Our Christmas Village

Scott and I began painting miniture buildings for our Christmas village when we were first married. He started the first one by painting the church. Then I got involved. A couple of our buildings are totally complete and we haven't been able to put time into painting in several years with young kids around. Someday, we'll continue. I think it would be neat to have a big village to set up every year.


Here's a photo of our village in it's new home this year. I'm hoping by putting it up a bit higher, Josh will leave it along. I love how it is on different levels though.


Here's the higher level closer up. I call it the village town. On the left is the department store. On the right, there's the church and hospital. I placed an angel that Scott painted next to the church. She's holding a kitty that is painted to look like our first, and most beloved, cat. She looks up towards the top of the tree. The tree is one of those mini table top ones that stands about 18 inches high. It has white lights and a little gold star garland. I have mini ornaments for it too but we haven't gotten to that box yet. The miniture train came from Burger King back when Anastasia came out in the theaters.


This is the village neighborhood. Here you'll find the lavendar coffee house with the gas station in front of it, the green victorian, the blue farmhouse complete with an old model car, and the barn. I place a cute snowman threesome near the house to suggest someone was out building them. Linus is sledding down the hill.

I love our village. Like I said, I hope to have a much larger one some day with lots more trees and landscape.

Our School Room

A couple of weeks ago (November 7th to be exact) Heart of the Matter had a Friday meme asking us homeschoolers to post about our school rooms. Well, I promised photos to someone and it has taken me this long to clean up the school room to be able to post the photos.



To prove that I'm not perfect, I thought I'd post a before photo. Actually, this photo was after I had already gotten about half of the cleaning done in there as I didn't think to take one when I had started. This room has been unusable for several months now.


Here is our school room today. I finally finished it. Sammy is excited to be able to do school in the school room again. LOL

The shelves in the back hold everything. In those shelves you can find my scrapbooking supplies, curriculum and teacher's manuals, my home office, school supplies, our current school work and projects, games, my knitting/crochet stuff, arts/craft supplies, our color printer (plugged in only we I need it), the dog's crate, and Josh's buggy. It truly is a multi-purpose room.


Here's the wall to the right. It has our maps and a giant white board on it. Rolled up above everything is our Konos time line we hardly ever use. It's a pain to unroll but we don't have room to have it out permanently either. That door is our coat closet.


Here's the other wall. It's almost entirely windows. The shelves hold some reference books, nonfiction videos, library books, baby/toddler/picture books, and coloring books. We got rid of almost our entire collection of books in favor of an ever changing library shelf. We just don't have the room to be storing a lot of books.

Hair Cuts

The boys wanted hair cuts today so we got the clippers out.


Sammy was first up. This is an older photo but he still looks the same. He loves this hair cut.

Josh went next. I cut his hair 1/2 inch length so it looks like a normal hair cut.


Then there is hubby. Normally, he keeps his hair a bit longer but today he decided to shave his to match Sammy's. Sammy is excited about it.

Black Friday

Can we listen to Christmas music yet? It is a question that I am always asked sometime in October. The answer is always the same, “No, not until the day of Thanksgiving.”

Every year, my kids look forward to the day after Thanksgiving with excitement. It is the day that Christmas begins. We pull the decorations out of the attic and spend the day decorating the tree and house. We listen to Christmas music, drink hot cocoa, and graze on leftover Thanksgiving treats. From this day on Christmas music, movies, and books come out to be enjoyed whenever anyone desires a taste of the season.

This day also reminds them of everything else that they look forward to during the Christmas season. In a few days, we’ll begin our annual Christmas countdown. Each day, a small decorated box will be opened revealing the memory of a prophecy fulfilled and a fun treat. It may be as simple as a quarter or a piece of chocolate or as exciting as a special family night out.

In a few days, we will also take the month off of school, preferring instead to focus on the season. We read Christmas books each day and share an annual favorite each evening. We will bake goodies, enjoy fun crafts together, and attend local plays and concerts. It is a whirlwind of celebration and fun.

This is what Black Friday means to my kids and why it is so special. It is the beginning.

photo by krisdecurtis @ flickr.com

Thanksgiving Breakfast

Yum!

Hide and Seek

The kids were playing hide and seek this evening.



I think someone needs a little more practice at hiding. What do you think?

More Hats

I posted a couple days ago about how I made booties for Mika and a hat for Sammy. Well, I have the crochet bug again. It's been two years since I picked up the crochet hook...and I'm enjoying having it in my hand again.


Since then, I've made a hat for Sammy's taekwondo instructor and another for Josh.

Winterfest at the Seattle Center

There is a ton of fun events going on all month long at the Seattle Center. There seems to be a little bit of everything. Depending on what day you go up there, you'll find just about any kind of music you can think of, cultural performances, dance, bonfires and storytelling, ice sculptures, ice skating, and tons more. Most of it is free, too.

Check out their calendar for details.

An Announcement That Some of You Already Know

If you follow me on twitter or read my husband's blog, you'll already know this but I figured it was about time I announce it officially since so many already know.

