Eight is great!
One, our parenting journey had just begun.
With two our home had more blue.
Three? Yippee!
Four was certainly no bore.
Five brought such joy to our busy hive.
Six brought us another pink fix.
Seven was an answer from heaven.
Eight? Oh this will be great!
Please join us in our excitement as we anticipate the birth of our eighth baby mid-October.
This was the little poem I sent out to family this past week announcing that our eight baby is on its way! We are so excited, but I'm struggling through morning sickness as usual. I am so thankful for The Body of Christ during this time, we've been blessed with wonderful meals and so much help making this time much more bearable than usual.
Things will be quite slow around here for the next few weeks.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Swap (large family finances)
Every family has stuff around that they don't need, and also needs that must be filled. The saying "One man's junk is another man's treasure" is what a Swap is all about. When de-cluttering, switching out clothes for the season, or just moving on to other things/places; being able to bless others you know is always nice. The church we've been attending does about six swaps a year and they are such a blessing!
Swap basics- First you'll need a group to do your swap with. Our regular group is our church, but we've also done one with a homeschool group (these have all been organized by others in our groups, but I'm looking forward to being able to put them together at our next assignment). I'm sure there are plenty of other groups that this could work with. This is part of being a community, part of the body of Christ; caring for one another and sharing our blessings/burdens.
Next you'll need a space for this. A large open space with lots of tables (labeled by category) is very nice but this can easily be done in a home as well.
Some guidelines are helpful.
- At our church swap everyone is welcome to choose things, even if they didn't bring anything. You will need to decide for your group how you would want to do this.
-What to bring? Anything can be brought as long as it is in good working condition (though our boys are THRILLED with broken electronics to take appart, a note on them is a good idea). Clothes with no stains or holes are great. Toys, games, books, and puzzles are fun. Household items, craft supplies, decor and tools can be a wonderful blessing. Baby gear is often very lightly used and has much life in it when you are done, bless someone else with it! Furniture, bikes and other large items can really be a blessing, but it may be a good idea to send out an e-mail to the group with a picture to find out if anyone wants it before going through the effort of bringing it or make sure that the person responsible for the leftovers is willing to deal with it. Livestock has been joked about at our swap...
-Set up. Label tables/areas with categories such as baby, little girls, big girls, little boys, big boys, men, women, toys, books, household, shoes, etc...
-Order of picking needs to be determined. You could give numbers in the order that people RSVP'd or arrived at the swap, or just not worry about it.
- Kids have fun at a swap too, but should wait until the adults have all had the chance to look over everything and have grabbed what they need. Kids should be reminded that they need to check with parents before claiming anything.
-What to do with the leftovers? There are always plenty of great leftovers at the swaps. Sometimes they just don't fill a need of those who are there, but could truly bless someone else. There are many ministries, charities, and groups that are happy to take such things. Make sure that you make arrangements ahead of time especially if it is a smaller organization.
Swap basics- First you'll need a group to do your swap with. Our regular group is our church, but we've also done one with a homeschool group (these have all been organized by others in our groups, but I'm looking forward to being able to put them together at our next assignment). I'm sure there are plenty of other groups that this could work with. This is part of being a community, part of the body of Christ; caring for one another and sharing our blessings/burdens.
Next you'll need a space for this. A large open space with lots of tables (labeled by category) is very nice but this can easily be done in a home as well.
Some guidelines are helpful.
- At our church swap everyone is welcome to choose things, even if they didn't bring anything. You will need to decide for your group how you would want to do this.
-What to bring? Anything can be brought as long as it is in good working condition (though our boys are THRILLED with broken electronics to take appart, a note on them is a good idea). Clothes with no stains or holes are great. Toys, games, books, and puzzles are fun. Household items, craft supplies, decor and tools can be a wonderful blessing. Baby gear is often very lightly used and has much life in it when you are done, bless someone else with it! Furniture, bikes and other large items can really be a blessing, but it may be a good idea to send out an e-mail to the group with a picture to find out if anyone wants it before going through the effort of bringing it or make sure that the person responsible for the leftovers is willing to deal with it. Livestock has been joked about at our swap...
-Set up. Label tables/areas with categories such as baby, little girls, big girls, little boys, big boys, men, women, toys, books, household, shoes, etc...
