A large family mother shops

Today was my once-a-month shopping spree. I really don't enjoy shopping much, unless it is well-planned and specific to help me to do my job better.

I do my main shopping for groceries and household supplies at one time--this saves wasted time, money, gas, etc. Time and gas, because I am not always having to run out and purchase things we are out of, money, because I am not out shopping and picking up just that "one more item" that isn't really needed, just looks nice, etc.

I started out by doing a "click n' pull" online for Sam's Club. If you have a Sam's close by and haven't taken advantage of this wonderful service, you should! You just pick a store close by, go through the current inventory of that store and place your order by 5:00 PM, and pick it up the next day--all shopped, placed in nice boxes, and ready to go out the door. All you have to do is show up and pay! Every once-in-a-while they will miss an item or two that they have in the store but isn't online, but this is rare (such as this time when they had parboiled rice in the store but not on the website). Then yesterday evening I went over to Safeway to take advantage of the loss-leaders there, as well as to pick up something easy for breakfast this morning.

I stole downstairs to the office after everyone was asleep to finish my plans for today--used the adding machine and my price lists to decide what to buy and where. We are strict budgeters, so what we eat must fit into how much money we have to spend, not the other way 'round.

Of course I cover everything in prayer, play some good Christian tunes while I am shopping online and planning (my favorite lately is the Isaacs "Eye of the Storm" CD).

We have all been fighting a bug of some sort, so sleep wasn't peaceful, and baby wasn't happy either, but I did sleep here and there. Woke up at 4:30, the baby was talking to Daddy and I, more alert than usual--God was blessing us with a peaceful day already!

I took my 3 boys, baby and a little girl who wanted some "special time" with me. Daddy instructed the boys I was not to lift anything--they came along to be my "muscle". My oldest son at home drove the whole time (driving instruction). We entered Super Walmart at 8:00 AM and spent exactly 15 minutes--whew! From there we flew on over to Sam's and spent another 20 minutes inside, but it always takes a little bit to load it up in the van (we take out the back seet of our 15 passenger for these trips).

Traveling in a circle, we ended up at Save-A-Lot. It's not an Aldi's, but it's all we have here in the West! I sure do love having specific lists made up in the order of the store, marking things off as I "conquer" them. I bought snacks for the hungry young men with me, filled the gaps left by the other stores, and, after filling some re-usable bags which filled two carts, blew out of there like a hurricane!

The whole trip, including drive time, took 2 .5 hours!

That was just the first phase, the second phase was putting it all away!

Boys hauled it in, girls put it away. The fridge was purged and washed, the pantry and baking cupboard vacuumed, cans rotated, etc. Oldest daughter at home cooked up 20 lbs of hamburger in the roaster while we were gone--it was ready to cool and be packaged when we came home. We also cut up bell peppers and cilantro for packaging into meal-sized containers and freezing. We repackaged all sorts of bulk foods for the freezer. After the kitchen was fairly clean, the house not a disaster, we all collapsed for an hour or so. Then it was up to finish up the house and make dinner. I took a little time to also do some meal planning--I do this better after my pantry is replenished!

After dinner, I even was able to still get things ready for Daddy tomorrow, including his lunch, clothes, coffee, etc. Good thing, too, because he was so tired tonight--I am glad I was able to get in an hour's sleep so we both weren't tired tonight!

The baby did pretty well, even though she has developed an aversion to the car seat lately. The toddler was excited because we bought her some potty-training supplies, and all the little girls were pretty happy about having some extra treats.

I am happy because of all of the wonderful things I will be able to feed my family--I love looking at the well-stocked shelves, and praise God for His provision!

Breakfast recipe

Nutritious, Delicious Breakfast Bars

1 1/2 cups butter

3 cups brown sugar

Cream together. Add:

5 eggs

Mix.

Add:

3 cups oats

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons baking powder

2 cups raw wheat germ

1 1/2 cup coconut

2 cups nuts

2 cups raisins

Grease two 9 x 13" baking pans, fill each with half of mixture. Bake at 350*F until golden brown.