I'm pregnant.

This is the first time that I don't know exact dates. My cycles were still all messed up from my miscarriage. That means I was getting negative pregnancy tests after my period was due. I was really confused. Then, about five days late, I had some very light spotting which I thought was my period starting. When it still hadn't started three days after that, it occurred to me that perhaps it was implantation spotting so I tested again. Surprise, surprise! That one was positive.

So, based on last menstrual period, I'm due July 11. Based on the date of implantation bleeding, I think I'm due July 20 which puts me at 6 weeks today.

I'm not having a lot of symptoms yet. I've started to notice some mild nausea late in the evenings, a little fatigue, and extra trips to the bathroom. I'm expecting to start getting really nauseous and vomiting next week. Sometime after 7 weeks is when it started with Mika, Sammy, Josh, and Ethan. When I start getting really sick is when I feel like everything is going okay and I can relax about early miscarriage worries.

So...I'm still in the initial worry period.

Thanksgiving

So, what are you making tomorrow.

Our Thanksgiving includes just us but we still try to have all of the usual dishes. This year I'm leaving a few things out that no one really cares that much for anyway.

I'll be making...

Roast Turkey
Mashed Potatoes
Turkey Gravy
Macaroni & Cheese (Sammy's requested item)
Apple, Cranberry, Sausage Stuffing
Yams (for Scott only)
Corn
Homemade Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Fruit Salad (Mika's requested item)
Crab & Clam Cream Cheese Dip w/Crackers

Weekend Away and Homecoming

Josh and I had a nice weekend away. We painted. We colored. We played blocks, ball, chase, and horsed around. We watched Ice Age (of course) and Garfield. We listened to loud music and danced. Every time a song was over, Josh turned and demanded, "Mo, mo, mo," until another song started. We even tried out scissors for the first time.

Then there were the outdoor activities. We walked back and forth from our lodge to the dining room collecting a yee (leaf), a rock, or a stick every so often. We walked the lake and looked at the mushrooms but didn't touch. There were at least five varieties. We even went on a canoe ride. Josh hated the getting in and out part but loved the ride itself. We enjoyed spending time together.

The kids missed us. Josh missed the kids and daddy. We had a silly homecoming.



Mika decided to give herself freckles. Sammy wanted in on it.



So, did Josh. Aren't they cute?


Every time I'm gone, I try to bring the kids back a surprise. This time I crocheted little gifts for them. Mika's been wanting some slippers so that's what she got. She hasn't taken them off since she got them.



Sammy got a hat to keep his nearly bald head warm for the winter.

Then the kids all got involved in a light saber, pirate sword, and mega blaster fight with Daddy. Right before this photo, Josh was handing the blue light saber like an old pro. Then Daddy swooped in to save him.

I think everyone was in a good mood with everyone back together again.

See You Later

Twice a year, I leave my family behind and take off on a four day retreat with friends. It's a time to unwind, relax, and not worry about washing dishes, doing laundry, or cooking meals. It's a chance to recharge my batteries and have enough energy to carry me through to the next retreat. It's a time I cherish because I get to leave the worries of life behind and just have fun with friends.

We are allowed to bring our babies until they are two years old. This will also be Josh's last retreat. While it means I won't leave mommyhood behind entirely, bringing him is a good thing also. He so often gets left out at home. He's too young to participate in the older kids' studies. Oh, he tries but he just doesn't have the attention span to sit through it and becomes disruptive at times. We'll include him when we can but more often than not, we just want him to leave us alone so we can get the work done. The age difference between him and the old kids means he often gets left out in play time as well. He just doesn't know how to share and play nicely in their games. They play with him but they often want to play without him, too. Usually, it's when he is the most needy for attention that they are the most needy for time without their younger brother. So, it is good he is coming along. He'll have Mommy all to himself. He'll do some cutting and pasting, some playing, maybe some painting, and perhaps some walking around the lake this weekend. Mommy won't have old siblings to teach, chores to do, or a computer to take her away from him. Plus, he'll have other adults who will enjoy entertaining him as well. It will be a good weekend for him too.

So, I've been busy all week doing my usual mommy chores and getting ready to go. I know my online presence has been lacking this week. Now, it will be nonexistent until at least Sunday night. There's no Internet where I'm going nor do I have any posts written and scheduled to post while I'm gone. Hopefully, you'll all be here when I get back.

Have a great weekend!

The New College Student

I ran across this story in the Baltimore Examiner last night. It discussed "The Sad, Sad State of College English." The story talks about a retired community college English teacher who, over the years, collected sentences written by her students. These sentences show that high school students are graduating from school unable to write a basic sentence or spell simple words. Some of them show a complete lack of historical awareness or ability to think clearly. Here's a few of my favorite examples:

It’s good I’m doing something with my self; Therefore, I can do better in the foochure.

I flought to Chicago.

Benjamin Franklin discovered America while fling a kite.

Jogging on a woman’s ovaries can be dangerous to her health.

My brother and I took a fairy across to Martha’s Vineyard.