-Order of picking needs to be determined. You could give numbers in the order that people RSVP'd or arrived at the swap, or just not worry about it.
- Kids have fun at a swap too, but should wait until the adults have all had the chance to look over everything and have grabbed what they need. Kids should be reminded that they need to check with parents before claiming anything.
-What to do with the leftovers? There are always plenty of great leftovers at the swaps. Sometimes they just don't fill a need of those who are there, but could truly bless someone else. There are many ministries, charities, and groups that are happy to take such things. Make sure that you make arrangements ahead of time especially if it is a smaller organization.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Links I love
I enjoyed reading this article on not only our nations falling fertility rate, but the world as a whole. I'm happy to be doing my part to keep the rate from falling even lower. ;)
Worried about my (or any other) naive homeschoolers heading out into the world and not knowing how to cope? This post is a bit long, but it is wonderfully written and explains very well why we think homeschooling is best for our kids (though I did NOT write it).
I enjoyed reading through the entire blog The year of less recently. Not surprisingly a blog about de-cluttering and a minimalist life did not take too long to read. As it turned out, while the writer was simplifying she found that one of the things that was taking up too much time, and taking away from her family, was the blog. I really liked many of the posts, but one of my favorites was this one; I thought that numbers 10, 11 and 12 were especially good.
Worried about my (or any other) naive homeschoolers heading out into the world and not knowing how to cope? This post is a bit long, but it is wonderfully written and explains very well why we think homeschooling is best for our kids (though I did NOT write it).
I enjoyed reading through the entire blog The year of less recently. Not surprisingly a blog about de-cluttering and a minimalist life did not take too long to read. As it turned out, while the writer was simplifying she found that one of the things that was taking up too much time, and taking away from her family, was the blog. I really liked many of the posts, but one of my favorites was this one; I thought that numbers 10, 11 and 12 were especially good.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Healthy eating- getting the junk food out (Lent)
One of my goals for this year was to work on healthier eating. We've been letting too much junk in, to help us get it all out of our systems we've got a plan for Lent. Healthier eating is not just good for our bodies, it can help clear the mind and can even be better on the pocket book (healthier can mean less medical expenses, and I find that when I'm eating whole foods my body just feels more satisfied ).
No wheat- while we are not cutting out all grains, wheat (in the form of white flour) is in so much of the "junk" be bring into the house. This (wheat) is also something we are phasing out, or keeping to a minimum for medical reasons. For this period of time we are going to get it all our of our systems. Oatmeal will be our main grain as well as some quinoa and a bit of brown rice.
No refined sugars- This will easily cut out the rest of the junk. No white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and (as always) no artificial sweeteners. What will we be using? We will mostly be using honey, maple syrup, and some stevia.
Dye free- We have been moving to no artificial colors, we will get all of it out of the house after Mardi Gras and then keep it out!
What will we be eating? I find that when taking something away it is very helpful to focus on what we CAN have and even add in some new alternatives.
For breakfast we will be having baked oatmeal, eggs, some bacon and maybe sausage. We may even try some yummy baked goods like doughnuts and cinnamon rolls. This looked like a fun breakfast too.
Lunches are fairly easy; the kids have a favorite bean dish we will have regularly. I've made quite the stash of crackers including graham crackers (a huge hit), club crackers (enjoyed by most), herb crackers (YUM! I love these; the recipe is found in this book), and coconut crackers (good, but need to be cooked until crunchy next time). We will add in fruits, veggies, cheese, and salami for some tasty lunches that are a hit with my kids.
Feeling bad for my poor kids? Don't. I've got plenty of goodies planned for this time including (but not limited to)....
Vanilla bean cake, brownies, honey "caramel" corn, and homemade Hazelnut spread(nutella) pictured to the right.
I'll be posting on my family blog about our Valentine's day treats as well as St. Patrick's day. Head on over there to see what I come up with.
Some of my favorite (on line) resources for healthy but "normal" recipes are...
Deliciously Organic
Spunky Coconut
Elana's Pantry
What about you? Are you making some changes to how your family is eating? What are you doing? What are some of your favorite resources? What are you doing to make this fun and help you stick to your plans?