Cut into bars and serve in a bowl of cold milk.

We make these the night before--they are more nutritious than granola (they contain eggs and not so much oil or sugar).

Answering some questions

I have been receiving some questions which I would like to address.

1. Do you have any children with medical or educational challenges? I'm asking because I do, and it changes alot of things from how I can do school, to time away from home for therapies and appointments.

I don't currently have children who need appointments for therapy, etc. I have gone through seasons in which one or more have needed attention--once a daughter lost the back of her heel (long story) and that took quite a lot (we were in the middle of selling our house, moving, etc.).

I would suggest trying to get these appointments done in such a way as to take the least out of the day, in other words, insist on the appointments being at the times of day most convenient for you, or if they can't be moved, working your day in such a way as to be as simple and stream-lined as possible.

As for educational difficulties, except for those which have an obvious physical connection, most of these are cleared up with time, maturity, and understanding.

2. How late are you generally up if you are getting up that early?

We try and get the kids going to bed at 8:00 at night, and it takes about an hour from there to get them settled.

3. How many boys do you have? I have 4 girls followed by 6 boys and I feel SO clueless with them. So often they are like oil through my hands! If left on their own, they want to play swords, play swords, play swords, do legos, computer, play swords...there is only so many battles I can endure! ;)

Here is a phrase for you--divide and conquer! If your boys encourage each other in folly, separate them--you be the boss, they will respect you for it! When you have difficulty, call Dad in, he can lay down the law in ways you may not be able to.

Go over to the Raising Godly Tomatoes site for more coaching on building obedience and respect in your boys. Boys need straight-forward, consistent and unbending discipline--it gives them security when you draw lines and make it extremely uncomfortable for them if they dare go near them!

BTW, I have 4 boys.

4. Do you use "open and GO" curriculum, or something more deigned for everyone doing everything together (like TOG)? I really like to teach (much more that clean or cook).

I do not use a curriculum, per se. I concentrate on the basic 3 R's and then add the other things as needed. My children and I enjoy learning all the time, but our concentrated times together are usually according to Charlotte Mason--many sites and books you can read on this subject. Ruth Beechick also has lots of wisdom in these areas. Following the wisdom of these ladies helps one to teach at many levels at the same time.

5. Are you happy with the way you are doing school? Are the ones who may need or want college ready?

I stopped making college preparation my goal many years ago. I try and prepare my children for life first, college second. I have found that getting a child to read extensively, write well, and learn basic Algebra is a good foundation, then for the ones who actually have a degree in mind, community college courses are the cheapest and best route, with a more stringent institution afterwards--these courses can even be followed online. Science is something we spend a lot of our days devoted to; gathering information and forming hypotheses, testing them, coming to conclusions, exploring how things are made, exploring God's creation, etc. The formal science disciplines are added as an interest is expressed.

6. What do your littles do when you are doing creative time like sewing?

I have many strategies. Sometimes they are content to play at my feet, sometimes the older children take turns entertaining them, sometimes we put in a Pixar movie, sometimes I stay up after bedtime.

7. When do you shop or do errands?

I have one set day a week to run around, and I am strict about this, even insisting on appointments for that day, etc., except for once-a-month shopping and absolute emergencies.

8. How do you maintain your cool? What do you do keep yourself where you need to be phycially, emotionally, sprititually, relationally?

I take quiet time, spending it in prayer, Bible study and rest, and require my children to do the same, every day in the afternoon! As weather permits, I take daily walks. My husband and I take a date every week together.

9. How long do chores and checking usually take. What do you say or do when it's not done right. Cleaning and cooking are "prep for living" in my mind, and I want to get it done and over so I can teach, study, take the kids on a walk, do Bible study whatever. My attitude when it's not done or not done right is far less than I want it to be. and I have a hard time making myself take the time to check it. Just hate giving up that time instead of "getting on with life".

