While searching for a pattern to make a Tutu, I stopped at several family magazine websites in addition to my google-ing.

I couldn't do one thing on the family fun magazine site! The add kept coming down from the corner covering up the search box I was trying to type in.

Note to web owners, don't make your ads so annoying you lose your visitors.

I just saw a commercial for layaway. With credit being so easy most folk just buy now pay later, but with layaway, shop now pay as you go, pick up and play later makes much more sense to me.

Plus there is that free storage. I wouldn't mind lay a way just so all the Christmas stuff had a place to live between now and Christmas!

Every year we visit a smallish pumpkin patch near our house.

This year we got a free hay ride, nothing extraordinary, but JC and UE's first experience (ok so JC was on one at 10ish months, but that really doesn't count and El was there this time, but again, doesn't count)

Plus we bought some honey, I have read some tentative research suggesting eating honey from local bees is good for allergies, not sure if it works, but it wont hurt. I like supporting local bees anyway.

So the price for 4 smallish pumpkins and one carving pumpkin, and a hay ride, a maze, and a thing of honey?

It is always set your own....seriously.

We said $25 because that's how much cash we had. Truth is looking at their suggested pricing, we would have owed about that, but we have in the past suggested a price and been told it was to high...to which we always reply then we will get another pumpkin!

I think it is an awesome concept, they have our sales every year because of the set your own. I love supporting a local farm, and I love the experience and fun of spending an entire morning outside finding the pumpkins.

We are listening to an old Encyclopaedia Brown story.

Not only does encyclopedia have a booming detective business his friends have jobs. One is a lawn mower business.

Another story has the 10 year olds going camping, on their own.

This is shortly after reading the boxcar children. Where a 5 year old, 10 year old, a 12 year old and a 14 year old, make a home for themselves in a boxcar.

Were kids back in the day more capable, or just the ones in books?

It has been a week of gifts!

'new' to the house clothes for every kid, a;; from two friends. add that to the bag last week and little JC is loving the fun.

It doesn't matter to her that another girl wore the items, what matters is the fun newness of them. (new meaning not ever worn by JC)

I have to admit I get a kick out of going through bags of hand me downs too!

I would need a fabric that doesn't fray so that the patch doesn't have to have the perfect satin finish.

so I thought of felt, but I am not sure I can use iron on transfers on felt.

But then would the felt stretch to much? would it rip when I sewed it on?

do T shirts fray at the cut edges? I know I can iron on to them, and I have a few with holes I could use...though one is black, can you iron on to black?

Since the GS doesn't have a official camp patch for the camp we were at, and Daisies do not have much todo beyond petals I thought Iw oudl try to make a patch for them.

I found instructions:

So this year I am not making the kids cake. We have a pastry chef for a friend, and she is very good.
So while debating how to make a phoenix, along with all the other hassles in life, I just decided to let her make it. After all being the wonderful friend she is, she made the awesome dragon in minutes while I was stressing over other birthday 'stuff', so why not let her have advance notice!

In other news there is an opportunity to buy tickets to the nutcracker through Girl Scouts for only9$... not a big ballet company, but still it is for a 5 year old, I think it would be cool.

For the most part since we are rather frugal and low spenders (cause we are low earners) this whole stock woe is really not effecting us much, oh sure we do have a retirement fund, but since we have eons before retirement and didn't really knwo what it was before the hassle, we can't miss it.

The one thing that prolly aught to worry me is that my husband works in retail, computers but computers for retail. if the economy starts to really suck, and folks really do stop buying 14 bazziliion pairs of shoes, he might have a job problem.

But then again if you were going to cut jobs I would think the lowest paid guy would be last. And he really is the lowest paid guy.

My compost doesn't make near enough dirt to fill in the cracks that this desert has. So I wondered over to the empty lot next door wondering if cutting down the bushes or weeds there would be worth it, and I discovered a pile of grass clippings! Apparently someone in the nearby houses dumps their lawnmower bag right next door!

I dug up a few layers moved it over to my yard to fill in some spots, now it may not really turn into good dirt seeing as how I just dumped and ignored it, but at least for the next while all the rain will wash away crass clippings, not dirt. might keep the erosion down a bit longer.

What I really need is a tree or two, some trees formed on their own down the hill, and are doing rather well, though I have doubts about the two within a foot of each other, they are all taller than my younger son (3ish feet) but, the two close ones are dry and leaves already turning brown.

Unfortunately I cannot grow a thing, all my attempts fail, except the lilies, which while they don't prosper they are at least still alive. So it makes no sense for me to go buy a tree, I just have to hope one gets itself planted and grows enough to be noticeable before I mow it down.

