Search Results for: blog still a part of the family

Fire Your Maid Service and Get Your Family Cleaning

Admittedly, I wouldn’t say no to maid service, if it was free that is. Since it isn’t I have to rely on myself and my family to do the cleaning. Getting three kids to clean is a chore in itself, even when just has to do with cleaning up after themselves. Still, I’d rather have train the family to clean than pay for a maid. Plus, this way, my kids get some valuable real-life lessons, thrown in. Routine is Everything Establish some cleaning routines, and cleaning won’t take up so much time. It is easier to do a quick wipe … Continue reading →

The 85th Academy Awards – Part 2

I am still tired from my 11-hour coverage of the Academy Awards, but so much is still on my mind. The big upset – undoubtedly all the Oscars that went to a little film called Argo that capped off the night with a Best Picture win.  Ever since the nominations were announced, pretty much all that has been heard about was how the Academy overlooked Ben Affleck for Best Director while nominating Argo for Best Picture.  Many tried to explain that the problem lies in that there were eight films nominated for Best Picture, but the Best Director field only … Continue reading →

Learning the Alphabet Part V

Part of his seemingly sudden interest in the alphabet is due to my obsession with writing names but also in part due to his one year old sister’s recent interest in his fridge phonics toy.  He could not have cared less about until she showed some fascination with it and now he thinks it is one of the best toys in the house. It is unnerving how that seems to work. The two of them would stand in the kitchen and he would put the letters into the toy and she would press them so that the toy would start … Continue reading →

Slow Cooker Basics Part 2

If you want yummy, perfectly cooked slow cooker or crockpot recipes that cost pennies per serving, then keep reading. With a little knowledge, your slow cooker meals will help you reduce your food bill while keeping your family happy. This post is part two of Slow Cooker Basics. If you missed the first post, you can find it here: Slow Cooker Basics. Now, let us add to your knowledge about how to make delicious slow cooker or crockpot meals. Some Food Cooks Faster than Others Vegetables usually take longer to cook than meat does. Don’t worry, you can still cook … Continue reading →

Love Makes a Family

Logan got a little spoiled with books this Christmas, thanks to Mommy’s thrift shop rummaging. I was tempted to be an indian giver when I fell in love with one of them, but luckily he is a good sharer. As we read the book I felt as if it was written just for us, so much so that it brought me to tears. It is about a single mother who is raising a little girl on her own. One day the little girl comes home from school and decides she wants a “real family,” and storms off next door. They … Continue reading →

Frugal and Free Homeschooling {part 1}

Many have pushed aside the idea of homeschooling due to a lack of finances.  Many make the decision to stop homeschooling because of a difficult financial time.  Hearts that feel the impact of failing make decisions that cause them to retreat and not go forward. You are not a failure.  If you are experiencing a hard time or you feel you can not afford to homeschool, do not feel shame.  Many more struggle behind those happy Facebook status updates and expensive looking science experiments on blogs. A few years ago, I was in a financial situation that I feared would … Continue reading →

Holiday Parties and Christmas Bonuses

At this time of year, home – based professionals may be getting all nostalgic about two things that they remember from working outside of the home. Holiday parties and Christmas bonuses are things that used to be commonplace for many professionals who were employed outside of the home. In recent years bonuses and gifts have become a more modest, but many people do still get a little something from their employer. Most places of employment have some form of holiday party, too. Now that you work from home, are holiday bonuses and parties a thing of the past? They don’t … Continue reading →

Surviving Holiday Parties as a Single Parent

As a single parent this time of year can be filled with bittersweet emotions. Family and friends are gathering together to celebrate the holidays. While this is an exciting time of year, it can be hard for a single parent to attend such gatherings when they are attending on their own. It can be isolating at times to be in a room full of people with families and children running around when yours aren’t there. Not only are your children gone, but you don’t have that special someone by your side to help you endure it. You can be in … Continue reading →

The Whopping Family Cell Phone Bill

Cell phones as we know them are only a few decades old, and yet it is hard to think about living without them, despite the fact that humankind survived centuries without cell phones. It isn’t unusual these days to be spending $250 or more a month for your family cell phones. In some families, the cell phone expense may be the second highest monthly bill, after the mortgage or the rent. Doing without other things, from eating out to dental care (in some cases) in order to afford cell phones has become the norm. How did things get so crazy? … Continue reading →

How Accurate is ‘Lincoln?’ Part 2

I went to see Lincoln this weekend and it was a great film. But, how well did it really portray history? Be forewarned – this blog contains some movie spoilers! The film was about Lincoln trying to get the 13th Amendment passed in order to abolished slavery. As for the tension in the country as Lincoln was trying to get the amendment passed – that was accurate. I just didn’t realize all the political tension. Some in Congress still wanted the Emancipation Proclamation recalled and even those for the 13th Amendment didn’t seem ready to hear the specific words “equality … Continue reading →