I signed up at

think.MTV.com

And then found Kiva on there, clicked the support button and about a week later got a message telling me how to redeem a certificate for one $25 loan on Kiva.

I found out how via the freemicroloan site

This time I picked fried chicken because I am hungry...

I get a headache (or heartache) reading all the stories and trying to decide, it is sometimes just easier to go with a picture I like.

I happened to find this link in my mailbox:

brothers brick

IMO this guy does the mini figs better, he has to use homebrew parts.

Then I thought, hey I wonder if anyone has done a lego Serenity yet? It seems the perfect fit, legos and Firefly.

Turns out this fellow has

Pretty nifty but I thought about how long ago the movie came out and surely there would be more...

Nope, after sifting through several pages of google results for lego serenity they are all links to folk talking about the first guy's ship!

Even Chris over at Reasonably clever hasn't updated his attempt at a larger serenity since 2007!

Say it ain't so, can you really stop the bricks?

On a side note if you have a lego collection you have GOT to read this!


Edit to add, got another email: several very good kids' creations

So yesterday my husband comes home rather late. Seems he stopped at target to pick up some deodorant, thats all he needed but he stopped at the clearance aisles since he was there.

He comes in with just the deodorant and says he needs to go back to the car to bring something in.

Through the storm door I see him wrangling a rather large item out of the car. I think to myself, some sort of shelves, or desk, something to help in the living room tangle of mismatched holders of junk, or for the garage, that place could use organization (throw out all the garbage and there would be plenty of room, but I digress)

As he comes closer I see it is a box larger than my oldest with some sort of colorful graphic on the front, a kids item? Maybe shelves for their rooms?

Then he says it is a table hockey game...

I literally locked the door and walked away.

"But I always wanted one of these" he called after me.

For those of you who do not know we live in a small house, 3 bedrooms yes, but with 6 of us, the fact that the house is pretty much just 3 bedrooms, a small kitchen and a small living room, not to mention the smallness of said bedrooms, life is a bit cramped.

So I left him out in the cold with his giant hockey game.

"But BIL and I used to love playing this kind of game together" I heard him calling.

Then as JC headed to find out what all the comotion was, I heard him get quiet, he was trying to convince JC to unlock the door for him! I put a stop to that.

"It is a small hockey table, it wont take up much space!" came a new plea

I proceeded to serve up dinner for the kids.

"It is really cold out here" (you would think growing up in PA he would have thicker blood)

Then finally silence, as I began eating dinner with the kids, I noticed no new complaints from outside.

"Wait just let me explain" came a voice from right behind me.

Seems he decided to sneak in another door!

I contimplated making a run for the car and starting a new life, but then I remembered how badly the car was cluttered as well.

I let him talk instead.

Apparently he bought it as a present for the nieces and nephews, who live in a 3 bedroom BIG house. Which is ok, then he told me the price, which was nice.

The deodorant was on sale too.

My computer was down! My wonderful husband spent many swearing sessions to fix it. I don't know much about computers but I do know a good swear fest will fix em if done right (I for example cannot seem to fix them no matter how much swearing I do, alas I must not know all the good words)

So I am back from the void. This time using Google Chrome.

I have nothing interesting to say, but I am back to say it nonetheless

Spending log:
Jan 22:
Target 13.86 not sure I didn't spend it
Lowes: 11.94 stuff for my cabinets (they are great!)
Electric bill: 57.33 (rather high .... stupid Wii)
Jan 26th:
BJs: 137.26 food
Food Lion: 102.80 (lotta food)
Restaurant: 18.21 (was double that before the coupons)

previous for January: 726.40

Dec final*: 908.65

No offense is intended to the makers, buyers, sellers, or even folk actually interested in these items, I am just saying...

veagan valentine Sorry I am fond of chocolate, though it is for a good cause, or at leas a cause, I didn't research this stuff.

felt teething rings


umm felt? in the mouth? that just sounds so...yucky or at least fuzzy, I am all for natural, but felt?

vinal VHS

I guess if you can't part with your worthless VCR you could give it to the kids along with these? But why encourage a kid to hang on to a dead tech?

pull toy

No pic on this one, do you see what that rabbit is doing?





Why not get real acorns?

and final...



It is a body bag for a doll, how morbid do you want kids playtime to be!
All done with pictures, enjoy!

This is cute!

MissPrettyPretty playhouse



What kid wouldn't love a custom playhouse, and what mom wouldn't love the fold-ability of simple cloth and a card table!

