An exhausting week.
After a spur-of-the-moment trip to a craft fair, all of my Christmas shopping is actually done. Well, not quite done for Clara, and I need to pick up some boring last minutey things, but yes, done. Done enough to mail off gifts that must be mailed, and that's exciting stuff.
And I have started the Christmas cards. Whew. That's always a big one for me and I like to get it started as quickly as possible. Last year I was not on the ball and was trying to mail Christmas cards too late into December to be able to send overseas. So far the total is 72, but I haven't done my mother's siblings and their children yet, and I still have several friends to collect addresses from. The grand total will be close to 90 I would think.
Christmas cards are a family ministry for us. I purchase our cards on sale after Christmas, collect addresses throughout the year, and fill them out with only our names (90 cards does not equal personal messages) and our family photo.
Our Christmas photo is taken by our lovely friend Laura. Every year I try to get two family pictures taken, one in early summer and another to send out with Christmas cards. You can imagine this would be ridiculously expensive if I actually paid for it, but fortunately for me I have talented friends with expensive cameras who are happy to work for cookies. (Our most recent picture was in June, and you can take a look at it in the About Us section of the blog, if you're curious.) I've got the children's outfits picked out for the picture, and my own. David and Samuel have been to get their hair cut. We've decided where the picture will be taken (spoiler: on the staircase) and decorated the bannister.
I also bought a roll of wrapping paper, and have started saving boxes. My goal is to have our cards completely ready to go, and the three parcels we need to send sent by Friday. Two packages to Ottawa and one to New Jersey.
Well, Advent is the season for preparation.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Children's Bible and Devotionals we use.
These are some of our devotional and Bible materials.
100 Ways to Know God Loves Me! (100 songs to love Him back) - by Stephen Elkins
Our favourite devotional for Samuel, who is two and a half years old, is this book by Elkins. It's a bit pricey at $20, but for that you get a hardcover book and 2 cds. On the left hand page is a full-colour illustration of a Biblical story or principle, and on the right page is a picture illustrating the same story but set in a modern time. There is an easy to remember Bible verse, a memory cue (ex. I know God loves me because he gives me a family), and a short paragraph that explains the story. It's a great jumping off point for a discussion, or simply a short 'something' to follow on days where there isn't a chance to delve any further. The cds have a song that matches with each story and have a great collection of both traditional and more modern hymns, all sung by children.
A Little Child's First Bible
This was Samuel's first Bible, and it's still the one we look at the most. I like the board book format because it stands up to a two year old boy's enthusiastic page flipping, and the stories are short and simple. I also like how it follows the Bible format, starting with Genesis and ending with the Easter story.
The Picture Bible
Both of the children have a copy of this Bible that the church gave them at their dedication. It's too old for Samuel right now, and probably won't be age-appropriate until he's about 8 or so and able to read comics, because that's the format it's in. I like the 1950's style illustrations, in fact we have a comic-style version of the life of Jesus for the children to use when they're older as well, but at this point Samuel only flips through it and points out pictures.
The Veggie Tales Values To Grow By Series
Samuel likes the Veggie Tales movies and these books have the same characters. They are aimed at a child older than Samuel, and so we do look through them but can't quite make it through an entire story at this point. They're printed by Scholastic, and are hardcover, large books with large print and the same bright illustrations that the movies have. Each story focuses on a specific character trait, like being dependable.
The Amazing Travels of Wannabe Series
Wannabe is a little boy who goes on adventures looking for a positive trait like kindness, courage or forgiveness, and finds them in the Lord. They're simple stories that appeal to the two to three year old age range.
Stories by Stephen Cosgrove
These are individual hardcover stories published in the 80s, and each book tells a story that ends with a rhyme that explains the lesson behind the story. They aren't specifically Christian, but we really like them. Some of the lessons are about hard work, not showing off, taking care of the environment, being true to yourself and listening.
I Love to Look! by Gospel Light's Baby Beginnings
These are Bible story picture cards in a book format. Each card is laminated and on the front has a story picture, and on the back gives a story, a verse, a prayer, references, ideas on how to talk about the story and a game that illustrates the story. We haven't tried using them yet, but I'm hoping to use them as a way to reach both children at their own levels at the same time.
100 Ways to Know God Loves Me! (100 songs to love Him back) - by Stephen Elkins
Our favourite devotional for Samuel, who is two and a half years old, is this book by Elkins. It's a bit pricey at $20, but for that you get a hardcover book and 2 cds. On the left hand page is a full-colour illustration of a Biblical story or principle, and on the right page is a picture illustrating the same story but set in a modern time. There is an easy to remember Bible verse, a memory cue (ex. I know God loves me because he gives me a family), and a short paragraph that explains the story. It's a great jumping off point for a discussion, or simply a short 'something' to follow on days where there isn't a chance to delve any further. The cds have a song that matches with each story and have a great collection of both traditional and more modern hymns, all sung by children.