Christopher Columbus sailed all over the world until he found Ohio.

According to the teacher who collected these sentences this problem, which has gotten worse over the years, is caused by a lack of reading. Reading, he says, exposes you to language used correctly, to vocabulary greater than your own, and allows you to slow down and think about what is being said. Students struggle with reading and don't like to read. The result is young adults who can't write a coherent sentence or express themselves clearly. Their language is limited to slang and colloquialisms.

Further, this inability to use language properly is not found across all student populations. The article states that adult students are willing to put in the work necessary because they understand what it takes to succeed and are willing to put in the effort. International students are also willing to work very hard to succeed.

What does this mean for us? We cannot compete in the world market if the majority of our students graduating from high school cannot think clearly or articulate themselves. Something has to change.

Fortunately, some parents are beginning to make the changes necessary. As more and more students are pulled out or kept out of our public school system, more and more students are being taught to read well and write clearly. However, it isn't enough to help just the small percentage of students who are homeschooled, something has to change to improve the outcomes of public school, as well. When will the American public finally rise up, demand better results, and be willing to support solutions that will work?

Movie Review: Wall-E

My son and I just went to see Wall-E at a local second run movie theater. Fortunately, at the young age of 6, he only saw the fun and funny aspects of the movie. I, on the other hand, found the movie more disturbing than endearing. It was an odd experience, to say the least.

Warning: this review contains a lot of spoilers.

The storyline in Wall-E comes out in small doses throughout the movie. Basically, humans have managed to destroy the Earth, piling it high with garbage, to the point where the people are sent away on a 5 year cruise aboard a luxury space ship while those remaining clean up the planet with an army of Wall-E's. The plan was unsuccessful and the movie picks up 700 years later with a lone Wall-E still operating to complete his directive to clean up the planet. While he goes about his business, he develops his own personality and comes to desire companionship and love beyond his sole friend, a cockroach. Then one day a space ship arrives, dropping off another robot, Eve, who's directive is to search out any signs of sustained life. Wall-E forms a quick bond with Eve and hitch hikes aboard her space ship when it returns for her. Wall-E soon finds himself aboard that luxury cruise ship where he creates havoc and, ultimately, saves humanity and finds the love he so desires.

So, what was so disturbing about that?

There were two things I found disturbing about this movie. The first one I have touched on already. Humans have destroyed the Earth. The movie came across strongly as an environmentalist warning: this is what is going to happen if we don't change our ways! In the movie, the Earth is literally covered in garbage. Just about every square inch seems to be buried. There are skyscrapers of compacted garbage cubes piled high into the air by the army of Wall-Es. Amid the piles of junk, there are prolific ads of a by-gone era where consumers were encouraged to purchase anything and everything from the mega-store, Buy N Large. Not a single animal or plant can be seen anywhere. The sky is one thick polluted cloud of unbreathable air. The Earth is shown from space surrounded by a mass of orbiting junk. The creators really went out of their way to show Earth as a wasteland, the result of excessive consumerism and waste.

The second disturbing part of the movie is what we find aboard the luxury cruise ship. When the humans left Earth, they just brought their bad habits with them only they've gotten worse. Human have become fat, bloated, lazy, unthinking fools. They recline in hover chairs and only need to speak a word to have something done for them. The chairs take them where they want to be, provide personal care, provide a steady supply of drinkable food, and keep them entertained at all times. Not a finger needs to be lifted. The people just sit in their chairs 24 hours a day engaged in mindless TV commercials just inches from their face or talking to each other through their screens. If something unthinkable happens causing one of these pitiful creatures to fall from their chair, they thrash on the floor until robots arrive to lift them back in. Oh, and the polluting hasn't stopped. We are shown tons and tons of compacted garbage being thrown out of the ship to float off into space. They are truly pitiful. Not only can I see how an obese person would take offense to this film, but I found it offensive as well. The movie seemed intent of convince us that we are all going to end up this way if we continue on the path we are on now.

Now, there seemed to be a tiny bit of placating added to the movie. A very short little blurb was given in the movie explaining that the obesity and bone loss was caused by the years in space and limited gravity...something a few laps around the track will solve. These people can't even stand on their own feet, they teeter and fall when they try, let alone jog around the track! The reason given for the obesity doesn't cut it. Despite this, it is obvious that laziness is the real culprit. The creators seem to be shouting, "Get off your lazy backsides and do something for yourself for once! This reliance on technology is making you lazy and fat."

In general, I can understand the message. It is clear that we are polluting the Earth. We have huge landfills, our water requires filtration, and hazy skies. People are getting larger as we super-size our food and rely more on processed food that lacks adequate nutrition. I get it. The modern world is not a healthy one by any means. But does all this belong in a children's movie? Especially in such a blatant manner?

The only redeeming quality of the movie is that it ends with a small glimmer of hope with the recolonization of Earth and beginnings of new life.

Dates with the Kids

My husband and I like to take our kids on dates...just the one child for some time alone. The kids love these special times and ask for them when they feel the need. This weekend, I took the opportunity to take both of my older kids on dates before I leave for a four day weekend away.