And of course you need some mail to go in that mailbox!

mailbag

Then for a baby this is beautiful!

stacking toy

For the older kid in the family a challenge: Pzzlblox


Now any nursing mother knows at some point baby gets bored with just looking at you (or worse the inside of a blanket) so here is one idea:
nursing necklace

I am cheap, I just let her play with the necklace I always wear, happens to be strong cord stands up to pulling, not wooden decorations though.

For the pretend eco momma doll diaper



and of course a set of wipes

(yes the diapers are on JCs wish list)

For the spy in the family: secret decoder

(I actually might look at this for GMC...

OK I really have to stop...Though if you want you can find anything on there, from wooden phones (really you want wooden toys, but modern electronics?) Chess sets for thousands of dollars or $25, felt food, handmade stuffed animals, dolls, and blocks.
And finally done with pictures

So over at Cracked they were making fun of fantasy weapons. And yes they still use bad language, so just for the fun of it we will skip the link. (yes I emailed them, no they don't care, family gals are not their target audience)

Anyway They, and many others, wanted to know why with the tech availible in the Star Wars universe would a Wookie use a bow caster (uses energy to launch quills)

I think I know. It is the same reason why my kids are writing. The Wookie planet used crossbows when the empire found them. All adults were well versed in the use of a crossbow, earning the right to carry one was a coming of age event for young wookies. So rather than change centuries of habit, the empire gave them a better crossbow.

My kids are learning to write, in an age where the tech for typing on your phone is more used than an actual signature.

Waitresses only write down orders long enough to input them in a computer (actually if they are as lazy as I was they only write it down for big orders, everyone else gets a pretend squiggle as I memorized the order) Pretty soon the waitress 'book' will be a computer pad (that can scan your CC when done)

Adults text rather than talk (And who still writes a letter?) Kids in 3rd grade are required to have calculators for class (what write down math are you crazy?)

But unlike the Wookie world that had the empire tech brought on them by surprise (or not, I don't really know that much) My kids will grow with the tech, and wont need high tech ancient weapons (except in fantasy)

Though I expect at some point in the future,kiddie games will teach texting rather than handwriting writing.

So last night we finally watched TV again, sort of. We were watching some Tivo'd episodes (Big Bang Theory, and Psyche).

Of course if you have Tivo (or a friend with TiVo), you know commercials are no longer watched. Instead you fast forward through them, getting right back to your show.

So I wonder, just when are advertisers going to realize this and start putting together ads that work in fast motion? Though at the same time maybe they already have, from repetitive images to logos that stay onscreen, I actually can tell you what was advertised last night. (or rather 2 months ago)

-MnMs went with the old green sex myth for a new 'luxury' line.
-some car or another thinks 29MPG is energy efficient.
-Some beer brand won an award.
-Somebody doesn't like Dole
-they don't like Obama either
-Target stole the Mr Wizard intro and made it red.


In over two hours of TV viewing, that's all I got..but MnMs must be happy.

See this is why I hate keeping track, I always forget, and then I have to go back and see when I last put stuff in, and then put in all the new stuff.

good thing we don't spend that often, but really more than enough.

Oh plus I read the recent post brought up about food spending and I wondered just how much we spend on food now compared to then.

I think I will go with all spending this month, and then next month just food. Too much trouble to separate now.

This week we are trying to buy for two weeks worth at Trader Joes, and then alternate TJs and Food Lion weeks.
(no we can't skip one or the other)

Spending log:
Jan 19th: 75.18 (TJs)
Jan 16th: 23.55 (scouts)
Jan 14th: 146.36 BJs (food)
Jan 13th: 41 food lion (exactly 41?)
Jan 12: 11.08 USPS mailing stuff
56.58 Trader Joes

previous for January: 372.65

Dec final*: 908.65

It snowed last night,
It snowed last night
the snow bears had a pillow fight


That was the song I sang ever time it snowed when I was a kid, I am surprised I remembered it since living in Charlotte I rarely see snow!

ANd Last night it snowed, the first of 2009 as GMC informed me this morning.

UE says we need to get a Christmas tree to go with the snow.

GMC also had a conversation with UE about how we needed to play in the snow, not with the Wii because the Wii will be here tomorrow, but the snow will melt soon!

