Smart Mom Blog

Charlotte Mason Book Review

2009-08-12T10:53:00.005-05:00

Book Review: Home Education by Charlotte M. Mason

“I am, I ought, I can, I will.” Charlotte Mason’s motto provides stepping stones along which young persons travel in order to become adults. The first volume of Charlotte Mason’s Original Home Schooling Series is for “training and educating children under nine.” None of my children is under nine. However, I have been determined to read Mason’s classic series for some years. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that our very own homeschool group's library owns the entire series. I seized the opportunity and began, of course, at the beginning. I enjoyed learning the basis on which Mason built her “House of Education.” I no longer need the chapters on how to teach my child to read. But I have been encouraged to get back to basics like teaching good habits and enjoying my children.

What I first noticed about the book was the excellent writing. Mason is intelligent, well-educated and passionate about her subject. A book written by someone like that is nourishing for the brain! She quotes research and lecturers on certain topics such as “Mr Thisleton Mark—whose able paper on ‘Moral Education in American Schools’ offers matter for much profitable reflection—“ (p. 197). She also quotes Wordsworth and other poets to illuminate her points.

Home Education is not purely academic, however. Mason gives plenty of practical ideas. Her simply brilliant idea, “a bag of beans, counters, or buttons should be used in all the early arithmetic lessons,” would have made my math teaching so much clearer (p. 256). She also recommends the best type of fabric to wear for outdoor romping (wool).

Mason does not approach education as a battle. She says over and over again that lessons should be short (ten minutes for arithmetic)! Mother and children should spend the afternoon “out of doors” where Mother should “refrain from too much talk” (p. 78). She should enjoy the people that her children are becoming. She may occasionally point out to the children one of God’s creations.

Charlotte Mason’s theories of education assume the sovereignty of God. She is unapologetic about the fact that God exists and is in charge of everything. This belief is woven naturally into every subject. Nature study means admiring not just God’s beautiful work, but his “beautiful thoughts” (p. 79). In the preface she says that, “the knowledge of God is the principal knowledge, and the chief end of education.” The latter part of the book is dedicated to the “Divine Life” of the child.

Published in 1886, this book teaches history indirectly. I was delighted to read Mason’s evaluation of the newfangled Kindergarten. She supports the principles of the Kindergarten, where “the child’s senses are carefully and progressively trained” (p.179). She concludes, however, that mothers can bring about such training just as effectively at home.

I am thankful that Charlotte Mason recommends books by name throughout her writing. I plan to compile a list of all the books she mentions. They may be out of print by this time, but having the title and authors’ names will give me a good start on acquiring these children’s classics.

There is really only one difficulty about this book. Since it is dated, some advice is obsolete. For example, most of us do not need to worry about our children picking up bad habits from the servants (p. 18). However, we know that people are the same throughout the ages. Mason’s insights into human nature can still help us teach our children today.

I hope every home schooling parent will read Home Education, the first book in the Original Home Schooling Series by Charlotte Mason. It stirs the mind, the heart and the hands!

Go VOTE!

2008-11-04T08:43:00.002-05:00

Bring your kids.
Then go to Starbucks, tell them you voted, and get a free small coffee!
(While you are there, ask for free coffee grounds for your garden.)
Go!

2007-07-06T21:42:00.000-05:00

The LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
-Numbers 6:25

Another reason to love pennies!

2007-07-06T06:53:00.000-05:00

You can actually buy something useful at Staples for a penny! From July 8 to July 14 only, Staples has packs of pencils, pencil sharpeners, folders and pencil cases on sale for $.01 each.

While I have enough pencils to choke a horse, I will buy my limit (3 per customer) of these penny items to put in our Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts.

Happy shopping!

Mothers' Day Haiku

2007-05-20T19:29:00.000-05:00

Last week I received the following as a gift. I am humbled.

Beautiful, we wed
In struggle she gives birth thrice
Shepherdess of lambs

Not comparable
This mother of devotion
The one I married

Love burns bright before
Love shines bright in reflection
In four faces, mine and theirs

Evangelista
Instructor, Enforcer, yet
Lover, sweet as wine

Cataract of love
Wash over three blonde heads
Recedes to my arms

This Recipe is Greek to Me

2007-05-04T21:01:00.000-05:00

Greek Chicken
From Fix It and Forget It Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good

Makes 4-6 servings

4-6 potatoes, quartered
2-3 lbs. chicken pieces
2 large onions, quartered
1 whole bulb garlic, minced
3 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. Olive oil

1. Place potatoes in bottom of slow cooker. Add chicken, onion and garlic. Sprinkle with seasonings. Top with oil.
2. Cover. Cook on High 5-6 hours, or on Low 9-10 hours.

Taking Flylady’s advice, I try to think about dinner at breakfast time. She sends me a handy email every morning that says, “What’s for dinner?” I groan and think about the dregs in the fridge.

