That's An Ironic Name, Isn't It?

We were reading in A Life Like Mine: How Children Live Around the World that every child deserves to have enough food. We then read about reasons why people might not have enough food to eat. One of the reasons listed was war, and then it had some explanation with it.

Jack then chimed in, "I know about war!"

"What do you know about war," I inquired.

"A long time ago, there were people in England that liked tea and people somewhere else that didn't like tea, so they had a war. That's what Elise, um, no, Emily told me." (Elise and Emily are sisters, and are members of a homeschool family that we get together with sometimes.)

I figured that I knew what they had probably told him about from this description. So, I told him that it wasn't really about people not liking tea, and asked if they had told him about an event called The Boston Tea Party.

His face lit up, indicating that was actually what it had all been about. So, then we talked about the Boston Tea Party and some of what had happened and why (I'm just always looking for those teachable moments, I can't help it).

Jack finally kind of smirked and said, "I think they should have called it the Boston Destroy Tea Party instead."

Indeed -- it is an ironic name, isn't it?

With Faith Like a Child

To see other great pictures, be sure to visit Wordless Wednesday!

Cleaning Out Your Pantry For Halloween (WFMW)

Here's something I have done for several years now, and I thought I would pass it along. I do some pantry cleaning every year on Halloween -- right into the Halloween treat bowl!

Okay, don't get the wrong idea, I am not putting in cans of pinto beans or packets of dry spaghetti mix. I look through the pantry and see anything that is:

(1) Still Good

(2) Something we just aren't going to eat

(3) Is appropriate for the treat bowl.

If it meets all that criteria, it goes into the bowl.

For instance, last year from the pantry, I put in: a few packets of mini bags of microwave popcorn that were going to expire in November that we weren't going to use in time (we had an over abundance of microwave popcorn at the time), a small box worth of Cherry Kool-Aid single packets -- I picked them up once, but nobody was interested, an individual size of Coco Krispies from a time not too long ago when I splurged on a package of the single boxes of fun cereals (nobody will eat that one), some individually wrapped fortune cookies, and some gummy snacks that were not of a preferred brand.

Of course, I also have regular candy in the bowl that I pick up for trick or treaters as well. But, as I said, I have been doing this for a few years now, and I have found out something interesting -- the trick or treaters always choose those crazy things from my pantry first. Sure, I get the kid here or there that will pick regular candy instead, but mostly it is those things from my pantry that are the first to go, and then the regular candy is left for later trick or treaters.

So, before Friday night, why not take a look through your pantry and see if you have any non-traditional goodies awaiting your trick or treaters!










photo by .imelda

For lots of great tips and ideas, be sure to check out Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer!

 

***this post was originally posted on October 31, 2007, but since it's the right time of year, I thought it would be great to repost!***

$25 Amazon.com Gift Certificate Giveaway (Bloggy Giveaway Carnival)

I can hardly believe that it's already time for the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival again! Wow! I guess the last three months have flown by!

If this is your first time stopping by Many Little Blessings, then let me say WELCOME! I hope that you will consider stopping by again sometime, or even subscribing.

My name is Angie, and I'm a homeschooling mom to three kids. My blog primarily focuses on our daily life, our family, faith, and various household management ideas (from tips and tricks to recipes). You'll also sometimes read about cool products that I like, as well as the occassional learning tip (although I also blog about homeschooling on our group blog, The Homeschool Classroom, as well as the homeschooling and food channels of Blissfully Domestic). I also publish free Mommy Calling Card templates for download from time to time (see the link above).

Okay...so on to this giveaway. I will be randomly choosing a winner for a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate. Because, you know -- who can't use $25 to Amazon.com, right?

Here's what you need to do:

Post a comment to this post by Saturday, November 1st at 11:59 pm EST.

Your comment must include something interesting about yourself or your blog. Trust me -- this something interesting is pretty liberal. Honestly, just tell me something. Others will see your comment, and maybe something you say will make them want to visit your blog! (If your comment only says something like, "I'd love to win" or "Pick me," then you did not read the directions, and you can't win. Sorry!)

Leave me a way to reach you, if you should be the winner. Either email or make sure your comment is linked to your profile/blog. If I can't reach you, you can't win.