I understand your temptation! But inspecting is so vitally important and shows our children we are involved and appreciative of their efforts. It usually takes us about 2 hours, including eating breakfast, each day.

10. You have mentioned before that you often glean. I need to be careful in this area as dh prefers me not to get rid of something needed (and therefore need to re-buy) later. When do you have time for this?

I am a believer that when we keep too much stuff, it actually causes waste, because there is no way we can manage everything so that it is at the "point of use". After a while, the clutter itself causes us to buy things we already have but can't find! Just organizing and shuffling stuff around take so much energy and time. I have regular "pitch and burn" purging sessions, and this has paid off for me in dividends--I know when it's necessary as soon as cleaning house everyday gets just too hard. I am willing to interrupt everything and do a "superclean" session. I may even take a week out to concentrate on every area of the house just to get us on track.

11. I was wondering about your daily schedule for school. How do you only do math on Wednesday and get it all done? Same for LA only on Monday and Tuesday.

I tend to think that children are a lot like adults; we do best when we can concentrate our full attention on one thing at a time. Although we do math drills daily and everyone reads daily, we concentrate specifically in those areas on specific days to keep us focussed and so we have more time to immerse ourselves into the subject matter. It would be impossible to share how much learning goes on all over the place, or how many times we will do research further on a subject that comes up on the internet or go over how much craft supplies can be bought for $10, etc.

Do your older children ever resent or get sick of the younger ones and all the work that entails? It seems our children are always working - maybe I'm not doing enough. Don't get me wrong, they mostly do it with a cheerful heart, they are sinners too. Your life just seems so perfect, I know you don't mean for it to come across that way, and you have mentioned your trials too.

Well, I have never heard my children complain, I guess it is because I don't complain either. I love to work with my hands, and I love to clean house, and I let my children know this. I also count it a privilege to serve and care for my precious children. I have days when I am tired or sick, but I never make it sound as though it is their fault I am not feeling well, etc., as I also do not complain about taking care of my dear husband. Of course, they shirk their work at times, but we encourage them to be thankful they can work and tell them that this work is easy--life as they get older will only require more of them, so they had better learn to enjoy it now. As a consequence our older children are the first to be promoted wherever they work, and our oldest son currently has two different departments fighting over who will gain him as an employee, he is so concientious and diligent. Most of the grown people I have met who come from large families are the same; they don't flinch at hard work and become great entrepreneurs or are sought after as employees, even if they do not recognize where their good work ethic came from. We never lose out when we learn to be servants of others, unless we allow self-pity to set in.

Of course there are times when the house errupts like Mt. Vesuvius--things sometimes bubble just under the surface and need to be dealt with. We deal with issues sometimes on an hourly basis--and sometimes we get exhausted by it all. This is why we tend to be home-centered, without too many outside engagements. But this is our life's work, so it doesn't seem loathesome to us, and God graces and blesses us with the wisdom and energy we need.

P.S.--just to clarify something; I didn't mean our children never complain (although it is understood we don't complain in general in our house), but I have never heard them complain about having to do work because of the little children, or that little children were so much work.

Declaring thanks

I just want the world to stop this morning so I can watch my baby sleep. Listening to her sweet breathing is better than any confection ever offered to me.

Hugging my husband as he is getting ready for the day, full of cheerfulness, waking me up with a prayer for me, exposing all of his warm and caring thoughts for me, all the reasons he trudges out in the cold that is today--and I wonder why I am so blessed.

And last night while playing "O Little Playmate" with my children, my 3-year-old put her little hand in mine. It felt like the patting of a butterfly wing, so tiny and delicate. She was smiling with her whole mouth, teeth and gums all exposed. Her eyes so jolly they twinkled. My 11-year-old daughter and I played the game together and laughed ourselves silly, then she played it with her 17-year-old sister, and more laughter.

