I became interested in cloth diapers for one simple reason: to save money. Benjamin was our third child and money was getting tight. One day, while browsing through the ads in the back of my baby magazine, I saw an offer for a free fitted diaper. It was a no-strings-attached offer. If it didn't work, I could send it back. The idea of trying any free baby product seemed fun to me. So I filled out the form and received my free fitted about a week later. There was a long list of instructions Continue Reading
How to Eat a Cupcake
Step One - Pull up a chair and get comfortable. Congratulate yourself for turning 2 years old. Step Two - Lean in, and inhale the cupcake. Step Three - Wear your icing and crumbs proudly. Happy birthday to all my March babies! Samuel turned 2, Benjamin turned 4 and Catherine reached a whopping 8! So what's the busiest birthday month in your house? Continue Reading
Tea Time With My Children
Tea time is something we like to do at least a couple of times a week. And no, this is not Buckingham Palace! Sometimes "tea time" just means cookies and juice. But quite often, the children and I do brew a pot of tea and have something fresh-baked from the oven. The idea is just to get together for a little bit of refreshment and conversation before the hustle and bustle of dinner preparations and Daddy's return from work each evening. After winning a prize package from Mountain Rose Herbs, Continue Reading
Women: Have You Ever Said “I Could Never Do That!”
things I've said this about and where I stand Baking Bread Cloth Diapering Making Our Own Clothes Having a Big Family On one hand, it's been popular in modern times to tell women "You can do anything!" and yet how many women respond to a challenge with the words "I could never do that!" Surely there has to be a balance between knowing our limitations and meeting new challenges. Quite often, when I tell someone that I have 5 children (update...now there are 6!), or that I home Continue Reading
Groceries for a Family of 7
Although our current grocery budget is low for a family of 7 compared to the national average, I'd still like to find ways of spending less than $480 per month. I know what we spend because we're on a budget that's written down each month. Yep, you may have guessed that my husband and I are working the Dave Ramsey plan, which is outlined in the Total Money Makeover book. That means all extra money gets piled onto debt until it is obliterated. In fact, we're both proud of what we've Continue Reading