Mika loves High School Musical. She's always singing the songs from the first two movies and I knew she wanted to see High School Musical 3. So, that's what we did. We went to see the movie yesterday morning at our local AMC Theater because they offer weekend morning movies for just $5 per person. We enjoyed the movie. Both of us have a fondness for musicals.

Sammy didn't want to be left out so I took him on a date this afternoon. He chose to see Wall-E at the Starplex Cinema about 20 minutes away. Because the tickets were so cheap ($2 each), we also got ourselves kids' meals at the Safeway deli for just $2.99 each. Lunch and a movie for just $5 each; you can't beat that! Sammy enjoyed the movie. I found it disturbing (I'll be writing a review next) but enjoyed being with my son.

Have you taken your kids out on a date recently?

Museums, plays, movies, coffee shops, (hot chocolate & a muffin), and dessert all make inexpensive dates that are perfect for you and your kid.

Tacoma Kids Weekly: Week of November 17, 2008

There's not a lot to report for this week....



Thursday, November 20, 2008
Don't forget to enjoy the Third Thursday Artwalk in downtown Tacoma today. The Tacoma Art Museum will be free all day. The Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, and other venues will be free in the evening.

Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Washington State History Museum is having an interesting Native American event today.

Learn about the traditions and way of life of the native people from the Pacific Northwest. There will be storytelling, art, performances, and artifacts. Everything is included for the price of admission which is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for children and free for those 5 and under or $25 per family.

Sunday, Novemeber 23, 2008
Talk along Spanaway Park's Christmas light display tonight from 5pm to 7pm before it becomes a drive thru only display in the coming week. Strollers, wagons, and wheelchairs are welcome. Dogs, scooters, bikes, and skates are not. Cost is only $4 or $12 per family. Ages 3 and under are free. Bring a flashlight.

New Articles

Morning everyone! Ok, so maybe it won't be morning when you read this. Just know I was thinking of you all when I wrote it. Ok?

Anyway, I got a couple of new articles written at eHow that are very on topic. So, I thought I'd share them here.

I've posted in the past about how much I like the virtual academy, or online homeschool program, that we use. If you live in Washington State, you really should check out those posts and consider this great resource available to us. If you aren't in our state and are wondering if an online homeschool program in your state is a good fit for you, I've written an article about what things to consider:

How to Evaluate an Online Homeschool Program

Are you finding that your kids hate school? Complain a lot about it being boring, hard, or too easy? Do they cry when it is school time? Are battlelines drawn each day at math time? Are you feeling stressed or burned out? Considering putting the kids into public school? If you are struggling with homeschooling, perhaps your curriculum is hurting your success. Check out this article to decide if you need to look for something new so that homeschooling can be more a blessing than a chore.

How to Know if Your Curriculum is a Good Fit

Book Review: Danny The Champion of the World

We finished reading Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl last night. I have mixed feelings about the book and thought I'd right a little review here.

We discovered this book after reading The BFG by the same author. Now that was a really fun book to read! Anyway, the kids told their virtual academy teacher about the BFG and she replied that she had first heard of the friendly giant in Danny the Champion of the World. Intrigued because The BFG was such a fun read, we checked Danny the Champion of the World out of our local library.

Now, before I start telling you about Danny the Champion of the World, I need to warn you. I cannot possibly provide an adequate review of my thoughts on this book without providing several spoilers to the story.

Danny the Champion of the World is written from the view point of the main character, Danny, a young boy living in an old gypsy caravan with his father somewhere near the 1960's or 1970's. Together, father and son run a filling station. The book begins with Danny telling the reader that he had "the most marvelous and exciting father any boy ever had." The rest of the book explains, through the telling of how he discovered his father secret vice, just why his father is the best.

It's the handling of Danny's father's vice that bothered me. Danny's father is a poacher of pheasants. In the book, poaching is shown to be a fun, exciting, and acceptable activity. The villain of the story is the owner of the pheasants. He is described as a rich, greedy, mean man who deserves to have his pheasants poached. While I wasn't entirely thrilled to find myself reading a book that glorifies an illegal and dangerous activity, it got worse as I read further.

As the story continues, we soon learn that all of the town's most respectable men are also, in some way or another, involved in poaching as well. This includes the town's police officer, doctor, and reverend. The reverend's wife is even involved. The treatment of poaching and these characters is not done to show that everyone has some kind of vice, or sin, in their lives. That might be acceptable. Rather you get the sense that poaching is looked upon as something everyone does and that the pheasants' owner deserves to have his birds stolen.

The book goes so far as to raise poachers to hero status. Actually, it does since the entire book uses poaching to show how Danny's father is the best father a boy could have. In addition to that, Danny is seen as the champion of the world when he comes up with the best poaching success ever seen.