For an extra entry, leave me a suggestion of what to call my Etsy store (yes, I am going to re-open the shop). I have some ideas, but am not really sure. It is currently called Autumn Daisy Studio, but I'm changing the focus (somewhat) and want a new name. I will be carrying handcrafted Rosaries and Photographs (religious subjects only). I have a few ideas jotted down, but would love some ideas. Maybe if someone suggests something I already have written down, then it's a sign!

Okay...get to posting those comments! Can't wait to learn more about all of you!

Review: Faith Database CD-ROM

Eric and I got to take a look through the new Faith Database CD-ROM courtesy of The Catholic Company. Eric played around with it first, and was really impressed. He kept saying, "You need to check this out," as he found new features.

(I have to admit that I picked this as my next selection from the Catholic Company because Eric wanted to have it for his upcoming Theology class. Because, you know, even if you are a Business Administration major, if you're at a Catholic college, you just may have to take a few theology classes.)

The Database touts that it has over 1500 resource writings, 10 Biblical texts, and tons of illustrations (maps, art work, etc.). (Okay, they didn't say the "tons" part -- I did.) Before we received the CD, we had no idea how that could fit onto one CD.

When it arrived though, we realized that some of the stuff is on the CD, but many things are actually linked to the web. For instance, you are able to see large thumbnails of art pieces, but then each has a link to view the larger image on the web. I have clicked around quite a bit, and only found one link on the art section that went to a page that said the image had been moved. (Because so much is linked to the web, they actually suggest that you have high speed internet access to use this software.)

The CD is also an amazing source for Biblical reading (in ten different versions), as well as writings of saints, Biblical historians, and doctors of the Church. One thing that I loved as I looked through the Book of Genesis was that as I moved verse by verse, I was able to see art that depicted what the verse was talking about. What a great teaching tool!

I think that one of my favorite parts of the Database is the number of maps available (over 100). This feature alone makes this a great asset to a homeschooling family, for sure. I know that we'll definitely get a lot of use out of this feature. (Yes, that means this is code for, "I know I gave away the last thing that I reviewed through The Catholic Company here on the blog, but this one is going to stay with me.")

All in all, for under $40, the Faith Database CD-ROM is a fabulous collection of writings, images, and even some tests! I'm glad that we are now fortunate to have this in our collection of software.




This review was written as part of The Catholic Company product reviewer program. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Faith Database CD-ROM.

Many Little Links: The Sleepy Edition

I...am...tired...

I have been tired most of the day. I don't know why. Maybe it's the colder weather. Maybe it's the gusty winds. Maybe it's just my body saying, "Hey -- I like a little sleep. Seriously. I don't ask a lot from you. A little sleep is nice though."

This picture from flickr is sweet. It makes me sleepy though.

So, before I finally give my body what it's asking for, let me share some favorite links that I have come across this week (apparently looking at what I have saved for this week just goes to prove that when you are tired, your body usually feels hungry too):


Arts & Crafts:

Homemade Christmas Gifts -- Today's Housewife

Halloween Blocks -- Domestic Goddess Blog

All Saints Costumes Cheap and Easy -- Waltzing Matilda

Decorating:

Dishes - They're Not Just for Kitchens -- The Nesting Place

Learning Ideas & Schooling:

Buying a Compound Microscope, Part 1 -- At Home Science

Organizing:

Peanut Butter Storage Jars -- PlumPudding

Weekend Project: Great Organizing Ideas -- The Inspired Room

Blogging:

Blog More in Less Time: 10 Tips to Curb Your Sanity -- Simple Mom

Food & Recipes:

Homemade Samplin' Platter -- A Simple Walk

pina coladas (no rum, all the fun) & pumpkin pie milkshakes -- fashionably foodie

Pumpkin Pie Fudge & Black Bottom Cupcakes -- Annie's Eats

Pumpkin Cookies: Revisited -- Joy the BakerHow to Roast Pumpkin Seeds -- Confessions of an Apron Queen

Ask the Audience: Favorite Chilly Weather Food? -- Home Ec 101 (Be sure to check out the comments section on this one!)