Last night as the weather station called for the snow, folks geared up to buy milk and bread and eggs, as all folk do before 'emergencies'. Not because you can't drive (in general the roads are fine once the sun comes up, or before) but because School is canceled and everyone needs to make french toast with the kids . OR at least we hope they take advantage of all that bread and milk and eggs to do something fun. Maybe we are weird, but unless it is shopping day we generally have milk, and bread and eggs a-plenty.

ALl 4 kids made it outside, and I decided we have got to start stocking some cream, makes much better hot chocolate than 1% milk.

I was rather expecting UE to stop napping, he is 3 and sleeps plenty at night. But EL has decided to give hers up right along with him! She is 7 months, way to young for it. And I am rather frustrated with my afternoons. I miss my alone time.

_______________
We have a Wii... For Christmas we talked about asking for one as a joint gift, then read up on how difficult they can be to find, and said we didn't need the aggravation nor want to put that chore on anyone else.

It seems MIL found out and decided to find one for us.

So we have a new toy. I haven't watched TV since . Lego Star Wars is the perfect game to play while nursing, not to hard, not to much movement, and one or two levels can be finished while she snuggles down for the night.

I also tried the Wii age tester from the sports pack and found out I was 80 years old! Then after trying every day (for a long time) I made it to 30, and called it quits, I figure if I keep going it will go back up, so I stopped playing that one.

______________
The scouts had their derby, and I discovered how annoying it is when someone doesn't show up..the fellow with the scale didn't show. Now if you have been in a derby you know the car needs to be less than 5 oz, and if yours is 2 it will be creamed by my 5 oz car, not worth racing even. So we couldn't start till we had one.

We now own one.

I also heard a comment from someone about organization would help...now since I delegated the task of bringing the scale, what exactly was I supposed to do short of doing it all myself? I also delegated the task of making the 'chart' for the double elimination show up on the screen, I didn't know it was simple, but the message never made it to me, so that task had to be solved the day of the derby.

Not that I had no help, I had more help for this event than ever before, just a few key issues were missing.

I almost laughed when one person said they wanted to know what was taking so long for the awards, I kinda wonder how they think the kids names get on there? wave a magic wand? the Cubmaster and I sit down and scribble furiously while they ate hot dogs..not my fault if you eat fast. (and extra thanks to the lady who brought the hot dogs!)

BTW GMC won

(well his daddy's car was faster, but GMC was the fastest kid car)
____________

I just had three kids come to my door to sell candy. They said they were saving up to buy a guinea pig! I bought a lollypop for 50 cents They asked for a quarter. but it was all pennies so I overpaid .

I also had a comment on my '10 year old with job' blog post by a young girl, I deleted it because it had her name and phone number and I don't think those should be posted online. I sent her a nice email suggesting she not post personal info online and find a trusted adult to help her come up with a way to make money.

I think this is the true sign of the times, and I like it. I would rather see kids hawking candy than thinking a DS or cell phone is an automatic right for all 10 year olds.

_________________

EL can Moo! sortof. If you ask her what a cow says, about 75% of the time she says 'oooo' which is close enough for me, and really cute. This would be the earliest any of my kids 'talked'. But it is just a moo (without the M).

I know many folk on SA enjoy helping folk out with Kiva loans, and I wondered how others choose the loan recipients?

Last time I choose a

woman who had a decent plan, and most importantly only needed $25 to fill the loan. It was paid back (on time btw)and so I went to try another loan.

And I again had to figure out who to pick...

This time I had 25 in kiva credit (from the original loan being repaid) and 25 in paypal. So I made two loans

one to a group

and one to a woman in retail

I still really don't know how to pick, but I do know they were not full. So if you happen to be on your way to Kiva anytime soon, and have no better reason to pick loans, feel free to pick those two so the money will come back sooner.

I like gadgets, I like toys, my disdain of buying new fads is not because I don't like any of them, it is because I know I don't have time, money or space for all of them.

And I am OK with that.

So yes I do see how cool that new toy is, and sure I could play with it. But no I am not buying one.

Tell you what how about you bring your toy over here, we all check it out and have fun together?

Oh you have meetings/school/work/everything else in the way of visiting.

Sorry we will miss you, well enjoy your toy.

Oh you have meetings/work/school/everything else in the way of playing with it.....

Sorry. Well at least you can say you have that toy. I can't say that.

Lunch break over.

I have new kitchen cabinets!

Sortof, they are in my living room, stacked on top of each other and covered with a blanket so they don't get dinged up, but I have them.