A Little Child's First Bible
This was Samuel's first Bible, and it's still the one we look at the most. I like the board book format because it stands up to a two year old boy's enthusiastic page flipping, and the stories are short and simple. I also like how it follows the Bible format, starting with Genesis and ending with the Easter story.
The Picture Bible
Both of the children have a copy of this Bible that the church gave them at their dedication. It's too old for Samuel right now, and probably won't be age-appropriate until he's about 8 or so and able to read comics, because that's the format it's in. I like the 1950's style illustrations, in fact we have a comic-style version of the life of Jesus for the children to use when they're older as well, but at this point Samuel only flips through it and points out pictures.
The Veggie Tales Values To Grow By Series
Samuel likes the Veggie Tales movies and these books have the same characters. They are aimed at a child older than Samuel, and so we do look through them but can't quite make it through an entire story at this point. They're printed by Scholastic, and are hardcover, large books with large print and the same bright illustrations that the movies have. Each story focuses on a specific character trait, like being dependable.
The Amazing Travels of Wannabe Series
Wannabe is a little boy who goes on adventures looking for a positive trait like kindness, courage or forgiveness, and finds them in the Lord. They're simple stories that appeal to the two to three year old age range.
Stories by Stephen Cosgrove
These are individual hardcover stories published in the 80s, and each book tells a story that ends with a rhyme that explains the lesson behind the story. They aren't specifically Christian, but we really like them. Some of the lessons are about hard work, not showing off, taking care of the environment, being true to yourself and listening.
I Love to Look! by Gospel Light's Baby Beginnings
These are Bible story picture cards in a book format. Each card is laminated and on the front has a story picture, and on the back gives a story, a verse, a prayer, references, ideas on how to talk about the story and a game that illustrates the story. We haven't tried using them yet, but I'm hoping to use them as a way to reach both children at their own levels at the same time.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Seven Quick Takes
1. I somehow agreed to do a Jesse tree ornament exchange thingy and finally finally got my ornaments sent off this morning, via airmail, to Illinois. Hallelujah.
2. Now I have to focus 100% on my Advent exchange thing. Oh my gosh. Once this is done that's IT.
3. Well, no, it isn't actually. Because I applied to take over the Local Area Co-Ordinator position for Operation Christmas Child. And I want to do it, I do, but man...I have to fill out an application and do an interview and...
4. Oh yeah, because I'm a masochist I also have been considering applying to become a La Leche League Leader. Another thing I super really absolutely want to do but...
5. Seriously? And Christmas is coming of course. But my gifts are not at all ready to go.
6. Which is a problem because we have guests coming for Christmas. And the other gifts need to be purchased, wrapped and mailed.
7. Which would explain why I am waking up in a cold sweat of panic in the night.
New rule. I'm not doing anything else.
Now go see Jen while I freak out over here.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
November 18th
Whilst washing my hair in the sink this morning I started thinking about church, and that got me thinking about the potluck after church today, and that train of thought led me over the hill of self-pity that I had to feed two children solo since David works, before it pulled into the station of social conventions.
Which is a convoluted way of saying that I wonder just how inadequate my offering of chocolate chip cookies is. I was always told that the potluck rule is to bring as much food as your family would eat, because the idea is to switch foods, not eat something someone else brought. And I know that everyone always says "Oh don't worry there's always lots of food" but honestly someone has to bring this food of which there is lots. Today, though, it isn't going to be me. Last month's potluck saw me bring some sort of casserole thing, I think, and I feel like you should be able to switch between bringing a lot and bringing a little food. This month is chocolate chip cookies. It is what it is.
Plus, I saw you wince there when I said I was washing my hair in the sink. I'll have you know that if I leave my two children to fend for themselves for the amount of time it would take me to have an actual shower, they will destroy something. And cry a lot. And no I don't want to bring the baby into the bathroom in her carseat so don't suggest that. And no the toddler won't sit and talk to me while I'm in there either. And don't suggest that I shower at night, either, because if I go to bed with wet hair I wake up looking like...well, let's just say I couldn't go out in public without a hat. And no, I don't own a hair dryer.
Plus, washing your hair in the sink is so nice because the water is close to your scalp and you get a little massage.
I'll leave you with two more things to ponder.