Decadent Chocolate Milk -- The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Sweet Treat - Quick and Easy Cherry Cream Cheese Tarts -- Divine Domesticity

Doughnuts! -- The Happy Housewife

Photo by gussifer

I went to the polls, now I can review a presidential book

Amongst the things we went out to do on Thursday was to go to one of the area early voting places! Yep -- that's right! I already voted.

The line wasn't too bad (we waited for about 30 minutes), we were in line with a bunch of nice people, and we were at the retirement home that my grandma lives in, so we were able to stop in for a visit. Oh, and then couple that with the fact that the kids got to learn about the election process and they were given stickers that said "I Voted!" and it was a great experience.

So, now that I can ignore political ads, I can move on to other important things, like writing a review about the new book Madam President by Lane Smith.

The folks over at Disney-Hyperion were nice enough to send me a copy to check out and share with my kids. I was pretty thrilled, because I love Lane Smith's books. (I pretty much made it a rule that everyone at the school that I used to teach at must be familiar with The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.)

The kids and I were anxious to sit down and read Madam President almost right after it arrived. Everyone (including me) seemed to enjoy that the main character was a girl. It's simple things like that to help show that girls can dream about being president one day too.

This is the story of young girl who dreams about being president one day. Well...except that she is pretty much trying to live out the dream right now. She goes about her daily routine, but with an infusion of presidential duties along the way. She has to deal with photo ops, kissing babies, attending state funerals (for another little girl's pet frog "Froggy"), negotiating a treaty between a dog and a cat, and amongst many other presidential duties.

We all enjoyed this book. It was fun and light, while providing opportunites to explain various presidential duties to the kids while we read through it. There are a lot of silly aspects to the book (like when I had to make a point of nodding my head yes or no to the page of cabinet members so that my kids would know that there really is a Secretary of State and a Secretary of the Treasury, but not really a Secretary of Fantasy or a Secretary of Pizza), so this might not have a place in a serious study on the president.

But, if you want a light hearted look on the presidency, this would be a great addition to your stack of books. (as would another great book by Lane Smith's that was already on my book shelf, John, Paul, George & Ben.)

Thanks again to Disney-Hyperion for sharing this book with us. Of course, I may stop thanking you if my kids really think they have veto powers around here!




cover art courtesy of Hyperion Books for Children

Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam Recipe

Last week, I found stawberries for $3.88 for a 2 lb clam shells. So, I picked up two packages and planned on making strawberry freezer jam. My Mom made some from strawberries from our garden this summer, but my family had used up all we had, and I missed the sweet and fresh jam.

As it ended up, my Mom and I worked together to make several batches with the 4 lbs of strawberries. (I think it was just about three batches.) She worked on one batch and I worked on the second batch.

It was super easy to make, and you don't even have to learn how to can to make this jam! You just pop it into many small containers that can be frozen, and throw them in the freezer! (Of course, you'll need to leave one in the refrigerator instead, so you can enjoy it right away!)

You can also use this recipe to make wonderful homemade jam to give as Christmas gifts!

Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam
(Recipe from old newspaper clipping)

Ingredients:

2 cups mashed strawberries (about 1 quart)

4 cups sugar

1 box powdered fruit pectin

3/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Stir strawberries (already mashed) and sugar together, mixing thoroughly. Set aside.

2. Stir powdered fruit pectin with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute.

3. Stir mixtures together until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy. Pour into clean dry containers, filling to within 1/2 inch of tops.

4. Cover at once with tight lids. Let stand at room temperature overnight. (We did it for about 12 hours.) Store in freezer until opened; then store in refrigerator.

Makes about four 8 oz containers.

Note: Measure sugar exactly and do not reduce amount or jam will not set properly.

For more tips, tricks, and ideas, visit Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer!







photo by Kodamakitty

Prayers at the Grotto

To see more photographs, visit Wordless Wednesday.

Cleaning and Chaulking the Bathtub (Tackle It Tuesday #22)

This week's Tackle It Tuesday was one that I didn't even have to do! Now...there is a down side to that -- there are no "before" pictures. Boo! But, I didn't have to scrub our tub -- YEH!