We pooled most of the Christmas cash we were given and used it to buy cabinets to fill the hole on the far side of my kitchen. Right now the recess has a bench in it and is 91.5 inches long.

without paying for customization we can't get 91.5 inch long cabinets.

so my ingenious husband found a long 'utility' cabinet (that look just like the other cabinets we already have) and one 30 tall cabinet that he is going to hang on it's side. Which still leaves 7.5 inches of wall space.

My husband wants to put up a 3inch spacer on either side and 1.5 inch one in the middle.

Which is ok, but....that is 7.5 inches of space I could be using!

I dunno if I want a shelf (which he can easily do) or the spacers (which would prolly look more 'polished').

Since we are rather busy (CE meeting tonight, Scouts Tomorrow, have to make derby cars, and set up Friday plus games, Derby Saturday, Christmas trip with nephews Sunday) I have time to make up my mind.


Spending log:
Jan 10th: 23.44 target
previous for January: 349.21
Dec final*: 908.65

You may wonder why there is no cabinet listed on spending..it was cash, I don't keep track of cash..because I usually don't have that much, so it is 'fun money' Though I think (there were a lot of numbers thrown around) it was less than $200 for all the stuff.

Polaroid is coming out with a 'new' insta print camera.

It is $200 for grainy low res photos printed on special peper.

But it is as instant as the old kind. Except without the shaking. Now I know as well as you that shaking the Polaroid did nothing useful (and may have harmed the photo) but it felt good to do something while waiting for the magic picture to appear.

The new camera wont need shaking, and in fact from what I can tell you have to leave the whole camera along for the minute it takes to print a picture.

I like the concept of instant pictures (in fact I could use some to make 'licenses' for the Scout Pinewood Derby next weekend) but I can't see paying that much for grainy pictures.

Not when I can take great photos with my camera then print them on sticker paper myself so much easier.

Though my printer wont be at the derby...

Anyway, Poloroid seems to have lost it's gimmick. Maybe instead of trying to get a fast printer they should try to make better quality shakeable photos....Even if they made the pictures print by having to shake the camera.. (the more you shake more it prints....)

My wonderful husband decided to use some of his poker money for a new computer, which means I got the old one. So he took all the important stuff out of his and put it into mine. I am sure if I payed attention I would appreciate all the changes more, but being the non computer geek I just notice the thing works.

Then all the new parts came last night and husband got to play with putting his computer together, I was abed long before he finished so I don't know how it all went, but I hope it works. He was like a kid all excited about his new toys. I suppose all those numbers and letters he was throwing around meant good things, I supplied the appropriate 'ooh' at the right times (at least I tried), but I couldn't tell anything about it if I tried.

Though I think he said his new video card is faster than my laptop.

Spending log:
Jan 5th: $89.13 food
house gas: $89.47 (technically a bill)
Water bill: 22.70
Jan 7th: $91.05 (the gas CC payment)

Previous:
Jan: 56.86
Dec final*: 908.65

You ever procrastinate something for so long you forgot what it was you were avoiding doing?

I have a todo list a mile long, and in general I do several important things on it every day. And find very interesting reasons to rationalize why I don't do others.

It is those others that I have been avoiding that I woke up this morning and said I was going to do something about...and here I am with no good reason not to do them, and I can't remember what they were!

Oh I am so good at this procrastination thing!

You know why there was no gas for the car listed last month? because my husband had been using a credit card, one that I don't know how to pay, nor receive notice of a due date....Not that I don't have a wonderful responsible husband, just that... he is about as good at procrastinating as I am. Dunno what I am supposed to do with that.

And what ever happened to refinancing the house? No idea, no bank will call us back..that makes you feel a bit depressed banks don't want our business?


January Spending log:
1st and 2nd -$0
Sat 3rd - 31.50 bowling with scouts
Sun 4th - 25.36 gas for car (err?)

Dec final*: 908.65

*bills not included

First, I have company coming over today for crafts and grilled cheese, yet I have no bread...

Second, I spoke with the church about doing a class for the 4th and 5th graders and thought it was all worked out that the church would pay for pins and books, watched them put a new line in the budget to pay for it, and proceeded to advertise to my scouts that they could come to the free class starting next Wednesday. After repeated emails asking if the teacher was selected and all was set, I get an email, yesterday saying they will not be paying for books and have not ordered them (which isn't surprising since they did not advertise the class in church at ALL)

Third, UE wont nap, and he needs it

Fourth, I am cold and cranky and it is raining.

oh and fifth, JC is being an absolute brat, and it is her friend coming today...Total brat, brattiest of brats. really, sometimes I wonder if I am the worst mother on the planet with the kids as proof.