1) Could I make a play kitchen out of a television hutch as easily as everyone says I can. 'Everyone' being, of course, Pinterest.
2) Is making gourmet baby food a hipster thing to do? Or is it a very hipster thing to do?
Which is a convoluted way of saying that I wonder just how inadequate my offering of chocolate chip cookies is. I was always told that the potluck rule is to bring as much food as your family would eat, because the idea is to switch foods, not eat something someone else brought. And I know that everyone always says "Oh don't worry there's always lots of food" but honestly someone has to bring this food of which there is lots. Today, though, it isn't going to be me. Last month's potluck saw me bring some sort of casserole thing, I think, and I feel like you should be able to switch between bringing a lot and bringing a little food. This month is chocolate chip cookies. It is what it is.
Plus, I saw you wince there when I said I was washing my hair in the sink. I'll have you know that if I leave my two children to fend for themselves for the amount of time it would take me to have an actual shower, they will destroy something. And cry a lot. And no I don't want to bring the baby into the bathroom in her carseat so don't suggest that. And no the toddler won't sit and talk to me while I'm in there either. And don't suggest that I shower at night, either, because if I go to bed with wet hair I wake up looking like...well, let's just say I couldn't go out in public without a hat. And no, I don't own a hair dryer.
Plus, washing your hair in the sink is so nice because the water is close to your scalp and you get a little massage.
I'll leave you with two more things to ponder.
1) Could I make a play kitchen out of a television hutch as easily as everyone says I can. 'Everyone' being, of course, Pinterest.
2) Is making gourmet baby food a hipster thing to do? Or is it a very hipster thing to do?
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Chemical Pie
I made a 'mock apple' pie today. I am officially the anti-June Cleaver. It's all David's fault, really, because he said he'd made one once and that it actually tasted like apple pie.
It couldn't be true that this weird concoction of ingredients that included Ritz crackers, cream of tartar and sugar would somehow become 'apple pie'. Anyway, I made it. It doesn't LOOK like apple pie, but strangely it does taste quite a bit like it. If you can get over the sensation of eating Ritz crackers soaked in syrup.
I'm not posting the link. Google 'Chemical Pie' and 'All Recipes' yourself. It's just too close to a sign of the apocalypse for me.
Now if you're thinking "Good heavens, Amy! Chemical Pie? Do you not have any groceries, woman?" then it might not surprise you to know that today's big outing was to Le Grocery Store. I was trying to stick to my list, but got so easily sidetracked by such things as a giant vat of pickled beef navels (did not buy), and pre-made chocolate cookie dough on sale (did buy). I always seem to spend about $50 when I go to the store regardless of what I get; I wonder why this is? I just sort of wander through the aisles looking at stuff, partially because a childless outing is a Really Big Deal for me, and partially because I already know what I need to buy because I buy pretty much the same type of stuff over and over again. I always buy canned tomatoes. I always buy fruit. I always buy sour cream. Etc.
Maybe I'm predictable?
It's only taken me two and a half years to realize that if I go grocery shopping, and then I arrive home and it's supper time but I have not prepared supper, life goes down the toilet quite briskly. So today I made a pot roast in the slow cooker so that I could just come home, cheerily call out "come to the table, my dearest ones!" and eat. In my dreams. In reality supper is rather like feeding a zoo over here. I did get to eat the pot roast and vegetables, but only after nursing the baby to sleep, fielding a phone call, and nursing the baby back to sleep.
And tomorrow is a pot luck at the church. My intention had been to make a key lime pie. But I'm sick and I'm grouchy and tired. I want to sit on the sofa with my husband and drink a lot of tea and grouse about stuff and then go to bed. So instead I'm making cookies and calling it even; sometimes you're the baseball and sometimes you're the bat, you know?
Anyway, I'm going to go drink that tea. And have myself a pickled beef navel. Just kidding.
It couldn't be true that this weird concoction of ingredients that included Ritz crackers, cream of tartar and sugar would somehow become 'apple pie'. Anyway, I made it. It doesn't LOOK like apple pie, but strangely it does taste quite a bit like it. If you can get over the sensation of eating Ritz crackers soaked in syrup.
I'm not posting the link. Google 'Chemical Pie' and 'All Recipes' yourself. It's just too close to a sign of the apocalypse for me.