In a literary sense, it the book isn't all that well-written either. At a time when I am trying to teach my daughter to use active verbs and to use a variety of verbs, I got tired of Dahl's repetitive use of I said and he said in his dialogues. I wanted to scream, "Can't he whisper, yell, scream, laugh, snort, exclaim, remark, question, mumble, lecture, advise, whine, or even yodel!"

Should you let your kids read this book? Well, that's entirely up to you. Perhaps, it could be a spring board for discussing how even good people have sin in their lives. Perhaps, you could just let it be an interesting. I can tell you that both my children enjoyed the story and I wasn't bored reading it. It was interesting but doesn't even come close to making it to the favorites list.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?


**Disclosure: This review was provided of my own free will. I did not receive anything from the publisher, author, or anyone else for the review. I'm just sharing my feelings, opinions, and experiences that are part of our homeschooling experience.

Which Kind of Ground Beef is a better value?

Have you ever wondered if the higher fat ground beef is really cheaper? I mean, it cost so much less per pound but after you have browned it there seems to be so much grease and so little meat left. Could it be that all that savings is being thrown away as grease?

Well I have, so I decided to find out...and I made it a science experiment for the kids (with help, of course). We followed the scientific method, wrote down our data and observations, and are now sharing our results and conclusions with you.

This experiment is assuming that we care ONLY about the price. I am assuming we don't care about the fat content or possible health affects of eating higher fat meat.

We measured out exactly 1 pound 0 ounces of each kind of ground beef. We had 7%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 27%. I didn't notice at the store, but the 10% was ground sirloin instead of ground beef. With each one, we browned it. Once it was completely cooked, I strained it pressing the meat against the strainer until it was as thoroughly strained as I could get it. Then we weighed the beef again to see how much we had left. Here's what we found:

7% yielded 10.75oz
10% yielded 11.875oz
15% yielded 9.75oz
20% yielded 10.5oz
27% yielded 9.375oz

I was surprised at how close they all were.

This is how much raw ground beef you would have to buy if you wanted a pound of cooked meat.
7% -1.49 lbs
10% - 1.35 lbs
15% - 1.64 lbs
20% - 1.52 lbs
27% - 1.69 lbs

To find out which package of meat gives you the better value, multiple the corresponding number above by the price per pound for each package you are comparing. Buy the package that gives you the lowest answer.

In our experiment, which compared full retail price at our local Safeway, the 27% fat was the best value by far.

This was our adjusted costs:
7% was $7.43 for one pound of cooked meat.
10% was $6.72 for one pound of cooked meat
15% was $6.55 for one pound of cooked meat
20% was $5.32 for one pound of cooked meat
27% was $4.27 for one pound of cooked meat

I tell you, this problem has bugged me off and on for years. Now I know.

Do you think I'm a total geek now? LOL

Homemade Chicken Fettucine Alfredo Recipe

Did you know that Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is a very frugal meal? It is a favorite in our house for lunch or dinner.

I often substitute whatever pasta I happen to have in the house. Angel hair pasta is my personal favorite.

For lunch, I usually omit the meat and just have pasta alfredo.

The two things that make it economical are:

1. Using chicken breasts in a frugal way as I posted before.
2. Making your own alfredo, or white, sauce. It's easy and only takes a few minutes.
   

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour OR 1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 cup milk
1/4 - 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.

Add flour and stir to make a roux. (I use a gravy wisk.)

Add milk and stir constantly until thickened.

Add cheese and stir until melted and incorporated.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes: If I don't have parmesan cheese, I add grated cheddar cheese instead.

If you use flour, the alfredo will have a grainy texture which might bother you if you are used to the smooth texture of bottled sauce. You can substitute corn starch, if you prefer. I mix it into the milk instead of adding it to the butter.

Too Much Socialization?

Thought I'd share a couple humorous photos with you all.



First there's this photo taken a couple of days ago. It's Josh...he passed out on the floor while still holding onto the table.


There there's this one of Sammy from last night. It will make more sense with the background story....

The day started with him waking up and doing chores. Then he went to taekwondo class for an hour. After that, we came home so he could change and we could eat lunch. Once lunch was done, we climbed into the car and drove to the Tacoma Dome parking garage and caught the light rail (the kids love it, it's free & I don't have to pay for parking) towards downtown. From there, we spent an hour and a half at the children's museum. From the children's museum, we headed back to our car via light rail and went to our friend's house for a three hour play date. Finally, we made it home.

Then, after dinner, DH pulled Sammy's tooth. While Sammy sat holding a rolled up paper towel in the hole to stop the bleeding, he fell asleep with it still firmly clasped in his mouth.

I think he was tired!

Perhaps, we shouldn't socialize so much. Then I wouldn't have a 6 year old passing out on a fairly regular basis.

But then what would those anti-homeschoolers think?

Excited About Our Heating Bill

Our heating bill is really high in the winter. It gets up to $230 in our coldest month. And that is gas only for our water heater, dryer, and heat. That doesn't include electricity, garbage, and sewage which cost us $155 every month in a separate bill. With money being tight, we decided we had to try to lower it.