I was able to receive a complimentary bottle of CLR Bath and Kitchen to try out for this week. So, lucky me -- Eric was actually the one to give it a try.

I can't actually say that I'm way too disappointed about not being able to share before pictures. It was gross. Seriously. You know how sometimes people say, "Oh, my bathroom is so dirty," and it's not really. You know -- you look at it and say, "No, it looks just fine to me." This is not one of those times. I would have been embarrassed for my own Mother to use the shower.

Not only did Eric use the CLR Bath & Kitchen to clean, but then he re-chaulked the tub! So, of course, some of the very white from the pictures can be from the new chaulk. But, check out this shower!





Eric said that he definitely still had to use a lot of elbow grease, but that he thought it was a pretty decent cleaner. He said that he didn't really think it worked any better than anything else that we've used though. We did have to air out the bathroom for a long time (thank goodness it's our bathroom that has a window), but we're not sure if it was from the chaulk or from the cleaner.

When Noah got in the shower today, he said, "Oh Mom -- I know what that's the smell of! That is the smell of a clean shower! That means that it will help protect us from germs while we're in the shower so we don't get the sniffles." That kid cracks me up! He's like a walking commercial sometimes.

So, I not only got a free bottle of cleaner (though I don't know that it would be one that I would have bought on my own), but also a sweetie husband to do a very gross tackle for me! Seriously -- can a girl get luckier?

Just Accept It Already. Not Everyone Wants To Be Your Friend.

I have been thinking and thinking about this -- feel free to just skip over this blog post -- it's just something that I need to put in writing so that it doesn't spew out of my mouth at some inappropriate time. My blog helps me to write out some of the things that spin around and around in my head so that they can get out on "paper," and leave me alone.

So, this is not a typical post from me, but it just has to be done. Sorry.

Okay...so here's what has my panties in a bind, as they say.

There's an annual event that we attend. A few years ago, the event organizer was super busy in her life. I thought that I was being really kind, and I offered to host the event. And, honestly, I was also excited. I had never organized it before, and I anxiously awaited her getting back to me to tell me that it was a relief to not have to organize it and that she would be happy for me to do it.

That was not the response I got.

I got a response that made me embarrassed for having offered. I was told that she would just make some changes, but that she was going to organize it because only particular people can organize it, or it's just not the same. (The funny thing was, I knew this wasn't true, based on stories I had previously heard from the event organizer. This made me feel even worse.)

Really...I'm not one for holding grudges much. There doesn't seem to be much point in it. It just makes the grudge holder feel bad, and doesn't seem to do much to the person that you are upset with. So, let's just say this isn't a grudge. It was more of a hurt/embarrassed thing that sticks with you. You know those, right? The ones you remember 25 years later, even though you were only 6 years old when they happened, just because of the emotion attached to it.

Anyway, as promised, the event went as planned.

I never offered to organize it again. The message was received.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I received friendly notice from someone I know. She is organizing the annual event.

Do you know what?

She is not one of those particular people that the organizer talked about when she turned me down.

It seems like it is so many years ago that it shouldn't matter. But, it makes me feel that same embarrassment that I felt when it first happened. And, it feels like I got that same message again. Only this time, the message is, "It's just that you can't organize it. You may pretend like you are part of our circle, but you're not. Accept it."

I guess when you couple that with the fact that there are sometimes more events and we just don't get invited, I think I have begun to accept it. I don't really understand it, but I accept it.

You can't be part of every circle that you want to be part of, no matter how you try. That's just life.

Menu Plan Monday: October 20th Edition

I'm going to be a tiny bit of a slacker this week on my Menu Plan Monday and not assign meals to days. I'm just not sure I'm ready to commit quite yet. So...let me just post what we plan on having, in no special order...

• Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup (Yeah, we didn't manage to have that last week. Can I have some of that special bullion-ish stuff, Mom?)


• Crescent Wrapped Hot Dogs


• BBQ Cupcakes


• Beef Noodle Bowls


• Dinner from Out


• Roast with Potatoes and Carrots


• Grill out Chicken


• Eggs, Bacon, and Toast (weekend lunch)


• Southwest Chicken Rice (weekend lunch)

Many Little Links: The Laundry Edition

I'm not really sure how, but laundry just multiplies in the laundry room. It seems like I do a ton, and then I turn around and there is a full hamper again.