Yesterday morning I happily remembered that my brilliant husband pulled some chicken out of the freezer the night before. We are having chicken for dinner! But the questions nagged. “What KIND of chicken? And when are you going to cook it?”

Back to the fridge. There are two packages of pita bread abandoned in the bottom drawer. There is half a cucumber languishing in a Tupperware Fridge Smart container, one vent open. Pita + cucumber = some sort of Mediterranean chicken!

Even though I REALLY do not feel like cooking dinner at breakfast time, I know that it will make me a much happier person come 5 o’clock. I hug the crock pot as I carry it from the storage shelf to the counter. I love you!

My next best friend after the crock pot is its side kick: The Fix it and Forget it Cookbook. Let’s see. Something that will taste good in a pita. Chicken Casablanca? Too many ingredients. Chicken Kapaman? Too tomato-ey. Greek Chicken? I have most of the ingredients (there aren’t many). Not much chopping involved. Only step required. Bingo!

I know what the recipe says, but I did not have any potatoes. I put the onions on the bottom instead. I often forget that, when crock pot cooking, the veggies go in first. They cook better that way and so does the meat that goes on top.

I was using such a large package of boneless, skinless chicken that I did not worry too much about measuring the seasonings. By the time I got to the garlic, my youngest chef was helping. We put several small cloves in. (The Pampered Chef garlic press was very handy at this point.) She was in charge of the oregano and olive oil. The chicken came out very flavorful and mysteriously moist!

Ah--the cucumber. I cut it into small pieces and put them in a Tupperware container. I poured oil, vinegar, salt and pepper over them. I put the lid on and shook. Presto! By the time dinner rolled around we would have marinated cucumbers to put on our Greek chicken inside our pita bread. By the way, I know you want to use olive oil on these cukes, because you are thinking of all things Mediterranean--but don’t. Olive oil solidifies when cold. Instead of taking a savory cucumber salad out of the fridge, you might have a container full of sour cukes and globs of oil. Remember, cooking is science!

The house smelled so good of simmering Greek chicken that my meat-free husband was even drooling. He could not resist the temptation and had to try some along side his beans and rice. He was glad he did!

Incidentally, you should know that I never follow a recipe (or any instructions for that matter) exactly. Not only did I omit the potatoes, but I made a few other changes as well. When the cooking time was about done, I stuck my kitchen shears into the crock pot and cut up the boneless chicken breasts. Now we’d have chunks of chicken to put into pita pockets. Of course, I had to taste this creation before serving it. I decided it was crying out for lemon juice. I sprinkled some into the crock pot and put the lid back on.

We will extend this meal by smearing hummus on the pitas next time. Maybe I will buy another cucumber and some plain yogurt. Then I can make cucumber yogurt sauce, use up my last onion, and enjoy a third interpretation of GREEK CHICKEN.

And the winner of the Smart Contest is. . .

2007-03-21T07:01:00.000-05:00

actually, it's a tie! Liz and Stephanie submitted very smart ideas for organizing plastic containers. Read about their systems below. These smart ladies will be getting prizes from me. Congratulations and thanks for the help!
(Stephanie, please get in touch with me so I can arrange to get your prize to you!)

Liz said. . .

Take ALL your plastic ware out of the cabinets – ALL !!
Match up lids with “bottoms”
Throw out any that don’t match (if you have large bottoms save those for storing ones that match)
Yes – just chuck them (or put them in a bag for the basement – but trust me you will never find the mates)
Make piles of the different styles with their mates
Take the lids for the same style/size and rubber band them together. Stack the bottoms together. Place the lids either under the bottoms or next to the bottoms and set in the cabinet. I know you're thinking , "They will be all over the place in no time.” Actually, if you put them back each time, you're golden.

If they can fit put your tops and bottoms in “extra” large plastic ware bottoms (see #4)

Every few months I do a plastic ware purge. I have a large Rubbermaid® storage bin in my basements with all the mismatched lids and bottoms. A few times I’ve found the match, but not very often.

Stephanie said...

I saw your blog from the story on the Lion Brand website. I have a response to your question! I did look at the previous response, and I would like to add the following before I describe my own organization system. Make sure all of your plastic containers have a matching lid. If not, recycle the mismatched pieces if possible. A large plastic container without a lid could still be useful to keep, if it will hold a lot of food, and you could cover it with plastic wrap or tin foil when you needed to store that quantity of food. If you don't think you would do this, toss (recycle!) the container.

I have two different systems for my plastic containers, depending if they are large or small-medium sized. The large containers I stack together. I leave a small stack of the matching lids on top. I don't have more than 4 plastic bowls that I store this way.

I have a lot more small, snack-sized, and medium sized plastic containers. These are the containers I have the most trouble keeping neatly organized! At my last home, I had a whole cabinet stuffed with all of these containers, with the container and lid attached. While it was easy to find a container because the pieces were all already matched, all of the pieces were hard to stack, containers would fall out of the cabinet when I opened it, and it seemed like that cabinet was used very inefficiently.