While I will ask total strangers if they want to buy popcorn, I wont ask this one gal. See she is a bit tight with money, regardless of why, she knows us well enough to feel obliged to say yes. While I do want my son to hear no, I wont risk hearing a yes from someone who has no money to buy.

Well, the girl scouts just finished a fall fundraiser for magazines, I did not pester most folk as it isn't all that universally useful.

And now it is time for boyscouts popcorn sales! I do pester folk for that one, if you don't like popcorn you can buy a military donation, your order is tax deductible, and the popcorn goes overseas.

It is what I bought, I don't like microwave popcorn.

So anyone wanna buy some popcorn

I am merely curious, I was fading in and out of sleep while nursing El last night and one channel had a camera pan of the Wells Fargo sign, which happens to be who has our mortgage.

Now I presume if they were in trouble, it would merely mean a new bank would get my payment, maybe some hiccups but no real trouble for me.

I tried google but I really don't understand all that mess, so I figured I would ask those smarter than me.

No on the one hand I have to pay for the camp. 20 for two, two nights, 3 meals.

Plus there will be snacks, usually apples, slimjims, something for breakfast, and trail mix.

on the other hand if home those two would still eat the breakfast and snacks.

plus those other 3 meals, which certainly cost less than $20.

BUT if they were home we would go Christmas shopping, we have a few gifts to get and prefer not to go after Christmas. shopping always involves a bit of splurging, the less we do it the cheaper.

All in all I think it is a wash. Now GS camping at 30 EACH, is a good deal more expensive.

I am more scared by the idea that one cannot survive on one income than on the idea that I only have one.

If anything terrible should happen I can easily go get a job (I am a teacher we are always in demand here)

But if I NEEDED two, could I find quality day care? would I want to? Could I find a teachers job paying enough to afford two cars? two workers do not often manage with only one car (not in the suburbs)

Could I pump? you know I hate it (haven't bothered for three kids now). would I be able to find a contraption that does the trick, or would my children's health have to suffer? (don't get me wrong formula has saved the lives of children who's mothers cannot produce compatible milk, but it not the same)

Would I be able to homeschool or would my choices for education be limited by what I can afford or take for free from the govt?

Would I be able to supply a trip to disney land at the expense of having to wake up early every day?

Would I be able to participate in scouting, or would I become a dump and run parent?

Would I be able to have folk over nearly every Friday or would I be to burned out on everything to manage? I am not superwoman, I find my job of taking care of kids and house and scouts and CE hard enough.

And you know I will prolly get flamed for this, but if you don't like your kids and spouse enough to spend all day with them, why have them?

I like hearing them read to me, listening to them play outside with make believe stories (not enough to join them in said make believe, I am deficient in imagination) I can't understand the joy in parenting if you don't get to take HUGE chunks of time with them. My husband has been known to work 9pm-3am so that he can spend most of the day playing with them. (can't manage the dishes at the same time, but hey he is good at play)

Fortunately his job doesn't mind terribly when he is late due to explaining some fraction concept or word problem to the oldest, or listening to the next to youngest talk all about how two green ducks and two green ducks kes four.
Or listening to how the little dog is black with white spots so both Andrew and Peter will like it( story, we have no dog)

My idea of a great time is to take the kids to the playground or science center read to them, or with them, or listen to them read, or play a game with them.

This doesn't mean my whole life is my kids, I am ignoring them right now, one is ignoring his lunch (the milk is warm so he doesn't want to eat it) two are supposed to be napping and one wants to read to me....come back at 2pm, this is my time.

As much as I like my kids I also like my time away...but all day? everyday? that would be too much for me.

All day away from dishes or laundry that I could handle!

If I had the money to hire help, a nanny, governess or tutor would not be my pick.

A maid, chef then secretary, then if there is anything leftover...a tutor. no not even a nanny for diapers, though I do hate them. I suppose a nanny who did the dirty work while I got to giggle with the baby? Maybe.

Am I crazy to want to spend so much time with my kids? Am I the weirdo going about this parenting all wrong? Am I worthless because I can spend a day doing nothing more productive than spending time (and much of it is just that, time with no product) with my children?

I often hear "you can read?" "You can do fractions?", "you mean he is potty trained?" (only during the day) or "she is only 3 months old" (after rolling or while sitting)

So the results of my time are there, just not quite as easy to see as a stack of reports or a tally of sales, or todo list checked off. Does America in general really take more stock in a parents ability to make money than to prepare children for the world? This is not to say kids out of the home are not prepared. what do you think all that money and research goes to in schools daycares and the like?

I do it free, and I apparently am worthless because all I do is teach (and clean) all day.

the true job of a SAHM is to take care of house yes, but the fun part is to prepare children for the world.