We didn't have the money to make the home repairs usually suggested for saving money on heat. We couldn't replace our 17 single-pane windows. We couldn't replace our leaky doors. We couldn't install insulation. Even without doing these things, we saw significant savings, as you will soon see.

I've been waiting for the first bill to come since making some changes. I wanted to see if the things we did made any difference and I'm happy to report that we've seen significant savings this first month. Here's how this month compared to the same month last year.

Last year: 29 days included in the bill
This year: 30 days included in the bill

Last year: 51 degree average temperature
This year: 52 degree average temperature

Last year: $130.36
This year: $90.98........a 30% savings!

Considering that this year had an extra day and was only one degree warmer, I think the bills would have been comparable if it wasn't for my savings efforts. I'm excited and expect to see continued savings as we hit the colder months.

Here's what we did:

We have three sets of three large windows in our main rooms. I bought heavier curtains from IKEA to cover them. The ones in the room I'm sitting in right now are even double layered. They look nice too.

We covered some of our draftiest windows with plastic. The window kits you buy at home improvement stores won't stick to our window trim so I come up with the oh-so-tasteful solution of taping clear painter's plastic with blue painter's tape to our trim. You can see it in the chicken mummy photos I posted yesterday. It's beeeuuutiful!

I began washing our laundry in cold water. I still use hot water for towels and bedding.

We lowered our thermostat from 70 to 66-68 during the day and 64 at night. We have to unplug our microwave most of the time because it doesn't like being cold. We began wearing warmer clothes or comfortable layers at home. I taught my kids to wear a tank top or t-shirt under a sweater to stop the cold that comes through the holes between the knit stitches. I showed them how to layer a long sleeve t-shirt under a short-sleeve t-shirt or to layer two t-shirts together. We haven't been cold with these new dressing habits.

I cut my showers to every other day rather than every day. With my new hair care routine (I'll post about that on another day), I find that my hair doesn't get greasy anymore so I no longer need to wash it every day.

I've been trying to encourage the kids to hang their clothes back up to wear again if they aren't obviously dirty or smelly. This is something that I've done for many years so I just need to get the rest of the family on board.

And that's it. Those simple steps saved us $40 in the first month.

Ironically, a Penguin Windows commercial JUST aired and they promised a 40% reduction in your heating bill. My solutions were MUCH cheaper to implement and saved 30%. I think my rate of return is better.

I'm going to finish covering the rest of our single-pane windows with plastic. I'm motivated to do them now.

Restaurant Style Refried Beans

We love these refried beans because they taste like the ones you get at Mexican restaurants. Even better is the fact that these beans cost the equivalent of paying $0.35 a can which is better than any price I've ever seen. I posted the step-by-step recipe with photos for almost every step over at eHow earlier but wanted to get it here for those who aren't stopping by over there.

Here's what you'll need:
3 pounds pinto beans, sorted & rinsed
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cup manteca (lard), divided

Add beans to a large stock pot and cover with water about double the depth of the beans. Add onion, garlic, salt, ground cumin, and 1/4 cup (a big dollop) manteca. Boil on high for 2 hours, checking occasionally to add more water as needed. If you prefer to cook them slower, you can boil them on medium for 3 1/3 to 4 hours. You want the beans to be very soft and mushy. The water will turn a reddish, brown. Once they are done, you can leave them on a low simmer until you need them.

When you want to fry them, prepare a large frying pan with 1/4 cup manteca. When the manteca is melted (over medium high heat) and the pan is hot, add about half the beans with some of the water. Mash and stir them with a potato masher. Add more bean liquid to thin beans to desired consistency, if needed. If they are too thin, add and mash more drained beans and continue to heat. They will thicken. Restaurant beans are normally pretty thin.

You can now either store the rest of the beans whole or mash the rest in another 1/4 cup of manteca.

This recipe makes 16-17 cups of refried beans. There are a few ways to store the cooked beans:

1. You can put the whole beans in the fridge and mash as needed. I do this if I think we'll eat them by the end of the week.
2. You can mash them all and store them in the fridge to use as needed. This tends to thicken the leftover beans.
3. You can mash them all and freeze them in meal-sized portions for later use. When needed, bring them to room temperature and reheat in a sauce pan like you would with canned beans.

Enjoy!

Remember Cluckworthy, Our Chicken Mummy

Does anyone remember that we started making a chicken mummy way back in September? Well, we haven't forgotten him. He's still drying. Maybe he's done. I haven't checked him since last week when we put him in salt again.



Here are the kids cleaning the old salt solution off of him.


Here's Sammy showing off Cluckworthy and his heart.

I guess I should check on him again soon and see if it is time to wrap him up. Before I do that, does anyone know where I can find cheap, and I mean CHEAP, fake jewels I can buy for him?


Here's the first three posts, in case you missed them:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Do you have a 401K plan?

If you do, you may want to look into how you can protect it. Our new government wants to take away the tax deferral you get with them which will remove a substantial benefit you get from having one. In addition to that, removing the tax deferral will discourage employers from providing company match programs which primarily help those in the lower income brackets.