Honestly though -- things have been much better since we splurged with our economic stimulus check and redid our laundry room, which included a front loading washer and dryer. I was nervous about spending so much money, but it was so worth it!

So, while I work on my laundry, you can enjoy some links of items that I have enjoyed this past week:


Arts & Crafts:

Friday Find: Stubby Pencil Studio -- Soule Mama


Nurturing Your Kids' Creativity and Independence with an Art Box -- Kiddio


DIY I Spy Picture Story -- Julie K in Taiwan


Food & Recipes:


Halloween Party: Treats and Sweets -- The Crafty Crow


Trick or Treats -- Bakerella


Pumpkin Pie Bars -- Joy the Baker


Kool Mandrain Orange Cupcakes -- Sycamore Stirrings


Preparing for Christmas Baking Season -- A Simple Walk

Decorating (Your Self & Your House):

Decorating Children's Rooms in Favorite Picture Books -- Barefoot Mama

10 Pieces Every Mom Needs in Her Wardrobe -- Miss Britt

What's Wrong With This Picture? -- Daily Painting

DIY: Dining Room Storage -- The Inspired Room

Learning Ideas & Schooling:

Around the World Day 2008 -- Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

30 Simple Ways to Get Your Child Ready to Read -- On Simplicity

Talking About the Election With Young Kids [three simple tips] -- CityMama

What I Wish I'd Known -- Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Kinderweek ~ Leaves and the Letter F -- Sun and Candlelight

50 States Notebook -- One Child Policy Homeschool

Humor:


Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live (video) -- Bettnett.com


Blogging:

Negative Blog Comments: To Respond or Not -- Blissfully Domestic

21 Ways to Make Your Blog or Website Sticky -- ProBlogger

photo by Charlyn W

How to Pick Your Future Mate

I have recently been educated in the best way to find your future mate.

Some may think that you should go for someone based on your compatibility. Others will take the advice of those closest to them. One of our priests says that you need to choose someone who will help you get to Heaven.

While eating lunch at a busy restaurant this past week, I found out that all of these theories were wrong.

There, a young man was with a couple of friends, and was worried about trying to ask a girl out. I know this because they were sitting close to us and talking loudly. So, as much as I would have liked to have not paid attention to what they had to say, I couldn't help it. It was pretty much all I heard.

Now, don't get ahead of me here. I'm sure you're thinking you know where this is going. You think maybe they were talking about physical attributes of the girl or some other such thing as that. Nope...still not.

This is what one of the young men declared:

His friend (the interested party) needed to just ask the girl who she thought the best James Bond was. He didn't appear to be making a joke. In fact, he had a long discussion on this topic. He declared that if this intended girl did not answer with Sean Connery, then his friend needed to just turn around and leave.

As a matter-of-fact, he went on, this girl should just be sterilized, as to save her raising children to whom she would teach that Timothy Dalton was the best James Bond. At least after this part, he did laugh.

But, he did continue to tout the merits of this James Bond question for mating purposes for quite some time.

On the up side, I did get to giggle quite a bit about it all. It was like lunch and entertainment all wrapped up in one.

photo from mircea tudorache

13 Ways to Save Money on Your Food Budget (TT #28)

Thirteen Ways to Save Money on Your Food Budget



1. If you want to get take out food to take home, don't buy drinks with it. Depending on your family size and where you are buying your meal, you could save a decent amount of money just by having drinks you already have at home. (Or, order water with a meal from out.)

2. Check out grocery ads (you can even see most of them online) before planning your meals for the week. Make changes based on what's on sale.

3. If you're a soda drinker (we are at our house!), stock up when they are on sale at your local grocery store. Sure...we don't NEED cans of soda. But, if we're going to drink them anyway, I would rather spend $2.00 - $2.50 per (12 can) case than $4.50 per case. Even if you are making a choice that might not be frugal, you can make that choice frugally.

4. Clip and use coupons, especially at stores that will double or triple their face value.

5. Don't buy things just because you have coupons for them though. If you won't really use it, then you aren't saving money by buying it.