Every job has it's boring parts, personally I would hate to be working at my husbands job, building a computer by putting yet another tiny screw in to add the SAME mother board with the SAME video card, so that when done I can type in the SAME password to load the SAME image?

No sorry not for me, though he does have his fun parts, he delights in solving a difficult problem (if they are all the same why doesn't this one work?)

Folks forwarding emails should be reserved for close friends who care, or at least ones you are sure will giggle.

Sening me a non forwarder an email reminding me NOT to forward is a pure waste of both our times!

Please please, stop using the 'all' function of your email, I highly doubt the wife of your old sunday school teacher wants to read yet another email petition.

even if you do think I will enjoy the read, please remove the 'forward or else' line.

Oh yeah, please please learn to use the Bcc function, B is for Blind, meaning others can't see it. unless we all need each others emails (IE scout leader ring) use Bcc (scout parents)
and no sending an email with a bunch of handles to congress wont do any good.

El who had been sleeping through the night decided this past three to be up constantly...I am so tired, and I miss my happy baby. I dunno what the deal is, but I sure hope she goes back to sleeping soon!

PS babies who sleep are cheaper...Momma doesn't feel the need for expensive shortcuts as much!

I received this in my email and thought it worth sharing. I too am one of those apathetic voters.



This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.
Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed

nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.

Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing

went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above

her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate,
Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack.

Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging,beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because
they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.

For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks

until word was smuggled out to the press.

I want a new (to us) bigger house. I do not need a new house, I want one.

One with preferably 4 bedrooms, one for boys, girls, us and his stuff.

a dining room would be nice as well to play games on.

I think moving would be a lovely way to declutter, though I imagine my husband wouldn't bother, he would just pack his stuff up, but regardless if we had a whole room just for him. I could close the door and ignore it...or invent some silly tale about how a bogart invaded the room and now we can't use it, regardless I wouldn't be tripping over his stuff, and the garage could again hold the car.

So how does one find the perfect house with a reasonable price?

So you might wonder why a middle class family with 4 rug rats has a ton of laptops but no debt for them.

I believe it is the phenomenon of the tech geek husband. You see he fixes a fellows computer issue, and then a few months later gets a laptop. Or he builds one for a friend, then gets it back two years later when the upgrade happens.

Plus he has two for work (one crashes on an application, the other locks up for something else, they humor him because he doesn't ask for top of the line, he fixes the old cast offs)

The desktops we did pay for 5ish years ago? Not sure on the date, as we hardly ever buy a whole computer at once, just parts. I think the last upgrade was 2 years ago, but the monitor was a pre UE purchase. yes I meant monitor singular, a dude with 2 laptops doesn't need a dedicated monitor, neither does his wife with her three. so two cases one monitor.
(which is dyeing, causing me to switch to the laptop unless I am printing, I have got to ask him to tell me how to print from the laptop.)

Nothing is top of the line, but all are serviceable. I gave the little laptop to the kids, not fast but works on the old kiddie games we have. plus they can set it all up by themselves (well not UE)

So there you have it, why we are swimming in free laptops.

ou always here about U being an important letter, after all there is no 'fun' without U.

but then there is I, there is no I in team, but there certainl is in 'win' so I suppose the worth of I depends on what ou want.

I think E is the most used letter in the English language, making it rather important, or at least well used.

In m own personal opinion ' '(the one after x, but before z) is the most important letter. Wh ? ou ask? because it is the one that doesn't work on m ke board......

while it may not be everones pick for interesting, I enjoyed Firday night quite a bit.

we had 4 families over this time. Games of boggle, chess, apples to apples, uno, add emm up, and lego pirates were played. From the list you can see it was a kid centered night (they are not all) but since I like kids I still found it interesting.

Topics of conversation included parenting, politics, health, and some pop culture (ok fine so firefly is old culture, but still worth talking about)

All without really spending anything..ok there was the electricity for the microwave popcorn someone brought, and the apples, plus some asserted beverages, but allin all rather frugal fun.

While we were at the store finding a present for my brother in law, we happened to pass by two things.

One was a game system similar to what my mother brought down on her last two visits.
My son never has the patience to listen to electronic voices telling him what to do. Even though he will play the computer or even his cousins game systems for hours, he will never sit to play a children's game. So he doesn't have one.

My daughter on the other hand sat down and actually played the thing, the games tend to start right under her level and go up through right above her level. so I thought it would be worth it for her. But I am not paying 70$ for one. I imagine an older version can be found on Ebay for less, but I hate ebay.