No wheat- while we are not cutting out all grains, wheat (in the form of white flour) is in so much of the "junk" be bring into the house. This (wheat) is also something we are phasing out, or keeping to a minimum for medical reasons. For this period of time we are going to get it all our of our systems. Oatmeal will be our main grain as well as some quinoa and a bit of brown rice.
No refined sugars- This will easily cut out the rest of the junk. No white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and (as always) no artificial sweeteners. What will we be using? We will mostly be using honey, maple syrup, and some stevia.
Dye free- We have been moving to no artificial colors, we will get all of it out of the house after Mardi Gras and then keep it out!
What will we be eating? I find that when taking something away it is very helpful to focus on what we CAN have and even add in some new alternatives.
For breakfast we will be having baked oatmeal, eggs, some bacon and maybe sausage. We may even try some yummy baked goods like doughnuts and cinnamon rolls. This looked like a fun breakfast too.
Lunches are fairly easy; the kids have a favorite bean dish we will have regularly. I've made quite the stash of crackers including graham crackers (a huge hit), club crackers (enjoyed by most), herb crackers (YUM! I love these; the recipe is found in this book), and coconut crackers (good, but need to be cooked until crunchy next time). We will add in fruits, veggies, cheese, and salami for some tasty lunches that are a hit with my kids.
Vanilla bean cake, brownies, honey "caramel" corn, and homemade Hazelnut spread(nutella) pictured to the right.
I'll be posting on my family blog about our Valentine's day treats as well as St. Patrick's day. Head on over there to see what I come up with.
Some of my favorite (on line) resources for healthy but "normal" recipes are...
Deliciously Organic
Elana's Pantry
What about you? Are you making some changes to how your family is eating? What are you doing? What are some of your favorite resources? What are you doing to make this fun and help you stick to your plans?
Monday, January 28, 2013
links I love
I just read this post on brave moms and brave kids. It was so right on. While there is a time to be protective and sheltering it is so important to let go (and be brave moms) so that our children can learn to be brave and learn to live a life for God!
This post (part way down you get to the part about raising a family on one income) from Raising Olives was such an inspiration to me as I learn to be a better steward of what God gives me and to rely on Him more. I love the reminder of how very blessed we are and that so many things we have are truly luxuries.
This post (part way down you get to the part about raising a family on one income) from Raising Olives was such an inspiration to me as I learn to be a better steward of what God gives me and to rely on Him more. I love the reminder of how very blessed we are and that so many things we have are truly luxuries.
Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 1 Timothy 6:8
Here is another great one on Large Family Finances and living debt free. It really is about lifestyle and expectations.
Following that thread I found this short sermon by Paul Washer very convicting and encouraging.
Following that thread I found this short sermon by Paul Washer very convicting and encouraging.
The Slavery of Serving Worldliness
Friday, January 18, 2013
Managing that laundry pile
Do you struggle with laundry? Have you lost small children under the piles in your home?
Laundry is a never ending job in every home, but all the more so in a large family home. Our laundry and clothing management strategies have changed over the years, and there are so many ways to make it work. I'll share what is working for us right now, and I'd love to hear what you are doing too.
-Cutting back on the clothing is a great first step in keeping the laundry under control. We make sure everyone has 2-3 sets of every day clothes as well as an "errand day outfit" (which also works as a back up for Sundays) and a Sunday outfit. This is really all they need along with the basics of socks, underwear and 2-3 sets of PJs.
-Only wash what is dirty! Don't let your kids (or yourself) get in the habit of throwing clothes in the hamper just because they have been worn. Teach them to take a look at their clothes (and maybe a smell) to see if they really do need to be washed. Teach the kids to hang up their Sunday/Errand day clothes as soon as they get home so they don't dirty them (this not only makes the laundry pile smaller, but cuts back on the ironing too!).
-Schedule your laundry days. Using the above two steps you should have reduced the amount of laundry needing to be washed. Now just schedule two or three days to run a couple of loads of laundry. With everyone helping to start, move on, and then put away the laundry it will be a quick and easy job. You will still need to run some loads of sheets and towels (and maybe some cloth diapers too? We do!), but that should be about it!
-A family closet can help keep things organized and in one central location. I had always thought we would need a whole room for this, but with a little thought and creativity we've made this space in our laundry room work well for us. It also helps us remember not to bring too much into the home since we can see everyday that the space is limited. We may not do this long term, but for now it is working out well.