When I walked down the hallway to awaken the children this morning, three of my little girls were "huggled" together like kittens, hard to tell where one ended and the other began (they have a twin/full bunkbed, but choose to sleep together). So happy last night to walk down the same hallway and catch them taking turns reading to each other from the books in the bookshelf we moved into their room yesterday.

Before bed last night our 15 year-old son had to hug us repeatedly and tell us how much he loved us, as his dad gave him a list of responsibilities to close out the day, he answered in the affirmative, so glad to be trusted. We could hear the boys talking and enjoying each other's company through the wall in our room as we lay down to rest.

I am not exhausted by this motherhood thing; I am energized by it. Serving and encouraging little people, even if they are 26 years old, is my ministry, my calling, the offering of my heart up to God.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

Homeschooling is not expensive!

Homeschooling does not have to break the bank!

One of the greatest misconceptions of homeschooling is that it is expensive. I have read it in many publications, as well as many places on the web, that a person needs to budget hundreds of dollars per child per year in order to give each a proper education.

I understand where this mindset comes from; we have all been led to believe that it takes money, and loads of it, in order to teach children. This is driven mostly by the huge public education machine in our country. Every voting season the media is bursting with pleadings for more funding, with the stories of teacher shortages, building shortages, etc. It is unfortunate just how mismanaged these dollars are, but that is the stuff for other entries and another day.

Fact is, if God is our Source, we have no fears for tomorrow--just to be happy to have enough for today.

If I only had $20, I could homeschool my children. First, I would purchase a few cheap spiral notebooks, which can be found during back-to-school sales for as little as .10 a piece. I would buy some pencils and a small sharpener. Some color crayons would be good as well. I would make sure I had a Bible handy for reading aloud, copy work, etc. A set of watercolors and some play dough could also be helpful (you could make this with flour and salt--little or no expense there!).

Next, I would get a library card and use whatever was available there. Not everyone has a great library system, but there is probably enough of one to make do until other materials could be purchased.

With that library card, I would try and check out materials that would educate me, even if I had to do an inter-library loan. These are the authors I would try and read:

Ruth Beechick

Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore

John Taylor Gatto

Karen Andreola

*If you have the extra money, by all means buy as many of these tomes as possible to have on hand in times of doubt, etc.

As I could squeeze out a little more money, I would cull thrift stores, garage sales, etc. in order to find books to read aloud to my children, and titles they could read to themselves eventually--I would just be careful not to buy books that are meant to reinforce the errors of our modern culture, such as Barnie books, Disney books, modern teen novels, etc. It is amazing how cheaply one can find classics to build up the home library.

Old school textbooks are also helpful--I once found an algebra textbook I used with my kids that only put me back .25! Along the way, I would look for a cheap set of old encyclopedias--we currently have two which we bought for $20 apiece. Most of the information contained in these volumes is valid, they are just missing some current events, perhaps the names of a few countries have changed, etc. Actually, kids who read encyclopedias are better educated than the ones who are stuck on the school textbook track--for one thing, they get to read the things they are most interested in, which makes the information instantly retainable. Having a good secretary's guide to basic grammar is also a great help when it comes time to write and revise.

But if I had just a little more money, say, from a tax refund, my best investment would be a computer, an all-in-one printer/copier, and the Internet.

I cannot express just how much there is on the Internet for free! If you are reading this online, you already have an idea. From encouragement to Algebra and beyond, it is all here. Classic books and textbooks that cannot be found anywhere else can be found on the Internet. The best place I can think of to start this search would be An Old Fashioned Education. Miss Maggie has compiled some of the most wonderful, and free, resources to be found, and with a Christian emphasis. It is through her site I found the best phonics program I have come across, I have never bought such a great resource that I found for free there--it is called, Word Mastery, A Course in Phonics for the First Three Grades. I have printed these pages out and used them with the children to teach them reading and spelling,...

...but only after having brought them at least partly through the book, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, which is another good investment to make, and costs under $20.