Then on the way out we passed a soft, pretty pink blanket. It would exactly match Els pink pig, and would be perfect for her. I was going to check and see if it was a throw (perfect for cribs) or a twin sized for when she was older when I saw the $70 price tag, IF I am not paying 70 for an electronic game you can be sure I am NOT paying that much for a blanket!

Now I am sure there are some items of high quality or maybe handmade, that are worth that much, but a chain store mass produced blanket? I doubt it is worth that.

Oh so the whole reason I am glad it is expensive..I didn't buy any of it! Well ok I did buy a bag of dark chocolate MnM's. they were only 2 bucks.

The recent post stating 36% total debt and 28% for house go me thinking of our percents.

The only debt we have is the house and car, (though I aught to go pay the car off.)

The total salary is easier so I will use that:

house = 26%
car = 9%

total debt = 35%

Guess my debt is 'OK' according to financial planners.

Though since our salary has increased dramatically that was not true when we bought the house.

total debt = 2.5 times his salary, wonder if that is too high.

And my number one question, how to get rid of the house debt faster than the 30 years? Sure we can pay off the car and then in a few years have the EF back up, but.....we will need a bigger car, so we need to use the car payment amount to save up for a bigger one, can't use it to the house.

I could cut a few bills, but I really don't want to.

Guess I should join the house debt is fine group.

I think I read that mirrors work, but I don't know if I could find one.

The hallway is really small, the width of the front door frame and no more.

My goal is to paint it when I paint the living room hopefully this month.

BTW that free wallpaper job in the kitchen got done, looks AWESOME! I have such great friends.

I kinda would like to let the kids help with the paint in the living room, not the base coat, but I want some flowers, I think it would be fun to let the kids at JC's birthday party paint flowers on the one small wall.

I just have to figure out the base color, and I want something that wont make the hallway look any smaller than it already is.

Between CE, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and my own life, I feel like all the work is snowballing or more like swirling around in some kind of tornado of TODO lists.

I keep grabbing as many things as I can and completing them (imagining some kind of video game bubble pop disappearance when done) but I still can only see glimpses of the rest of the world between the swirling work.

Like the itty bitt dinos in Turok, I just can't shake free. and all the slashing and dashing in the world doesn't make those Compys stop.

I beat em in Turok by using the sniper long range bow and arrow that and restarting whenever they swarmed.

So where is my restart button?

Last night was the first Daisy meeting of the year and we had a short parent meeting to go through.

I was NOT please with the amount of time it took, nor with some of the complaints.

Now I know I am not perfect, and I don't do everything right, and certainl not able to make all folk happy at all times, but I am volunteering my time to not only help my daughter as a Daisy, but to also help others.

So with all that in mind could you please stop pestering me when I do it different? Yes we will go to camp, no you don't have to. Yes we will meet every week, no you don't have to! YES we will have dues from the girls for the girls, no ou don't have too.

Look you don't even have to be here! Girl scouts is a decent program with wonderful goals designed to help girls with leadership and life skills, how exactly do you expect me to teach them if you don't want me to be anything more than an every other week drop off?

Good grief, I am so sorry I took on this role.

We decided this trip to drive during the day, so we need some extra entertainment for the kids.

I found several sites with free printable bingo boards, and scavenger hunts, plus other simple paper and pencil games. They should keep the older ones busy for a few hours.

Plus we are going to try and get a book or two on tape from the library, the children really seem to enjoy them.

Then there will be plenty of food, plus at least one pit stop, possibly two.

Will prolly be a bit of a longer trip than the night type, but we just can't do it the night before, so daytime it is.

A pin, one little pin is considered enough to transform your PJs into a uniform.

Now I am all for simplicity, and cheapness, but I think naming a pin a uniform is missing the point of a uniform.

There is (or should be) a certain sense of pride when one dons a uniform, or at least a set of expectations.

When you go to a restaurant the wait staff should all look similar enough that you know who to flag down for extra napkins or more water.

When you are stopped by a cop they whole uniform thing brings to mind plenty of fear, maybe a bit of respect.

The dr lab coat tends to give an air of knowledge and caring. (which is why House skips it, he doesn't care.)

Scout uniforms are supposed to inspire nostalgia in those looking and pride/unity in those wearing. It is hard to get nostalgic about a pin you can barely see.

We drink a lot of milk. When we couldn't afford much we only drank 4 gallons a week (4 drinkers at the time)

then we got a raise or two and life was a bit easier...so we upped it to 5 gallons a week. Then we got another raise....

Now we could buy more milk, but I am trying to convince my husband not to. You see going without milk for one day saves a trip to the store, the longer we go between store trips the less we spend.

While I like milk, I would rather have some spare money to pay off the car or something.