Instead of investing in 401K programs of your choice and reaping the benefits of your employer giving you matching funds, the Dems want to force every worker to contribute 5% of their pay to Social Security. They'll invest the money into government bonds that make 3%. Then, if Social Security has gone bankrupt by then, you'll get your money back.

Can you afford to lose 5% of your gross income

Sounds like a great retirement plan, doesn't it?

You'd be better off sticking your money under a mattress...except that you won't be able to because it will be deducted from your paycheck before you get it.

Here's a couple other articles on it:
House Democrats Contemplate Abolishing 401K Tax Breaks
Reid, Edwards, Pelosi & Obama Join Forces to Form R.E.P.O

What Should We Do About the Tigers?

We are currently reading about cats in our science studies. Big cats. Little cats. Lions. Tigers. Cougars. Jaguars. And other animals that fit into the family felidae, like meerkats and hyenas.

One thing covered in our text is the topic of predators and how the big cats are apex predators, meaning no other animal consider them to be prey.

Another interesting fact is that problems of the Sumerian Tigers. They are endangered so conservationists seek to protect them. However, they are also notorious for eating people. One famous tiger ate over 400 people back in the 1930's before finally being hunted down and killed. Today, about 50 people in India are eating by tigers, particularly small children. So, while conservationist want to protect these beautiful creatures, Indians want to protect their children. What should be done?

I put the question to my children in the form of a writing assignment. Here's how they responded.

Mika took a creative approach and wrote it in fictional story form:

Saving the Tigers and the Kids

I, zookeeper Christine, had a task to complete. I was walking to the Meerkat exhibit when I saw zookeeper Lucy standing there.

"Hey, I heard you're going to India tomorrow. Why?"

"Tiger problem. They're hungry and the people in India want to save their kids. But at the same time we, and many other zookeepers, want to save the endangered tigers."

I walked away from Lucy to the zoo exit. When I got to the parking lot, I sighed and hopped in my red van. I drove to my apartment, checked in, went to my room, and started packing my suitcase. I put in three pairs of pants, five shirts, two pairs of tennis shoes, four pairs of socks, and a hat. I closed up the suitcase and put it by the door. It was 8:30 now and I know I should be getting to sleep.

The next morning, I got up and put on clothes. I grabbed the suitcase and drove to the airport. The plane was just landing and I had enough time to grab a cup of coffee and buy a cookie. I bought my coffee and chocolate cookie and ate them. I then got on the airplane, sat in the back, and waited for 20 hours. The plane landed and I got out.

I took a car ride to the towns in India. In one, I told them that I would try to do something for them and get their children safe. I started off on my plan to help the tigers and children. First, I held a meeting in the middle of town. I told them to keep their children in the house until I was ready. They did so and everyone was safely in their houses. I got in the car again and started the engine. I drove until I found the tigers. I then drove closer to them until they moved and ran. I drove them to a farther place away from towns. They stayed and were satisfied with all the other animals to eat. I drove back to the town and thanked them for letting me help.

I now was in the zoo again and happy. The people of India were, too.


Sammy's response is much shorter. I'm more lenient with him on writing skills because of his previous speech and language delays. He's catching up quickly though. His solution is to let the tigers eat different people:

People want to save tigers because they're endangered but people in India want to save their children from getting eaten by tigers. If I could fix the problem, I would save the tigers from being endangered and then carry them on helicopters to Africa and then the children would be saved.

Where did Tacoma Kids Weekly Go?

Occasionally, life gets so busy that things just slip by you. I'm sure you know what I mean. It wasn't until this afternoon that I realized I forgot to research and post Tacoma Kids Weekly.

Saturday was spent dropping Mika off at a friend's house 40 minutes away, taking Sammy to his taekwondo tournament, picking Mika up, and cooking a late dinner.

Sunday turned out to be insane. It started with mom getting frustrated with a child that said she didn't like a new pair of jeans as the reason she didn't want to wear them. This is a common excuse for not wearing new clothes that fit and preferring old jeans that are way, way too short. So, we had a fashion show.

I stood in the closet while the kids tried on literally every item of clothing that they owned that was clean and hanging in the closet. If it passed my inspection, it came back to me to put away. If not, it went to the goodwill or hand-me-down pile. Everything that was in the hamper will be tried on as it gets washed.

Then we had to hurry and get ready for church. We were visiting a friend's church. After church, I invited the same friends over for dinner without thinking. My house was a mess, the kitchen was covered in dirty dishes and I didn't have the ingredients for the meal I said I would prepare. I spent the next four and a half hours cleaning, washing dishes, cooking dinner from scratch, and making two chocolate cream pies. I finished enough cleaning and cooking in time and we enjoyed the company. By the time they left, it was 8:30pm.

Monday was spent washing dishes from the night before. Did you know that serving 10 people dinner and then dessert creates a LOT of dishes? I also did some of my grocery shopping, took Sammy to taekwondo, cooked a very simple dinner, finished my absentee ballot, and took off for my weekly Monday night group.