Now if you're thinking "Good heavens, Amy! Chemical Pie? Do you not have any groceries, woman?" then it might not surprise you to know that today's big outing was to Le Grocery Store. I was trying to stick to my list, but got so easily sidetracked by such things as a giant vat of pickled beef navels (did not buy), and pre-made chocolate cookie dough on sale (did buy). I always seem to spend about $50 when I go to the store regardless of what I get; I wonder why this is? I just sort of wander through the aisles looking at stuff, partially because a childless outing is a Really Big Deal for me, and partially because I already know what I need to buy because I buy pretty much the same type of stuff over and over again. I always buy canned tomatoes. I always buy fruit. I always buy sour cream. Etc.
Maybe I'm predictable?
It's only taken me two and a half years to realize that if I go grocery shopping, and then I arrive home and it's supper time but I have not prepared supper, life goes down the toilet quite briskly. So today I made a pot roast in the slow cooker so that I could just come home, cheerily call out "come to the table, my dearest ones!" and eat. In my dreams. In reality supper is rather like feeding a zoo over here. I did get to eat the pot roast and vegetables, but only after nursing the baby to sleep, fielding a phone call, and nursing the baby back to sleep.
And tomorrow is a pot luck at the church. My intention had been to make a key lime pie. But I'm sick and I'm grouchy and tired. I want to sit on the sofa with my husband and drink a lot of tea and grouse about stuff and then go to bed. So instead I'm making cookies and calling it even; sometimes you're the baseball and sometimes you're the bat, you know?
Anyway, I'm going to go drink that tea. And have myself a pickled beef navel. Just kidding.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Hurricane Parenting.
There's a Max Lucado story that I find illustrates this time of my life so well. It goes something like this:
Three men own a yacht, which they have docked in a small bay. One day they hear that a hurricane is headed their way, and they begin to discuss ways to save their boat. They come up with all sorts of plans that involve tying the boat to things, even sinking it, but then an old sea-farer tells them this: "If you want to save your boat there's only one thing to do. Take her out to deeper waters and anchor her down. The winds may toss and turn her, but the anchor holds fast and when the storm has passed, she will have survived."
The analogy is, of course, that the tossed boat is us, the storm is life, and the anchor is Christ. If you hold fast to Him, then storms come and go, but you will remain.
Frankly, on days like today, 'hurricane parenting' days, I need to hear this over and over again.
Three men own a yacht, which they have docked in a small bay. One day they hear that a hurricane is headed their way, and they begin to discuss ways to save their boat. They come up with all sorts of plans that involve tying the boat to things, even sinking it, but then an old sea-farer tells them this: "If you want to save your boat there's only one thing to do. Take her out to deeper waters and anchor her down. The winds may toss and turn her, but the anchor holds fast and when the storm has passed, she will have survived."
The analogy is, of course, that the tossed boat is us, the storm is life, and the anchor is Christ. If you hold fast to Him, then storms come and go, but you will remain.
Frankly, on days like today, 'hurricane parenting' days, I need to hear this over and over again.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
This week
Looking back over the week, here's what I've done to keep up the frugal vibe - easy things, things YOU are probably doing, or have done in the past, or even could start doing. Today, if you wanted to. It would save you money.
- I've adjusted my fridge temperature to a slightly warmer setting. We don't really open our fridge all that much, and so I'm not particularly concerned about food temperature safety, and my milk is still very cold when I go to use it, so the warmer temperature saves pennies and does the job at the same time.
- Washed my dishes IN the sink of dishwater rather than under running water.
- Washed out my Ziploc bags and reused them. I hang mine on the clothesline to dry, which one of my friends teases me about. I may look a bit dorky, but I have clean bags!!
- Made my own baby food. This week it was applesauce, pumpkin and squash purees. Next week I think I may start mixing more flavours.
- Haven't turned on the heat yet! Well, there were two nights I turned the heat on low in the bedrooms and shut the doors, but when the temperatures came up above zero again, the heat went off. I'm sticking to my 'no heat until December 1st' goal.
- Made whole wheat bread and slow cooker broth.
- Used freezer food in several meals. Zucchini, bread, pumpkin and cauliflower purees, bones for stock...
- Ordered a freezer meat pack (saves us about $50) and a large vegetable pack (probably saves at least $30).
- Tried new foods on sale, including organic couscous, organic brown rice and organic sour cream. I always always always check the organic aisle for sales first; on sale it's often cheaper than the regular counterpart.
- Used low cost make at home cleaner for deep-cleaning the upstairs bathroom today. (1/2 cup white vinegar heated in the microwave. Stir in 1/2 cup dish detergent. Spray on surfaces, wait 15-30 minutes, wipe off)
- Organized my fabric stash. All of the 'odds and ends' that were too small for any practical purpose got put together in a bag. As I have time, I've been sewing them together in a patchwork effect. I'm not entirely sure what I'll do with the resulting crazy quilt style piece of fabric, but waste not, want not!