At my new home, I came up with a better system! I use a small cabinet, about half the size or smaller than the last cabinet, to keep all of the containers stacked, but without the lids. The containers stack so much easier without the lids, and use a lot less space. I keep similar containers stacked together, and keep the smaller containers within the larger containers below them, kind of like a pyramid. The lids are not in this cabinet.

I devoted a whole drawer to my plastic container lids! This works so well for me. The lids all lie flat and fit in the drawer perfectly. I tend to reuse certain types of the plastic containers more than others, so these lids always seem to be on the top! I can find everything I need quickly, and my system is so much more organized now, despite not storing the lids and the containers together. I hope this gets you thinking about how to organize your own plastic containers better! This system is working great for me.

Share your knitting story

2007-03-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

The folks at Lion Brand Yarn are looking for stories. How has knitting or crocheting changed your life? Weave your way over to the Lion website and tell them!

Free Starbucks Coffee

2007-03-15T06:40:00.000-05:00

Get to a Starbucks right now for a free cup of joe. This morning only Starbucks is offering a free 12 oz. cup of coffee.

Can you believe it? You don't need four bucks!

Too bad I gave up coffee for Lent. . .

Laundry and Shakespeare

2007-03-14T07:33:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when I am doing laundry I feel like Lady Macbeth: “Out, damn spot!” In Lady Macbeth’s case, the stain on her hand was the blood of the person she murdered. It was literally evidence to damn her. In my case, the spot is on a perfectly good shirt, ruined by one mishap with chocolate ice cream. Certainly not as weighty a matter, but infuriating just the same.

All Lady Macbeth had to do was ask God to forgive her. On the other hand, you don’t need to ask for your laundry stains to be expunged. I am going to tell you how to do it!

I lifted this recipe directly from The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn.

The Stain Recipe

Add one cup each of powdered Cascade [or any dishwasher detergent] and Clorox II [or any color-safe bleach] to five gallons of the hottest water to come out or your faucet. Soak several articles overnight, and launder as usual.

This procedure will remove about 90% of the stains that do not come out with normal laundering. I do not use this recipe for delicate fabrics, or fabrics that are not color-fast. It is particularly good for removing food stains.

I use a large plastic bucket with a handle. If you don’t have a five-gallon bucket, use what you have and adjust the recipe (bigger bucket, use more stuff, smaller bucket, use less). It does not have to be exact.

You can even make your stain bucket cute! We used to buy large quantities of laundry detergent in plastic buckets. The price was right, plus we got a nice bucket with a handle and lid to boot. Of course, I have been saving these buckets and using them for myriad things. I finally designated one as a “stain bucket.” I wrapped it with contact paper in colors that go with my décor. Then I used my trusty permanent marker to write “Stains,” in fun lettering, on the contact paper. Now the whole family knows where the stained clothes go!
I just completed a stain load. It is like having brand new clothes!

As the recipe states, this method is great for food stains. I have found ground-in mud to be another matter. Anyone have a smart solution for dirt-stained pants?

Incidentally, the best cure for a blood stain, besides falling on your face and begging God to forgive you, is to put it in cold water as soon as possible.

Enter the Smart Contest!

2007-03-07T08:15:00.000-05:00

Hurry and get your contest entry in! The Plastic Container Contest ends on St. Patrick's Day (March 17).

Do you have a smart way to store plastic containers? Post a comment and tell us about it. The best idea gets a prize!

See the last post for more details.

Have fun!

Contest!

2007-03-01T21:15:00.000-05:00

Who can think of a smart way to store plastic containers?

The winning idea will be neat, easy, low-cost, creative, efficient and really useful.

Prizes will be awarded for the winning idea and will include:
Parenting booklets
Child safety booklets
Other surprises!

Can't wait to hear all of your smart ideas, because our Tupperware® cabinet is driving us crazy! Your idea will be posted on Smart Mom Blog.

Post a comment with your idea. Thanks for playing!

My First Baby Blanket

2007-03-01T21:02:00.000-05:00

Swing by the Lion Brand Yarn website and read my story! There are lots of good stories about knitting and life, as well as a wealth of practical information. I have learned a lot from the Lion website. I hope you will too!

Rancho Poncho in a Jiffy!

2007-01-10T08:32:00.000-05:00

Last winter I made my daughters purple fleece ponchos. I even sewed a fuzzy scarf around the neck opening of one, so it has a cozy collar. (I made one for myself, too, fuzzy collar included. Boy, is it warm on a cold winter day!)

Naturally, my son wanted a poncho, too. What to do? I didn’t really want to make him a purple fuzzy poncho. Then again, men in Latin America have been wearing the se blankets for years. He and I picked out an inexpensive fleece blanket ($3.00!) in loden green. Last night I whipped up this poncho in about five minutes.