Tacoma Kids Weekly never even entered my mind.

So, if you ever notice it missing, it's not that I've stopped doing it. I'll let you know if I do. It's that life got in the way. If you miss it and are looking for something to do, drop me an email and I'll see if I can carve out some time to send you a few ideas.

Saving Money on Groceries

These days I enjoy grocery shopping. It's fun to watch the register as it deducts savings after savings until finally settling at half off or more.

How do I save half off or more? By making the most of store club card savings, coupons, and competitor coupons. However, it isn't as simple as looking at the sales ads. I'm combining the sale price with manufacturer's coupons and/or special promotions and making sure that the price truly is a good price and not just a gimmick to lure shoppers into buying things that are not truly a good value. (Secret: I don't do the work of finding these sales; I pay for the information.) In addition to that, certain items are bought only at specific stores because I know their price will beat the other stores' sales prices. I'll save that post for another day.

I have three goals when I shop each week:

1. To plan my weekly meals around the best sales each week. If whole chicken is on sale, we'll have rubber chicken that week. If beef roast is the big sale of the week, we'll have pot roast and beef burritos. If pasta sauce is a loss leader, we'll be having spaghetti.
2. To stock up on frequently used items. My goal is to stock up enough of our most frequently used items so that we don't run out before the next big sale. If I do run out, I try my best to find alternative things to eat that are on sale rather than buy things at full price.
3. To buy as few things at full price, or barely marked down prices, as I can.

Because I'm buying primarily only things that are on sale, my grocery carts look odd. It doesn't look like a cart of someone buying for this week's menu because this week's menu is not my goal. I shop with a longer term goal in mind. I'm thinking about the next twelve weeks. Each item in my cart is not likely to be on sale again, at least not at such a good price, for twelve more weeks. I'm not worried that much about this week because I can put together a menu using what I've already stocked up on, what I'm stocking up on this week, and a few extra items.

So, here's what my grocery list looked like this week. Items marked ** were bought for immediate needs and were not necessarily the best price available.

At store #1, I bought:
2 bags granulated sugar (5lbs) = $1.65 each
3 boxes Quaker Oat Squares (16oz) = $1.49 each
2 boxes Honey Bunches of Oats (19oz) = $1.99 each
2 snack sized candy packs (8 pack) = $1.50 each (these are stocking stuffers)
**2 English muffins (6 pack)= $1.00 each
**1 bag hot dog buns = $0.89 each
**1 bunch bananas = $0.89 lb (must buy for Josh)
2 bunches broccoli crowns = $0.99 lb

Total Shelf Price = $42.19
Price Paid = $20.31
Amount Saved = $21.88


At store #2, I bought:
10 half-gallons milk = $1 each ( I froze for later use)
**2 cans black beans (14.5oz) = $0.88 each
9 cans Hunts spaghetti sauce (26oz) = $0.66 each
6 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) = $0.50 each
20 cans vegetables (14. 5oz) - $0.50 each
2 boxes stuffing mix = $1.00 each
**1 box Spanish rice = $1.00 each
10 packages of chicken breasts = $1.99 lb
2 beef bottom round roasts = $2.50 lb
6 boneless pork sirloin chops = $1.50 lb
**1 bunch bananas = $0.88 (again Josh won't leave store without them)
**1 large carrot = $0.89 lb
**1 bunch romaine lettuce = $1.69 each
2 bags potatoes = $1.50 each
2 4-roll packs cinnamon rolls = $1.19 each (a special treat)
**1 package 12 double-roll TP = $5.99 (not the best price but needed)

Total Shelf Price = $207.22
Price Paid = $102.92
Amount Saved = $104.85


I now have enough milk for the rest of the month. I simply opened each one up and poured a little into our open milk jug and then froze them. This will give them room to expand so they won't explode in my freezer. Then I froze them to use later.

I bought 20 meals worth of meat this week if I ration it the way I discussed on the chicken breast and whole chicken posts.

The canned vegetables are also enough for 20 meals. I'll also use fresh produce (like the broccoli) and frozen vegetables when they are on sale. These cans will probably last us about 6-8 weeks.

The spaghetti sauce will be saved to use in spaghetti, other pasta dishes, homemade pizza, and English muffin pizzas (lunch).

The canned tomatoes will cover about 4-6 meals depending on what I end up using them in.

So, the idea here is to have a long term focus. The $120 I just spent covers more than just this week.

**I mentioned above that I pay someone to track the sales for me. Well, that someone is actually a website called The Grocery Game. It runs me $15 every 8 weeks to get the information for both stores. Seeing that I saved $125 in one week, I think that paying someone $1.88 per week to give me this information worth it. Don't you?

If you are interested, you can sign up for a 4 week trial for only $1. I suggest signing up for all the stores in your area to see how each list looks and read the "game rules" for each one; the $1 trial includes them all. Before you are billed (the site clearly tells you the next billing date), remove the stores you don't want. If you do sign up, please consider giving me referral credit. Just this email address in the appropriate form: josemail at thewiredcity dot com.