Frugal Dishsoap

With my children doing the dishes, there is the potential to use a TON of dishsoap. I have found a solution! I bought a foaming soap dispenser. When it was time for a refill, I put in about 1/4 regular soap, then filled the rest up with water. Rotate it around to mix up the soap, and there you have it! Dishsoap at a fraction of the cost!

It works for hand soap too! Check out the other frugal ideas at Biblical Womanhood!

January Highlights

Matt had a Birthday:


We got snow:





Mercy went Texas:


Who is that Masked Man?


This is NOT a photo of Mercy outside in her jammies, while it was freezing cold. Nope.

Matt and Beth are buddies:


Merchant Mercy:


Sara and Beth:


And Look who's getting so big? She's eating baby food and everything already!

Saving Money at the Dentist

We have all our dental appointments tomorrow. This is not a day I really look forward to twice a year, due to traumatic dental experiences as a child. So I try to NOT pass on this fear to my little ones.

How do I do that? By offering a reward.

See, it takes so long to get all of us through the dentist that we usually drive through McDonald's for a treat after, and get everyone something from the Dollar Menu to hold them over until we are home. A couple years ago I got to thinking - our co-pay for cavities is $40. So I tell the kids that anyone who has teeth CLEANER than mine can get themselves and ENTIRE meal. It still costs less than a co-pay for one cavity, but gives the kids an incentive to keep their teeth clean all through the year, since they never get an entire meal at a fast food restaurant.

It Works for Me (we haven't had a cavity yet!), it might Work for You too!

Training Kids to Help...

"One rule we have in our family is that I only do the things that only I can do. In other words, if someone else can do it, I train them to have at it..."

To read the rest of the article, head on over to Happy to be at Home!

Mama Told Me There'd Be Days Like This...

Ok- well... if my mom told me that, I forgot. (Sorry Mom.) But some days just will be this way. Loud, wild, and things just not getting done. The baby being fussy, and things generally being out of order.

It is very, very hard to be patient when you have a long to do list, and there is just too much noise and chaos to think, let alone do anything. So how do you react when these days come? These days when everyone and everything way outnumbers the one person you are?

If you came over here to read encouraging things... on how I have it all together... keep on going. If you want to know that I know how you feel... that I feel that way too... stay a while and join my RSS followers. Because these days there is just too many demands, and not enough of me to spread. If you feel the same, stick around. We'll get through our days together, and hopefully glorify our Lord in the process! Maybe one of these days I'll actually get around to correcting the kid's schoolwork, too. Maybe.

Lessons Learned in the Peterson Culinary Institute: 1

Beaten Egg Whites are NOT the same as Beaten White Eggs.

Using the entire egg in pudding does not work.

Following a recipe is very, very important.

Warning About CFL Bulbs

I have been slowly replacing my light bulbs with the more energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. At least until I recently read an article stating that these bulbs work by using Mercury in some way... and Mercury is a big deal. These need to be disposed of properly, no doubt about it.

My concern is if these bulbs break. Did you know that with the mercury, it is not recommended to have these bulbs in a room where there are children and/ or pregnant women due to the chance of them breaking and the mercury vapors going into the air? I cannot find the article this minute, but the vapor can last in the air for at least weeks, and I think it was a lot longer than that. This article states that if one breaks, and the dust comes in contact with your bedding or clothing, the items should be BURNED. Read it... it's serious stuff.

Almost a year ago, NPR had an article on it too... check it out here.

I think there is a link between autism and the mercury levels in immunizations. (Did you know the symptoms of mercury poisoning and autism are almost identicle?) I am afraid that these bulbs could add to problems inside houses.

Research the issue for yourself. Do a google search. As for me and my house, I think we are going back to the old lightbulbs. Now I just need to figure out how to dispose of the mercury filled ones...