Donna Young is also a marvelous resource, how many of us are indebted to her! On her site you will find numerous free print resources and advice. She has created pages for organization, math drill, penmanship (including ones linked to the "100 Easy Lessons" book already referenced), science, history, etc.

I also like to purchase homework books from Carson Dellosa--amazing how well you can teach with these helps costing under $5 a piece!

As for music instruction, I teach the basics myself (6 years of piano lessons--thank you, Mom). If the interest flourishes beyond that, they find ways to get their own lessons in later years. If you can't afford a cheap keyboard, a recorder (this is a wind instrument, not an electronic device) is great fun to learn basic music theory with. If you don't know how to play or read music, there are all sorts of DVD teaching series out there.

We also try and afford art and hand-craft supplies as the need arises--printing paper with a bit of tooth is good for watercolors, and you can use the cheap bottles of acrylic craft paint in lieu of gauche or expensive watercolors as your children are growing in their artistic pursuits. We have actually used these paints for all sorts of things along the way. One of our sons has taken cheap plastic toy soldiers and painted them realistically for use in war dioramas. We also keep on hand lots of felt with needle and thread to teach sewing, etc. Chenille stems are relatively inexpensive and wonderful for little children to make all sorts of things with.

God has blessed us with unique ways of obtaining other lessons, such as moving in across the street from a Christian karate studio (we bartered for the lessons)--who could've arranged that but God? Our daughter's "intended" is a fireman, so he has arranged for a tour of the fire station, another daughter lives in ranch country and so will host another son for some of this summer to help with livestock, etc.

Some other easy ideas:

Personal wipe-off marker board: Place white sheet of paper in a page protector.

Re-usable math/penmanship sheets: Place sheets in page protector and use wipe-off markers--keep a "workbook" of various types in a 3-ring binder for extra practice.

Calculadders--an investment for years and years that I have never regretted buying.

Design-a-study guides--these were the first set in setting me free from the "textbook mindset", and a good investment that is usable for multiple children of multiple ages--shows you sort of "how to"...

Mad Libs--a wacky, wonderful way to introduce and reinforce basic parts of speech--the kids beg to do these.

101 Famous Poems--great overview of classic poetry to be read aloud, copied, etc.

Homeschool Sanity-- a Practical Guide to Redemptive Home Educating is my attempt to communicate a way back to common sense learning. It is a pathway back to the simplicity and joy of gaining the knowledge born out of the reverence for the God of the Bible. It is a journey filled with the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

This book is easy to read. Even if one only has time for perusing, something useful and encouraging will be achieved (I have included a few pages in this article from my book for your consideration).

It is full of colorful and engaging graphics, helps, charts, templates and resources. Even the busiest mother will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as she reads just how easy it is to give her children an education that will be a blessing to them for the rest of their lives!

Dollar Homeschool--has wonderful resources offered in the form of the Eclectic Education Series. Each disc is full of old yet wonderful books and I was privileged to write the guides for each of the wonderful Eclectic collections. There is a lot of bang for the buck!

The Taming of the Shrew--if you are a bit uneasy about Shakespeare, try this one with your kids, easier to follow than some and full of funny antics that are easily understood--teaches some good lessons, as well. Thrift stores and old bookstores tend to have lots of copies of Shakespeare's works for a mere pittance. After reading this one play, my dear children have used their own money to buy every other play he ever wrote.

As for physical education--let the children play outside, go on walks, scooter, ride a bike. These are things children have done long before organized sports were thought to be necessary--and are quite satisfying. We have enough people to play basketball, which we do quite often, but you could also strike up a good game with the neighbors, or even some baseball. Tennis is another option, as is a membership at the YMCA or local swimming hole for some aquatic exercise. Have your kids walk or ride a bike to the store the next time you need a loaf of bread. If your family is more into sports, then incorporate sports into your "curriculum" and consider it as an integral part of your entire education plan, instead of an "interruption".