So I decided to pay off the fridge, the fears of paying late and having to pay the full amount of interest later were just too big.

I also paid off the car ....

Which means my EF is...bleach, barely there.

Oh I knew it wasn't as nice as I had hoped, but seeing it all beefed up with the car amount and the fridge just sitting there felt, safe.

Now that the money has gone where it belongs, my EF is woefully low, and the checking account ain't much higher.

Which means we will be spending less in weeks to come, prolly a good thing over all.

Oh and husband did spend yesterday, $13 on two memory cards and a pen that we don't need, sure the cards were normslly 30 each, and the pen was needed to make the discount, but... why do we need these cards?

forgot to put in thee last few days

Dec 26th: 77.81 (kids stuff and lights)
Dec 27th: 89.17 (food again!)
Dec 29th: 33.81 (Lowes - lights hardware)
Prev tot: 705.69

Dec final*: 895.48

*I might spend today or tomorrow
Also only half the month was recorded
And no bills
And half of that is for dental work

I think we shall have to see what next month brings

We had to buy the fridge err, last month? time flies when you are busy, and sleep deprived.

We used a store CC with the 0% till, sometime next year offer.

Now I could pay it off, or I could wait.

I sent the first payment, but not the whole balance. just to delay the answer. But today I am online early for the sole purpose of paying bills. I just have to decide how much.

I almost made it through the year without ranting, almost, there was the burning need to point out that our Christmas is not sad despite the lack of interest in Santa, but that was pretty mild. The following is not mild, and I do not recommend allowing your child to read over your shoulder (though I do not swear in print)

In real life I have made it a point to simply avoid discussion over the years and quietly let folk know our children do not hold any false beliefs in Santa. (which makes most parents rather cautious speaking of Santa around them)

BUT.

At a small gathering of friends, in my house, someone was speaking of Santa and my son said quietly 'There is no santa'. I said "shh I know." and was ready to change the subject. My normal tactic for escape when the topic is broached.

I was stopped when a good friend asked if I had spoken to GMC about not saying that. I said "He has been told not to argue religion".

After discussion from her, I continued to reply, "He has been told not to argue religion, but he may state his beliefs."

Apparently the worry that one day my son will tell a child there is no Santa is weighing on her heavily (she works with children). Because that might cause trauma...

I am a bit confused, you mean you want my kid to lie, so you can keep doing so to your kids? Sorry I see no reason to ask my son to lie, nor, considering I am (and she is) a Christian telling him NOT to share his beliefs! Besides you brought it up! I don't go around asking about your beliefs, and he has been told children do not bring up religion, he is too young to debate religion politely. He knows not to try and convert anyone away from their santa belief, he also knows we support his right to speak his belief and will continue to support him.

Suppose a hindu was in the room talking of praying to brahma, should my son not be allowed to say he doesn't believe in it (him/her?)? This is not intended as an insult to Hindus, simply as a reminder that we all have a right to our beliefs...including NOT believing.

The same works in reverse if my son speaks of praying to God and an atheist tells him there is no God, that atheist has the right to say what he/she believes. (and yes IRL we know several folk of various non Christian religions)

My family is well aware that there are many different ways to understand God, as well as many folk who do not understand Him at all. But we do live in a free country, might be losing freedoms quickly, but last I checked we still had freedom of religion, at least in our homes.

Again GMC (as well as his sister) has been told not to argue the religion, simply state his belief and move on. I wont try to convert you away from celebrating santa, if you promise not to try and convert me to the practice.

Many years around Christmas, we role play how to change the subject or find mom for help, if a conversation is centering around religion. I have given him every tool I can to avoid losing friends over Santa, what more do I need to do, short of asking him to lie?

If others are allowed to state their beliefs regarding santa, why can't he?

I enjoy geek articles, I enjoy rants on society. But I cannot stand how folk constantly swear in the middle of a perfectly good article.

Don't get me wrong, I swear a plenty, when angry I string together more swearing than sense, and one can hardly tell what I am mad about.

BUT I don't immortalize any of my swearing in print (and yes online is just as immortal has print, maybe even more so, it is rather hard to remove anything, especially after it makes front page of digg.)