6. Don't go to the store hungry. Just don't do it! Even if it means that you spend money to run through a drive through so you can eat a quick snack or meal first. Grocery shopping while hungry is dangerous.

7. Pay attention to prices on various sizes of items, particularly when one size is on sale and another is not. I have had many times when I went to buy a smaller size of something, only to see that it was cheaper to buy a larger size because of a sale. I'm not talking about cheaper per unit price, I am actually talking about final cost. (Example: the smaller box of cereal is $2.89 but the larger box is on sale for $2.50. It's a no brainer! But, it's easy to not notice, if you're not looking for it.)

8. Menu plan! Whether you plan a week at a time or a full month at a time, it will help your budget if you plan.

9. Shop from your freezer, fridge, and pantry before you shop from the grocery store. When I menu plan, I check to see what I can make from things we already have in our house. It also saves me from buying duplicates of items.

10. Buy meat in larger quantities and break it into smaller packages yourself. During my last grocery shopping trip, I bought two "tubes" of ground beef -- each 3 lbs in size. We then broke them up into 1 lb increments and put them into freezer baggies. I saved over $7 by doing this. In all actuality though, if I had purchased six packages of ground beef, all of the ones in my grocery store are actually package a bit over 1 lb. So, it saved me even more.

11. Now, speaking of meat -- it can be a great money saver to try to eat some meatless meals. Even just one meatless meal per week will save your family money. (If you can't fathom having a meatless meal, try just two meatless meals in a month, instead of one each week. Every little bit helps.)

12. Buy produce that is in season. Plan your meals around them. Your produce bill will be cheaper if you purchase produce that doesn't have to be shipped half way across the world.

13. Better yet -- start planning now for your garden for next year!


What are some of your favorite ways to save money on your food budget?

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

photo by J-P F

Still Dancin' Like We're in an iPod Commercial

Yes, I've mentioned before -- it's fun to dance like you're in an iPod commercial. There is just something freeing about dancing with your whole body and giggling and having fun.

Today, while doing some household chores, I had my iPod on (quietly enough to hear everyone), and got to a new song that I downloaded. It's funny -- Eric predicted I would buy it, as I danced around during a recent iPod commercial. But, I told him no. In the end, he was the one who was right. (Yeah, I did type that for the world to see, Eric. Print this blog post up before I have a chance to change it. *wink*)

Anyway...back to the new song I downloaded. I started to dance around with my iPod, but then put it on the docking station with speakers that I have and cranked up the volume.

Of course, Noah promptly informed me that it was too loud and I needed to turn it down. I obliged, but only a little bit. I did suggest he could go in another room while we had what I deemed to be "Our Ultimate Dance Party." (See what a kind Mom I am to my Asperger's son? Hey...don't give me flack, I turned it down some and offered him an option to leave the room. He decided to leave, but came back with light sabers. Apparently this was going to be what he would do in leiu of dancing.)

So, I digress again.

Jack, Molly, and I danced around the kitchen with full force. We sang along, had every inch of our bodies as part of the dancing, complimented each others "mad dance skillz," and had a great time.

To go along with the iPod dancing theme, we danced to three songs --

• "Around the Bend (Radio Edit)" -- The Astroids Galaxy Tour
• "Flathead" -- The Fratellis
• "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" -- Jet

So, I figure not only did we have a great time, but 15 minutes of extreme cardio with iPod blasting along has to count as both gym and music instruction, right?

Do you have any favorite songs to dance to full force that we should add to our next Ultimate Dance Party?

photo by GregNotCraig

How to Boil Water Faster (WFMW # 53)

This week's tip is a quick and easy one. It seems almost silly to share it, but I will anyway.

Want your water to boil faster? Cover your pan with a lid while waiting for it to boil.

That's it. That's my quick and easy tip. It may be simple -- but it does work!








For lots of great tips, tricks, and ideas, head over to Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer!






photo by georgia.g

Weekly Wrap Up for October 11th (So late that I had to do it as a Tackle!)

This week will be a very unorthodox tackle for me. What I am tackling is actually another meme.