Here's what to do:

Cut blanket in half the short way.
Take one half and fold it in half the short way again. This is the basic size and shape your finished poncho will take.

Fold it in half again, the long way this time. Cut a pie shaped wedge (quarter circle) out of the top corner where all the folds are. This will be the head hole!

You can stop right there, or you can add a few finishing touches. I rounded the square corner from the initial cut to match the “untouched” corner. I also want to blanket stitch my rounded corner and the neck, so the edges look somewhat uniform.

My son, the next Juan Valdez!

Karla’s Discovery Toys News

2007-01-05T09:17:00.000-05:00

Happy new year! Thank you for your interest in my educational toys business. It is a great time to join the fun!

Hit my email link (via "View my complete profile") and tell me which news you’d like to hear more about:

Investment for the distributor’s kit reduced to $79!

Discovery Toys supports children with Autism, and their families, in several ways.

Winter clearance event. Save up to 62% on smart toys and games!

Email me and I will give you the details on these exciting programs!

Play with your children; it's the best investment you can make.

Holiday Anti-Letter

2006-12-30T00:14:00.000-05:00

This is the family Christmas letter that I have always wanted to send, but I do not have the guts. I thought I would put it on the world wide web instead.

In order to prevent an internet firestorm, I will tell you up front that THIS IS A JOKE. I hope you get a kick out of it!

Dear Everyone,

Well, the year sure has crawled by. Am I ever glad 2007 is FINALLY here. I can’t wait to throw away all my 2006 calendars!

Just like last year, my life is pretty dull. When I am not shopping at Wal Mart for toothpaste and toilet brushes, I sit around and eat bonbons. Then I take a nap.

My dear hubby works everyday. He leaves the house in the morning. He does some work and then he comes home in the afternoon. He did not go anywhere or do anything interesting with work this year.

The kids? Dumb as bricks. They didn’t seem to grow at all this year, which is nice since I don’t have to spend money on new clothes for them. They do not play soccer or softball. They do not take dance or art classes. They also do not play any instruments.

We did not go on vacation this year, nor did we spend a lot of money on anything exciting.

Here’s to a slow 2007.

Love,
Us

Janet's Amazing Pie Crust

2006-12-19T21:43:00.000-05:00

A.K.A. "Foolproof Pie Crust"

I got this recipe from another smart mom. I don't know which cookbook she got it from, but the editors must have named it for me!

I left you with a cliffhanger in the chicken pot pie recipe that I posted. It called for one of Janet's amazing pie crusts. Since none of you smart moms have been beating down my door for the mystery pie crust recipe, I assume that you have been buying the dough boy type that lives in the cold part of the grocery store next to the canned biscuits.

I am here to liberate you! I have ripped open MANY of those pie crust boxes. I never would have made any pies at all if it were not for those refrigerated crusts. Heck, I did not even need a rolling pin! Then I was inspired, as usual, by I-want-to-be-like-her-when-I-grow-up smart mom Sandy.

We all had an apple pie baking party one time. We crammed all of our apples, mixing bowls, pie pans and refrigerated crusts into Liz's little kitchen (Liz is not a mommy yet, but she will be a smart one someday). It was all fun and games until Sandy started making pie crust. We were in shock and awe. "Are you MAKING pie crust? Right now? Right here?" She assured us that it was really not that scandalous.

Smart mom Janet recently gave me her amazing pie crust recipe. It will liberate you because it makes 5 or 6 pie crusts that you can keep in your freezer! You will not have to run to the store with three screaming children to buy crust for that beautiful apple pie you have to make to use up the apples before they rot. You will save a ton of money. You probably already have all the ingredients in your cabinet and will not have to buy ANYTHING. More car wash/coffee money! Finally, there will be no weird preservatives in your pie crust. As smart mom Meredith's daughter says with wide, serious eyes, "Mommy does not want us to have a lot of pemikles." The best part: The pie crust tastes yummy!

Foolproof Pie Crust

4 cups all-purpose flour lightly spooned into measuring cup (don’t pack it in!)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups shortening (must be like Crisco; refrigerated shortenings or oils will not work)

Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl. (I dumped, because I do not have a sifter.) Cut in shortening until all crumbly.

In small bowl beat together:
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 large egg

Add liquid ingredients. Stir until all is moistened. Put out on floured board and divide into 5 portions. Shape each into a round, flat patty (like a hamburger) and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 1/2 hour before using.

When you are ready to use crust, lightly flour both sides of the patty and roll out on lightly floured board (I use a silicone mat, but a clean countertop will do). Keep pastry round and roll out from the center to 1/8” thickness and 2” bigger than your inverted pie pan. To transfer the pastry to the pie pan, you can roll pastry up on the rolling pin and unroll over the pie pan. Press pastry into tin to remove air pockets. Fill, flute edge and bake and/or use top crust for 2-crust pie.