Swearing in the middle of an article causes one to stop and jars one out of enjoyment. If you took out the swearing many articles on cracked would be worthy reading, even in spite of the often gutter topics. Yet I do not visit all that often, because I find the reading of their articles difficult.

Today a lovely piece on

pixelated geek about stupid toys. Really I have to agree, though not quite so vehemently. Yet I will not be forwarding this article to umm anyone, because of the language. (OK I did share it here, but only reluctantly)

I can't be the only one who limits the sharing of articles based on language.


::Edited to add, the author removed a couple words and added an astrisk in another, now the removal was what I wanted, the astrisk was them being silly, and yes those couple words really make a big difference in reading. Pretty nifty that the change was made so fast (within minutes of me posting a comment)::

:: edit again, email from fellow:
"I'll forward this note to all my bloggers and keep it clean from now
on. Thanks again =)"
The cynic in me is awaiting the blog post ranting of my stupid request, but the optimist says my little comment might have made a difference?

We had a lovely simple day at home with the kids, while I do miss my family I love not having to spend any of Christmas rushing to look presentable. The only trouble is my husbands phone, normally in his pants pocket, is often hidden in yesterdays jeans, so last year we had a surprise visit from my BIL, because my MIL was worried that no one answered the phone. so this year around lunch time I reminded him to find the phone and call her.

We used some craft stuff the kids received, played a game, read some books, built legos, and of course ate cinnamon rolls, steak dinner, plenty of chocolate, clementines, and pancakes.

My oldest is taking after me, we had to wake him up to open presents around 8am! I used to be woken up every Christmas morning by my brother. Not to sure what time but every year I reminded him to tell me it was Christmas so I wouldn't be mad he woke me. The first year he was gone, my mother woke me up instead. Silly kid who has to be woken up for Christmas!

Christmas at our house is anything but sad. After a candle lit service at church we come home read the advent book (pgs 1-24), place presents from the kids under the tree, get tucked in and then mommy and daddy start hiding from each other to wrap presents for each other.

By the time that is done, the kids are asleep and we bring out their stockings to leave on the couch, and presents, to leave under the tree. Then I make cinamon rolls, because no matter how I try to be smart and do it earlier, I never get around to it, so I roll them out at midnight, then stick them in the fridge for the next day.

Christmas morning, one or the other of us, wakes up with the younger ones for some cuddling while we wait on GMC.

Then when all are up but him we wake him. I have tried waiting for him, but really he could sleep forever on Christmas!

This year I suggested we all eat a banana before we open, to many hypoglycemic kids (and mom) in the house)

We open stockings in our bed together, I love seeing the kids excited about each item and each others gifts. Little UE still exclaims 'I got a toothbrush' which is in every stocking every year! Along with some toys and chocolate coins.

El was chewing away at her toy fish watching everyone else. Long before the kids have had the chance to open up the toys and build legos I make them clean it off the bed for breakfast.

We light all 5 of the advent candles, Hope, Love, Joy, Peace, and the Christ candle while we eat, then it is back to opening more presents in the living room by the lit tree.

We don't insist they finish opening to play with them, we stop right in the middle to open up a game or start a lego project. And it makes the opening process take all morning even though we don't do to many gifts (one or two each, plus the ones from them) long before they are done testing all the games, we have to break for pancakes and blueberry and strawberry breakfast (GMC doesn't like strawberries, I don't like blueberries so we have both)

Then it is time to read ALL of the advent book, a highly anticipated event, before naptime (for younger, and usually Daddy), or crafts or games for older. (the kind that toddlers get in the way of)

After lunch they still usually haven't gone through and played all the games (because we all play with each one) so they play some while we try to call some grandmas and wish them a Merry Christmas.

Steak dinner is our tradition, along with brownie desert, for Jesus' birthday.

Then it is time for more reading and bed.

Christmas may not have any guy in a red suit here, but it is anything but sad. We celebrate the birth of our Risen Savior. We set up a tree full of ornaments of things we are thankful for, covered in lights to remind us of His light, on a living evergreen, because Jesus is ever living. Sharing presents because He is the greatest gift. Spending time with family, surrounded by love. Nothing sad about it.

Spending log:
previous: $624.08
Last Tuesday: $81.61 (extra Christmas food)
Wed, Thur: $0
New Dec total: 705.69

When I think of cloth bags I think of something like a pillow case tied at the top, and truthfully kinda baggy.

like these

Which is, well not right. I like the crisp edges of a paper wrapped gift. I also like the ribbons.