Yeah, I know -- that's weird. But, speaking of weird, it's the new "Weekly Wrap-Up" from Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. You see -- my blog buddy, Kris, started this new meme. And, I posted positive comments about what a great idea it was, and that I would definitely participate.

And, you know what? I haven't participated. I meant to the first week, and didn't. Then, I meant to the second week (she posts it on Friday evenings), and still didn't. So, darn it, even though it's now almost TUESDAY, I'm going to wrap up my last week and sign in over there.

Hey -- every tackle can't be totally changing a bedroom, landscaping the yard, or extreme redecorating in the laundry room. Sometimes, it just has to be typing, okay?

So...onto my weekly wrap-up (from last week)...

We finished off celebrating Molly's fourth birthday with a trip to the doctor for her yearly check up. I promised no shots. And, as promised, she didn't get any, though she did get the inhaled flu "shot." The boys were not so happy, because they (and myself) all got actual flu shots while we were there.

I told them that the last time I had the flu (you know -- real influenza, not a stomach "flu") that I was in bed for around five days and felt like I was dying. They were still not excited to be stuck with a needle.

We also found out, as I already mentioned, that Molly has an innocent heart murmur. The doctor will keep an eye (or ear, as it were) on this, particularly given our family's medical history.

The next day, we got to go on a field trip with Molly's preschool class on our area's bus system. The boys got to come along, and we were able to take a bus ride, as well as go to where they work on the buses and go through the bus wash. Everyone thought it was pretty darn neat!

Last week, we were also able to attend our parish's annual Living Rosary. This is a beautiful gathering where we pray the Rosary outside, with 59 people holding candles as beads in our courtyard. Everyone else stands around the edges and holds smaller candles. I wanted to take pictures this year, and even brought along my camera. But, then I left the memory card at home! Ugh! I suppose I'll just have to wait for next year!

The boys had their next to last pottery class. They were able to bring home some of the goodies that they have made thus far. I was glad that they have opened up a new set of sessions for homeschoolers later in the fall! WooHoo!

I was able to have some "me time" this weekend. I went to a women's retreat at our parish. And, although they didn't turn on the air conditioning for about half of it (which ended up giving me a headache and making me think I would have to leave), they day was good. We had time for prayer on our own outdoors, and lots of time to share with one another.

Oh...and then I was able to even find time to run to the mall right afterwards, and I now own blue jeans with no holes in the knees. Oh the excitement!

2008 Homeschool Blog Awards Nomination Form is Up!

The nomination form is up at The Homeschool Post for the 2008 Homeschool Blog Awards. Make sure that you go and visit, and take time to nominate your favorite blogs by homeschoolers.

And, y'know, if you wanted to nominate me, I wouldn't hate that. But, seriously -- no pressure. It'll be fun just to check out all of the great blogs once the voting (and results) are up!

Menu Plan Monday: One Week and One Month Edition

I have planned out what we're having this week, and then below that, I have a list of everything that I just shopped for this week to last us through the month. (Of course, some of the shopping was from our pantry/freezer, but I did a HUGE shopping trip last week!)

We mostly use leftovers from these meals for lunches (plus we'll send some of these leftovers to my grandma as well).

This Week:

Monday: Burgers on the Grill

Tuesday: Fried Mashed Potatoes and Ham (all in a skillet together with a bit of butter -- yum!)

Wednesday: Sweet Pea and Potato Pasta with Chicken

Thursday: Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

Friday: Ham Sandwiches

Saturday: lunch ---> Pancakes dinner ---> From out

Sunday: lunch ---> Corn Chowder and Grilled Cheese dinner ---> Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

What we had one our monthly menu (some are for lunches, some for desserts, some for breakfast -- though we usually eat cereal or waffles for breakfast):