To make a baked pie shell: Prick bottom and sides of the pastry-lines pan with a fork (this helps crust hold its shape).

Naturally, I fudged the instructions a bit and mixed the dough in my stand mixer with the dough hook. You know how I love that mixer. My pastry might have turned out flakier if I had followed the instructions exactly, but I do not have time to fuss with such details. I like to throw everything in the mixer and walk away!

Mix up a batch of this pie crust and bake pies with reckless abandon. Enjoy your newfound freedom!

Chicken Popeye

2006-12-19T08:14:00.000-05:00

Over the years I have had the privilege of bringing meals to folks to help lighten their load in the kitchen. Usually it is because they have just had a baby, but sometimes I have brought meals to people who have just had surgery.

Loving efficiency, I looked for a recipe that had everything in one pot: Veggies for vitamins, meat for protein and starch for energy. As a result, for years now I have hacked a deep dish tuna pie recipe and made it into chicken pot pie! To my surprise, it is a hit. My husband has overheard new moms raving about it and a couple people have asked me for the recipe. Of course, I do not really have a recipe. Enter the good folks at Parenting Magazine who somehow put together the actual recipe (more or less) for what I have been swaddling in foil and delivering all this time!

Chicken Pot Pie

2 skinless chicken breast halves, cubed
10.75-oz. can cream of chicken soup
10.5-oz. jar chicken gravy
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup frozen chopped onions
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
1 Janet’s amazing pie crust OR refrigerated quick and dirty pie crust. You know the ones.

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the pie crust. Pour into 8- or 9-inch round foil pan. Place pie crust on top and tuck edges under. Cut steam vents in crust. Cover with foil and freeze until ready to use OR bake, covered, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

To bake frozen pot pie:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake, covered, for 1 HOUR. Uncover and continue baking until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes more.

Happy Snack

2006-11-18T11:49:00.000-05:00

Don’t feel like baking? Want to justify dessert by eating something that seems healthy? GORP is the answer. Good Old Raisins and Peanuts! Everyone loves to eat it.

Peanuts provide protein, which is good for strength and long-term energy.
Raisins make it sweet and provide roughage. Use your imagination. I’m sure raisins have some vitamins in them, too, since they were once fresh fruit.

I must confess that in our house, we do not really make GORP. We make GORPCC. There are not many things you can call dessert that do not have chocolate in them. So, naturally, we add chocolate chips to our raisins and peanuts.

The chocolate chips play a very important role on the GORP team. They provide motivation to eat this healthy concoction. Just think, if there were no chocolate chips in your GORP, you would never get any protein or roughage. That’s no way to live.

Also, if you have ever actually read a recipe for chocolate chip cookies you will know that they are actually semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Chocolate chips are not milk chocolate. They are in between milk chocolate and dark chocolate. (Hence the name semi-sweet). Every woman knows that dark chocolate is good for your heart! So chocolate chips are good for you—well, better than eating a piece of candy, anyway.

Chocolate chips are also a cheap thrill. They don’t cost a lot and they are a versatile item to have in your pantry.

Warning: GORP is not a low-fat food. I can only justify it for you so much. GORP packs a nutritional punch, but go slowly. It is very filling. Also, make sure you brush your teeth well, because those raisins will stick.

Want to know the secret recipe? Get a container that is big enough to stick your fist in. Dump in some peanuts. (Salted or unsalted, depending on your fancy). Dump in some raisins. Dump in some semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Seal the container well. Hand it to your children and tell them to shake it. Open and eat! There is nothing like fresh GORP.

GORP is a Godsend when you are on a family adventure. For the car, I recommend M&M’s instead of chocolate chips. In the summer, the chips will melt and it is really hard to eat when you are driving!

Number your days the smarty way

2006-10-31T07:43:00.000-05:00

Calendars are power tools for your home. There is no doubt that keeping a family calendar of events brings peace to your schedule. But I am talking about the other great aspect of calendars: The pictures!

Our "control center" calendar does not have any illustrations. The grid itself is the main event. I need it free of distractions, with large boxes for each date. Lots to write! We have other calendars, however, that serve other purposes. They teach us art history, German and the Bible.

An art calendar is a wonderful way to bring a museum into your home. Monet calendars seem to be a dime a dozen. To maximize the art history lesson though, I like to get a calendar with works by various artists. This type is not as easy to find and can be expensive. I was thrilled to discover Calendars.com. This website is my source for "teaching" calendars. It carries calendars featuring selections from famous art museums at reasonable prices. This year we enjoyed art pieces from the Louvre (oo la la!). Next year we will experience more works of art from the National Gallery. Search under "fine art" or "art museum" calendars. Nudes are inevitable with these art calendars, so you will have to use your discretion. One month I felt compelled to cover the calendar's selection with a piece of artwork created by my own children!