Your identity as a family is one of the greatest parts of home education; some are scholars, some are hands-on, some are geared to all sorts of things in all sorts of directions. Just keep Jesus as Lord, and you will have an opportunity to develop your curriculum to suit who you are in God, not according to someone else's image sitting in some sterile office on some college campus or government office.

The most important element to any education is totally free--enthusiasm! Even if you have an unlimited budget, you will never be able to pass on anything to your children without your own interest and encouragement. Children will learn and grow no matter what, but without your guidance it just may be they will grow into destructive weeds instead of fruitful plants.

Don't be afraid to take your kids home and give them your full attention because of money--funny thing, but when we step out in faith, God meets us on every side! After over 20 years, I have seen the seasons come and go, but His faithfulness has always been evident, His grace sufficient for every need.

Doing it RIGHT where you are!

Sweet, sweet love to me means soft words, close hugs, and smiles.

But love has its other side. The love we must have for our children requires we must do things which make us look harsh and stern. Today that means I must be the monster who uses the nasal aspirator so that my precious Patience can breathe without being hampered by the cold which makes her feel as though she is drowning in mucous.

Who says staying at home is easy? Being a true-to-the-bone "home-keeper" means work and lots of it! Taking care of children means doing a lot of things which aren't pleasant, including standing and drawing lines that will be constantly challenged.

Most days, being a Christian mother and wife takes plain guts!

Any sloth can put on sweats and watch soaps all day. I don't want to waste my time paddling downstream. I want to leave a little behind when I'm gone; I want to build a little treasure in heaven.

When I first "came home" in the early 80's, things weren't rosey. We lived in a little shack on the old side of town, I didn't drive, had no money, and had a toddler and a newborn to look after. I had choices to make every day; do I bow to my circumstances, or do I take victory over them in Jesus' name?

I did what many of our pioneer foremothers have done over the centuries; I chose to give God my best, and to believe Him for the best. Every day we faced the changes together, God and I, and He was faithful to bring me what I needed along the way.

God has taught me to look at my work here at home as valuable, and worthwhile. I wouldn't go to a job everyday and do slipshod work and expect to get ahead, so I don't give my family slipshod work, either.

Just like the best surgeon or the top-notched athlete, I study and train to be the best I can be at my profession. I have built up a little library of books separate from the rest of the books in my home, and they have their own special shelf next to my desk; books about cooking, cleaning, child-rearing, education, encouragement, etc. I refer to them often, and always have one or two next to where I nurse my baby.

I plan diligently, jotting down my thoughts in slips of paper as I walk around the house, keeping notebooks and calendars filled over these many years.

I don't have time to waste walking aimlessly around stores; my shopping is focussed and frugally-motivated. My greatest fun is getting the most out of each and every dollar.

When it is time to clean the house--I go at it like a one-woman hurricane, leaving no bed unturned and barking out orders like a junk yard dog after an intruder! When I was in the Army scrubbing and polishing floors, it was because I was motivated to make someone else happy. Scrubbing my own floors makes me happy!

Friends and family know that if they want to please me at birthdays and Christmas, they have to buy me more tools for my trade; gadgets, supplies and appliances are upper-most on my list.

I dress everyday as though I was preparing for a job--the best job in the world. I fix myself up, and I wear clothes good enough to go out in, usually a skirt and nice blouse. My hair is clean and I smell nice--my "clients" deserve the best!

Whatsoever ye do, labour at it heartily, as doing it to the Lord, and not to men. (Colossians 3:23)

Be strong!

By Maltbie Davenport Babcock, 1858 - 1901

We are not here to play, to dream, to drift;

We have hard work to do, and loads to lift;

Shun not the struggle—face it; 'tis God's gift.

Be strong!

Say not, "The days are evil. Who's to blame?"

And fold the hands and acquiesce—oh shame!

Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God's name.

Be strong!

It matters not how deep intrenched the wrong,

How hard the battle goes, the day how long;

Faint not—fight on! To-morrow comes the song.