That is what works for us. What works for you right now?
I've posted about managing laundry before, check out this post too!
Laundry is a never ending job in every home, but all the more so in a large family home. Our laundry and clothing management strategies have changed over the years, and there are so many ways to make it work. I'll share what is working for us right now, and I'd love to hear what you are doing too.
-Cutting back on the clothing is a great first step in keeping the laundry under control. We make sure everyone has 2-3 sets of every day clothes as well as an "errand day outfit" (which also works as a back up for Sundays) and a Sunday outfit. This is really all they need along with the basics of socks, underwear and 2-3 sets of PJs.
-Only wash what is dirty! Don't let your kids (or yourself) get in the habit of throwing clothes in the hamper just because they have been worn. Teach them to take a look at their clothes (and maybe a smell) to see if they really do need to be washed. Teach the kids to hang up their Sunday/Errand day clothes as soon as they get home so they don't dirty them (this not only makes the laundry pile smaller, but cuts back on the ironing too!).
-Schedule your laundry days. Using the above two steps you should have reduced the amount of laundry needing to be washed. Now just schedule two or three days to run a couple of loads of laundry. With everyone helping to start, move on, and then put away the laundry it will be a quick and easy job. You will still need to run some loads of sheets and towels (and maybe some cloth diapers too? We do!), but that should be about it!
-A family closet can help keep things organized and in one central location. I had always thought we would need a whole room for this, but with a little thought and creativity we've made this space in our laundry room work well for us. It also helps us remember not to bring too much into the home since we can see everyday that the space is limited. We may not do this long term, but for now it is working out well.
That is what works for us. What works for you right now?
Friday, January 4, 2013
Time to clean out the pantry/refrigerator/freezer!
The start of a new year is a good time to get a fresh start in the kitchen. Doing a pantry challenge can help you de-clutter (get rid of the junk or odds and ends) and help get back to your budget (after it was busted with the holidays). The goal is to eat what you have and purchase as little as possible, this will require some creativity. I'd like to spend half of my regular budget this month. I'm not sure I can do it, but I'll give it a go.
First I looked through my cupboards ignoring the recently purchased/staple items. I found quite a bit to work with. The black bean humus had sounded good, but I just never got to it, I think we will have it for lunch with some veggies. The bags of caramels will be turned into some yummy candy bars with the help of some other staples. I found a couple of packages of tortillas, it kind of scares me that they still seem to be good despite being purchased well over a month ago.
Then I went through my freezers (I have three), since one is mostly full of the 1/2 a cow we purchased 4 months ago most of that freezer needed to stay put. The other two produced this and a bit more on the second go round (including a large turkey and a ham)....
I found several small containers of chili that were intended to be lunch for my hubby. :/ We will make a dinner out of them and some corn bread. A bag of pot stickers that should have gone with our Costco Chinese food was found, that will be a lunch. I had forgotten about the yummy Mozzarella and garlic sausages. It seems that we have a pea lover in the family (not me), but I'm always forgetting to get them out. We will work our way through them this month.
Are you going to do a pantry challenge too? If so, what sort of goal are you setting for this challenge? What did you find in your pantry? Anything of note?
First I looked through my cupboards ignoring the recently purchased/staple items. I found quite a bit to work with. The black bean humus had sounded good, but I just never got to it, I think we will have it for lunch with some veggies. The bags of caramels will be turned into some yummy candy bars with the help of some other staples. I found a couple of packages of tortillas, it kind of scares me that they still seem to be good despite being purchased well over a month ago.
Then I went through my freezers (I have three), since one is mostly full of the 1/2 a cow we purchased 4 months ago most of that freezer needed to stay put. The other two produced this and a bit more on the second go round (including a large turkey and a ham)....
I found several small containers of chili that were intended to be lunch for my hubby. :/ We will make a dinner out of them and some corn bread. A bag of pot stickers that should have gone with our Costco Chinese food was found, that will be a lunch. I had forgotten about the yummy Mozzarella and garlic sausages. It seems that we have a pea lover in the family (not me), but I'm always forgetting to get them out. We will work our way through them this month.
Are you going to do a pantry challenge too? If so, what sort of goal are you setting for this challenge? What did you find in your pantry? Anything of note?
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