We learn a new German phrase each day with the Living Language German phrase-a-day calendar. Calendars.com features calendars in several foreign languages including Latin! Our German calendar features a phrase, the translation and the literal translation of idioms when needed. It also has vocabulary words and mini-biographies of famous Germans on their birthdates.

Many of the greatest works of art were created to illuminate Bible stories. After all, centuries ago most people could not own Bibles. Even if they could somehow own Bibles, they could not read them since they were in Latin. Hence, the Biblical Masterpieces calendar. It is helpful to have a visual picture of the Bible stories that we read. It is also interesting to see the artist's interpretation of the passages.

I just ordered our 2007 calendars and I can't wait for all the new things we will learn!

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 (New International Version)

A Really Smart Word Cloud

2006-10-19T21:29:00.000-05:00

Remember when I said all I needed was a "clickable" word cloud that would take you to the related article when you clicked on a word? I FOUND ONE! God is so good to me. Sometimes he fulfills even my extraneous desires.

Try it out! Look on the sidebar. See the pretty cloud. Click on a word that you are interested in. You will be directed to an essay that I wrote containing that word! Please ignore any inappropriate advertising on the Zoom Clouds site.

What do you think?

Stool Sampler

2006-10-16T22:13:00.000-05:00

My amazing husband crafted ceiling-high, built-in book shelves for our dining room. These shelves are a precious gift to me because, as a rule, my husband does not do woodwork. He does history and theology and car maintenance. But not woodwork. I love my bookcase, but I often have to play librarian and stand on a step ladder to reach the upper shelves. When I was a little girl, I was fascinated by those library ladders that slide on a track across shelves chock-full of books. Maybe someday. . .if we build Dilbert’s Ultimate House. (I would replace the home theatre with a library!)

At any rate, I had been using a utilitarian metal stepladder. My mother bought it for me when we lived in an old apartment whose ceilings were twice as high as the rooms were wide. It was an odd old place, and everything was very high up—the light fixtures, the windows, the pantry shelves. I was expecting then, and my mother did not want me falling off of the wobbly chairs I had to use to reach things. Thank you, mom! The metal stepladder served us well for many years. For my custom-built dining room shelves, I was ready for a step stool that was a little easier on the eyes, and maybe something that we could even sit on when we were not climbing. After all, everything must have multiple uses!

One day, it happened. I found an old Cosco step stool. I must confess I have been coveting my dad’s, which he keeps in his workshop. (We just learned that Ben Franklin invented this type of chair, with steps underneath that fold out. He invented everything.) My dad offers us many treasures from his workshop but, interestingly, the step stool was never one of them. That confirmed to me just what a useful item it was! I saw the same type of stool at a yard sale on the way to church one Sunday. I slammed on the brakes and pulled over. The kids, seeing the yard sale and immediately apprehending what I was up to, begged me not to get out of the car.

I paid too much for it, but I had no time to bargain. We were late to church and I had three caged animals in the car. I dropped $10 for the step stool. I can hear you gasping. It was in decent shape, though. It had some wear and tear and paint splatters that I knew would be easy to clean up.

Acrylic paint to the rescue as usual! (You know, the little bottles of paint that you can get for $.25 each.) I painted the two steps’ treads black. It brought them back to life. I have learned that uniform color (i.e. paint) covers a multitude of sins.

I also happened to have metal paint from my Martha Stewart days. (You never know when you may need to paint the covers of baby food jars in which to store your hand-blown glass beads!) Since I had the paint and had never used it I figured, why not now? I could touch up that grey metal trim.

Of course, the vinyl-covered seat and back looked pretty shabby by now. But I figured I could recover them with fabric--just like I did my dining room chairs. I even had left over fabric from the window valances that I made for this room. Imagine! A MATCHING stepstool.

I must admit that I had to muscle the seat back on. A layer of home decorating fabric and sturdy clear plastic is a lot thicker than an old sheet of vinyl. The seat is held on with metal brackets that fit through holes in the frame and bend over to secure the seat. With my “improvements,” the seat got thicker, but the brackets did not get any longer. They did not reach the frame. Because everything on this step stool is metal, I couldn’t just stick a few wood screws in it.

Not to be denied my MATCHING step stool, I loaded the seat with heavy objects for a few days. I hoped the weight would compress my upholstery and make the brackets reach. It worked a little. The seat is on (barely). It is functioning just fine for our needs. We just can’t dance on it, that’s all!

To make it shinier, I cleaned up the chrome legs with steel wool. It only took a few minutes. The finishing touch: felt pads on the feet so our “new” step stool will painlessly glide over the wood floor.

Time and Tide Wait for No Man (or Woman)

2006-10-05T07:34:00.000-05:00

Ironically, an old friend and smart mom asked me for some tips on time management. I still have a lot to learn in that department, but here are some tricks that keep me somewhat sane.

Use a calendar. We have a big family calendar on our fridge and every event goes on it. That way any of us can look at the calendar and see where we are supposed to be. We write in pencil so that we can reschedule events and still easily read the calendar!