- Saved the juice from the vegetables I've used this week to make alphabet soup in a few days. I finally found alphabet pasta and I can't wait to make vegetable soup on a cold day.
- Double checked my grocery bill and discovered a discrepancy of almost $3.
- Vacuumed out the inside of my dryer, especially around the engine, to increase efficiency.
And things I haven't done very well at...
- An unexpected vet visit that set us back quite a bit.
- Several rainy and cold days that made hanging out laundry next to impossible.
- A week that involved having to wash all the bedding in the house, including the pillows.
- Several 'oops' purchases at the store, just unnecessary things I didn't remember we had at home, like jam.
- Forgetting the green beans I bought on sale and having to toss them out.
Plans for the coming week, frugal wise...
I have a busy week coming and I'm determined to do well on the frugal front.
- I want to ask our landlady how to turn down the temperature on the water heater. Our water is scalding hot out of the tap, and I'm sure the heater can be turned down.
- I want to string a clothesline in the basement. Combined with the drying rack this should be able to handle a load of laundry.
- I want to steam and puree the final two pumpkins and get them in the freezer.
- I have some homemade Advent exchange gifts to get done, and I'll need to borrow some tools and a glue gun from our neighbour.
- Waiting for the flyers for this week and sincerely hoping someone has a good deal on eggs!
What about you? Are you doing anything frugal right now?
- I've adjusted my fridge temperature to a slightly warmer setting. We don't really open our fridge all that much, and so I'm not particularly concerned about food temperature safety, and my milk is still very cold when I go to use it, so the warmer temperature saves pennies and does the job at the same time.
- Washed my dishes IN the sink of dishwater rather than under running water.
- Washed out my Ziploc bags and reused them. I hang mine on the clothesline to dry, which one of my friends teases me about. I may look a bit dorky, but I have clean bags!!
- Made my own baby food. This week it was applesauce, pumpkin and squash purees. Next week I think I may start mixing more flavours.
- Haven't turned on the heat yet! Well, there were two nights I turned the heat on low in the bedrooms and shut the doors, but when the temperatures came up above zero again, the heat went off. I'm sticking to my 'no heat until December 1st' goal.
- Made whole wheat bread and slow cooker broth.
- Used freezer food in several meals. Zucchini, bread, pumpkin and cauliflower purees, bones for stock...
- Ordered a freezer meat pack (saves us about $50) and a large vegetable pack (probably saves at least $30).
- Tried new foods on sale, including organic couscous, organic brown rice and organic sour cream. I always always always check the organic aisle for sales first; on sale it's often cheaper than the regular counterpart.
- Used low cost make at home cleaner for deep-cleaning the upstairs bathroom today. (1/2 cup white vinegar heated in the microwave. Stir in 1/2 cup dish detergent. Spray on surfaces, wait 15-30 minutes, wipe off)
- Organized my fabric stash. All of the 'odds and ends' that were too small for any practical purpose got put together in a bag. As I have time, I've been sewing them together in a patchwork effect. I'm not entirely sure what I'll do with the resulting crazy quilt style piece of fabric, but waste not, want not!
- Saved the juice from the vegetables I've used this week to make alphabet soup in a few days. I finally found alphabet pasta and I can't wait to make vegetable soup on a cold day.
- Double checked my grocery bill and discovered a discrepancy of almost $3.
- Vacuumed out the inside of my dryer, especially around the engine, to increase efficiency.
And things I haven't done very well at...
- An unexpected vet visit that set us back quite a bit.
- Several rainy and cold days that made hanging out laundry next to impossible.
- A week that involved having to wash all the bedding in the house, including the pillows.
- Several 'oops' purchases at the store, just unnecessary things I didn't remember we had at home, like jam.
- Forgetting the green beans I bought on sale and having to toss them out.
Plans for the coming week, frugal wise...
I have a busy week coming and I'm determined to do well on the frugal front.
- I want to ask our landlady how to turn down the temperature on the water heater. Our water is scalding hot out of the tap, and I'm sure the heater can be turned down.
- I want to string a clothesline in the basement. Combined with the drying rack this should be able to handle a load of laundry.
- I want to steam and puree the final two pumpkins and get them in the freezer.
- I have some homemade Advent exchange gifts to get done, and I'll need to borrow some tools and a glue gun from our neighbour.
- Waiting for the flyers for this week and sincerely hoping someone has a good deal on eggs!
What about you? Are you doing anything frugal right now?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)