get the feel for it. Seriously, its about a 30 minute project and they are so CUTE!!

And the last project I did...and could hardly wait to show off (I'm being a terrible braggart here!!):
A friends baby gift!! My first ever quit. Free pattern off the internet. And it has a cool addition to the backing also.
When I saw the pattern I loved it. I used the stacking coin design all around the outside of Mighty Mouses 100 Good Wishes Quilt in a much smaller scale and thought it was the coolest. When I saw this larger version and it promised it could be whipped up in two days....I knew I had to try. So I called my mother and asked her if I showed up with a crib sized quilt top and bottom could she teach me how to finish it. She said yes. And this is what I came home with.

Then I had to wait for the shower before I could share! It was hard because I love it so much!

I have three more projects sitting in my bookcase right now. One is a jumper dress for Mighty Mouse that I can't wait to do.

And there it is. I'm doing it!