Keep information at your finger tips. I use a PDA which I try hard to keep current with events, addresses and phone numbers. That way when I am out and about I can call people or schedule things. A Day Timer or binder would work just as well.

Routines! This saves a lot of time and gets the necessary things done. Routines should start out very simple and be built as they become habit. With a routine, we don’t have to think about what we need to do next. We just do it. This works great for the kids. Use a checklist when first establishing your routines.

Break every task into small steps. These baby steps can be delegated to your children, and/or done here and there throughout the day. Example: Setting the table. Toddlers can put the spoons and napkins on the table. Older kids the other silverware and salad dressings, etc. Same with our projects. I don’t have three hours to hyperfocus on my project. But I have five minutes. I can write a list of what I need for the project. The next time I have five minutes I can run around the house and gather the materials. The next time, I can do just the first step of the project, and so on.

Keep it simple. Make sure the most important part of the task is done. I have wasted a lot of time trying to make things perfect. I am learning to let a lot of things go. I need my children and husband to help me and of course they are not going to do everything the way that I would do it. I have to let it go! As long as the task gets done, I try not to sweat it if the silverware is crooked or the blankets on the bed don’t match.

Helpful resources:
flylady.net
More Hours in my Day with Emilie Barnes

Thrifty Advertising

2006-09-19T07:34:00.000-05:00

Is there such a thing?

Here are some fun, inexpensive advertising ideas that I am trying. Please adapt them to your own business.

I made my own car magnet. My husband brought home a large fridge magnet (5x7) -- a freebie from work. I put a quick coat of acrylic paint on it and added vinyl letters and spelled out “Discovery Toys” and my phone number. I stuck in on the driver's side door.

Near it I am going to put business card magnets that I ordered free from Vistaprint. That way people can just help themselves to a magnet! Has anyone tried this?

My auto sunshade (the thing you put in the windshield to keep your car cool) had a radio station logo on it. I figured why advertise someone else’s business when I can advertise my own? I covered the design with a couple coats of acrylic paint (the kind in little bottles for 25 cents each). Again, I added large vinyl sticker letters to spell out “Discovery Toys, Join the Fun!” and my phone number.

When I finish each issue of Parenting magazine (free subscription from DT!) I cover my address with a label that says “Complements of. . “ and my DT contact info. Then I leave it in whatever waiting room I find myself in!

Please leave a comment with your own smart advertising ideas!

New Features!

2006-09-18T18:52:00.000-05:00

I recently added a couple of new features to the Smart Mom Blog. See if you can find them in the sidebar and let me know what you think!

2006-09-16T21:43:00.000-05:00

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is The Hand That Rules The World

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace

Word clouds in my coffee

2006-09-05T20:16:00.000-05:00

Here is where I got my word cloud.
I really love word clouds. The website above generates a word cloud by scanning your blog or website. By default, it skips over common words like "the." It places frequently-occurring words from your blog in alphabetical order. It also seems that the more a word occurs in your blog, the larger it appears in the cloud. What I love is the way the word cloud shows what is important to you. It captures what you write about in a visual form.

It reminds me of a poem I wrote once. I looked at an epic poem written in Middle English. Along the margins were the translations of obscure words in the work. The words in the margins were fascinating. I put them together into a new poem. My poetry professor said that my poem was obviously about someone obsessed with fabric and colors. Go figure.

Snapshirts.com generates word clouds so that you can order a shirt or mug with your cloud printed on it. I bought a t-shirt for myself and one for my husband based on his blog. They are fun, but certainly not necessary. To get the word cloud in a blog post I simply cut and paste the image from the website onto my computer. Then I composed a post and clicked on the "insert image" icon. I chose the word cloud image from my computer files.

Now I just need the cloud to be "clickable" so that you can click on a word and see all the posts that contain that word! Wouldn't that be fun?

Ever wonder how Mother's Day got started?

2006-08-31T07:32:00.000-05:00

American Mothers, Inc.

Click the link to learn about an old organization whose goal is to strengthen families. I really like the pledge scrolling along the bottom.

Not-back-to-school shopping

2006-08-30T07:22:00.000-05:00

I had the honor of being interviewed by our local newspaper about "back to school shopping." Here is an excerpt from the article:

For Karla, who home schools her three children, there is no such thing as “back to school shopping.”
“My children do not know what it is,” she said. “It's one way we save a lot of money.”
The children watch very limited television and therefore are not exposed to the back-to-school shopping ads.
Their mother typically hits the clearance table at Staples after the crush of back-to-school shoppers have hit the store, and she says she finds terrific bargains.
Last year, she found over-sized three-ring binders that zipped up, originally about $7 each, marked down to 50 cents.
“My favorite place is that Staples clearance table,” she said.
The children also pick up pens and pencils on field trips and their mother finds erasers, rulers, paper and other essentials on the mark-down racks.
“You have to know your prices and you have to look in those big bins in the middle of the aisles,” she said, explaining that she found 24-packs of crayons at Wal-Mart for just 25-cents a package.