So when I tried to go cloth I searched for some way to appease my desire for boxy presents, and yet not use paper.

The result was I found a pattern for a tote bag that is so easy to make I did 3 in 2 hours, and with tied with a ribbon around it looks nearly like paper wrapped presents. (only better!)

the origional

I took that bag pattern, cut the size down in thirds, and hand sewed em. I did not do a handle or cuff. though I did tuck it inside itself so that the present 'wrapping' would be easier.

I also made one a bit bigger to use most of the fabric scrap I had. And one that was a bit, off in proportion (but it was what I had)

Last night while we were wrapping, I finished up a 4th bag so each kid gets one cloth wrapped gift. I think they will be reusable, just small.

If I knew how to use a machine, I bet I could whip up a dozen in short order they are SOOOO easy. And it would be a great way to use up any old rectangles of fabric that might be around....I might look into borrowing a machine, so long as someone else threads it, I hate that step.

I can't get pictures off my camera right now or I would show you the adorable pile of presents we have.

I love my chocolate fudge recipe, not to sweet, and VERY fudgy you know smooth, not quite creamy, but also not hard. And most importantly to me, not 'chalky' or grainy.

Peanut butter fudge on the other hand I have a problem with, I have tried several recipes tweaking away, yet I cannot come up with one that isn't grainy. And frequently they are more sweet than peanutbuttery. Don't get me wrong I like sugar loaded peanut butter as much as the next person, but I would prefer a proper 'fudgy' peanut butter fudge' so what is the sercret, what makes fudge fudgy?

spending log:
Tuesday: $467
Wednesday: $0
Thursday: $154.08
Friday: $0
Sat-Mon: $0 (well church bucks)
Total= $624.08

See this is why I rarely keep spending logs, they are usually boringly empty.

Though tomorrow I expect a jump, we are going grocery shopping early, since we don't want to do it the day after Christmas.

Last night was my oldest first sleepover. He spent the night not sleeping at a friends, and I spent the night not sleeping here.

He is finally home and I can relax, sure he got some bumps and bruises, cut elbows and knees, but nothing worse.

Next time wont be so hard, it was good for both of us, but oh I missed him. (truthfully the total lack of sleep was Els fault not GMCs)


Spending log:
Tuesday: $467
Wednesday: $0
Thursday: $624.08
Friday: $0
Total= $624.08

Yesterday my husband surprised me with a new big giant flat screen monitor, that was apparently a good deal. He said it wouldn't fit in my stocking, so I got it early. He also spent around half an hour telling me why it was a good deal, I don't remember any of it, but I am glad my husband cares about it.

Spending log:
Tuesday: $467
Wednesday: $0
Thursday:
BJs gas - $34.11
BJS food and monitor - ?? he used cash (poker money)
Food lion - $82.90
Trader Joes - $40.07
Total= $624.08

Lotta money, but not as bad as if I knew what the milk and such cost!

We recieved our free game as a prize for taking tests on

bookadventure.com.

And included was a flyer about a million minute game challenge

I remember reading about this eons ago, but this time the flyer has good timing, the cub scout theme for January is 'Amazing Games'. So I will be asking the scouts if the would like to incorporate the challenge in their meetings.

I think I may also cheat and let the Girl scouts do it too, it will keep us busy for January and then in February we have a Garden Journey to begin.

The spending log:
Tuesday: $467
Wednesday: $0

For the most part I am lazy I do not keep track of every penny, though most are on my bank statement.

But, with other folks being hit up for money, I find my friends asking me how we do this whole one income thing, and why we have no complaints about the recession.

I sat down and figured out how we could cut money from our budget if we needed to, but I also thought that most of the cutting has been done.

So maybe a log of what my family spends would help. (though a log of what we didn't spend would be better, if you don't see it on here, we didn't buy it)

Tuesday:
Dentist $395 (two fillings husband)
Post office $70 (three packages, plus Christmas cards)
Scouts $2 (extra so I could buy the quarters)

total = $467

A rather expensive day for us. Today I expect no money to be spent, but tomorrow will be grocery's so that will be big.

On an unrelated but personal note, GMC is sitting quiet as can be, reading Lemony Snicket 'A Bad Beginning'. A book he turned his nose up at earlier, but after alternating chapters with me for a few days he suddenly has to know what happens to the poor Baudelaire children. Bad news is I can't very well read over his shoulder, so I don't know what happens to poor Sunny stuck up in the cage.