• Roast with Potatoes and Carrots (two times during this month)
• Teriyaki Steak Kabobs and Stir Fry
• Corn Chowder and Grilled Cheese
• Cheesy Potato Soup and Homemade Bread
• Shrimp
• Southwest Chicken Rice
• Turkey Breast
• Grill Out Chicken
• Grill Out Burgers
• Chili
• Quick Chicken Teriyaki
• Sweet Pea and Potato Pasta
• Spaghetti (twice this month)
• Asian Style Chicken and Broccoli
• Beef Noodle Bowls
• Beef Enchiladas
• Egg Salad Sandwiches
• Ham
• Fried Mashed Potatoes and Ham
• Ham Sandwiches
• Loaded Baked Potatoes
• Pancakes (twice this month)
• Eggs, Bacon, & Toast (twice this month)
• Beans and Cornbread
• Spanish Rice
• Gulash
• Baked Ham Sandwiches
• Lasgna
• Steak, Potatoes, & Mushrooms
• Taco Salad
• Stir Fry with Rice
• Crescent Roll Wrapped Hot Dogs
• BBQ Wings
• Sloppy Joes
• BBQ Cupcakes
• Eggs Benedict
• Funky Chicken and Sesame Noodles
• Sesame Teriyaki Meatballs with Rice
• Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
• Easy Cinnamon Roll Muffins
• Better than Sex Cake
• Egg-in-a-hole
• Dutch Babies
• Monkey Bread

Many Little Links: The Pumpkin Edition

The leaves at our house are starting to change colors, and although the temperatures did start to get cooler, they warmed back up. Still -- I don't think it's a coincidence that many of the recipe links that are included in my weekend link list are for recipes with pumpkin in them. Yum!

Enjoy some of the links that I have enjoyed throughout this week:

Food & Recipes:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins -- Stephanie from Eats and Treats (published at Blissfully Domestic)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies -- Jen from Frugal Upstate

Freezing Frosting -- The Happy Housewife

Delicious, Nutritious "Pumpkin Butter" -- The Pioneer Woman Cooks

How to Make Muffin Tin Lunches -- Sylvia from a tad bit prudish

Never Buy Another Cookbook -- Mrs. Micah (published at Frugal Hacks)

Organization:

Turning Old Photo Negatives Into Digital Files -- Tsh from Simple Mom (published at Blissfully Domestic)

O's Montessori Shelf (The Front and The Back) -- Melissa from Chasing Cheerios

29 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Winter -- Frugal Dad

Protecting Your Books with Library Supplies -- Lorri from The Mac and Cheese Chronicles (published at The Homeschool Classroom)

Decorating:

Make a Window Valance from a Skirt -- Stephanie from CharityGrace (published at Blissfully Domestic)

Learning Ideas & Schooling:

Learning Through Autumn: Fun Activities for Education -- Michelle from Pass the Flu Bug Please (published at The Homeschool Classroom)

Raising Passionate Readers - The Preschool Years -- Katie (editor of the Homeschool Bliss channel of Blissfully Domestic)

Fun School Project (related to bird feeders) -- The Happy Housewife

Creative Toy Replacements -- Amy from The Mother Load (published at Blissfully Domestic)

The Gross Sentence Game -- Nan from Life is Like a Lunchbox

Finances:

Maximizing Target Clearance Opportunities -- Jennifer from I Call Times (published at Blissfully Domestic)

Humor:

Angela's Efficiency -- Maggie from Minnesota Mom (I love that little Angela -- she cracks me up all the time!)

Blogging:

Better Blogging: Inspiration -- Lisa from The Homeschool Blog Awards

photo by serendipitypeace2007

When did I get so old?

Seriously -- when did it happen?

I don't feel old, certainly. Heck -- I don't actually think that I am old.

But, things seem to be happening every so often that make me scratch my head and think, "Huh. I guess I am getting older."

My reasoning?

Not one, but several of the kids that I used to babysit are now either married or have finished graduate school. Or both!

I have been waited on by many familiar faces in stores and restaurants. I stop to think, "How do I know that kid?" (Yeah -- I call them kids.) Then I realize that they were one of my former students.

I have two nephews in college. I remember changing their diapers!

Just this week, while watching the news, they talked about going into one of the local high schools to register some of the students who will be 18 by Election Day. He spoke eloquently about exciting it was to be able to be involved in such a historic election. He, too, was one of my students when he was in elementary school.

And, a last favorite of mine -- I was playing with a vintage Fisher Price toy with one of the kids that I see for Early Intervention therapy. His Mom talked about what a cute toy it was and wondered how old it was. I flipped it over and read that it was made in 1983. She remarked, "Wow -- it's older than me!"