One-Stop Shopping

2006-08-25T15:09:00.000-05:00

Click to learn how one couple saves a bundle by shopping only once a year!

New thrifty tip!

2006-08-25T08:37:00.000-05:00

Ever wanted to save money on dental floss?

Loose Change

2006-08-24T06:43:00.000-05:00

Part of a series

Don’t despise coins. Even pennies are still money. I remember being on a short-term missions trip and during the training on base in Arkansas, Oren Paris (father of Twila Paris) or someone like that was quoted as saying, “Save your pennies. It’s still money!” So we do. We have a little drawer full of change.

You see, my children work for pennies. If they do not work, they do not get paid. We have a chore system that includes short term and long-term goals. Each child has a chart listing his or her jobs. When a job is completed, the child gets to stamp off the appropriate box on the cart. “Yes! I get to stamp a cute picture on my chart.”

If all the jobs are done for the day, I put a sticker on the chart. “Yes! I get a STICKER!” Mind you, these stickers are about an eighth of an inch long and I have about a thousand of them. Bought them on a roll four years ago. On sale of course. I don’t think we will ever run out!

If the dear child accumulates four stickers then, and only then, he or she gets paid. “Yes! I GET PAY!” Don’t report me to the Department of Labor, but I pay $.40. That’s right, my children get LESS THAN FIFTY CENTS allowance.

How do I get away with this? For one thing, my kids don’t really know what other children get for allowance. There are always rumors of friends who get $10 a week for doing nothing—but I point out that it’s too preposterous to be true.

Also, there is reality. Smart mom Sandy once told me that she felt bad that when she went to the store with her daughter, the little girl could not afford to get anything because her allowance was so small. Then Sandy realized that she usually could not afford what she wanted either! Waiting and saving our money is a reality we might as well embrace.

My children also have the opportunity to earn extra money. There are always extra jobs available for pay. For the industrious child, there is money to be made!

When it comes to “allowance” our little drawer of coins is the bank. The children know that they are not allowed to help themselves to money from the bank. Either my husband or I must hand out pay. Sometimes the bank is open for exchange. The children can trade in ten pennies for a dime, or even four quarters for a dollar bill. Big money!

Watch this and hear God

2006-07-23T14:20:00.000-05:00

Here is a brief (1.5 minute) online photgraphy show. I first met the parents of these children in 1992 at the YWAM base in Arkansas. Well, they are spending the summer teaching/writing at the YWAM base in Kona, Hawaii, and a photography student just did this little show of a couple of their kids for a project - how cool is that? Look it up at www.garyschapman.com/cknorr. Scroll down until you see the play symbol on the bottom left. Click on it and you're good to go!

Thanks to smart mom Meredith for this heart-warming link!

A Dog's Life

2006-07-09T14:38:00.000-05:00

I have never been a dog person. In fact, I have specifically been a dog-hating cat person. My husband, however, has always been a cat-hating dog lover. It does not help that he is allergic to cats, as well. Opposites attract!

God works in mysterious ways. He brought a cat to our doorstep after my son prayed for a pet. How could my dear husband argue against the will of God? He consented to let the cat live outside.

Then something happened to me. I began wishing for another set of eyes to watch the kids when they played outside. I began wishing for a companion on hikes when my hubby couldn’t come along. I began noticing dogs everywhere and reading about different breeds. Horror of horrors—I became a dog person!

You can read the story of how we adopted our “fourth child.” There are many other, greater dog stories that your family might enjoy.

For the children
A Boy, a Dog and a Frog Warning: This story has no words. You will have to snuggle with your child and talk about the illustrations.
Go Dog, Go Wonderful fun with language.
Harry the Dirty Dog Funny. Your kids will get a kick out of it.
The Incredible Journey Domestic animals on an adventure!
Ginger Pye The mystery of the missing dog. Warning: Contains bad guys.
Henry Huggins A classic boy-and-his-dog story. First in a series.
Five True Dog Stories Even if you are a cat person like me, you will be impressed with these dogs.

For the grown-ups
The Lurcher A warm british novel that weaves in the history of this type of dog.
Marley and Me How a couple adopts a crazy dog and starts a family at the same time. Warning: The author writes about marital relations more explicitly than some might appreciate. Also, there is some swearing.
The Call of the Wild The struggles of a dog-napped dog.

Films
“Where the Red Fern Grows” A boy and his dogs. Warning: If you are pregnant or nursing, do not watch this film. You may sob for hours.
“Shiloh” Warning: See above.
"My Dog Skip" Based on a true story. Warning: See above.
“Homeward Bound” The film version of The Incredible Journey.
“Because of Winn-Dixie” Some of the acting is so-so, but there are sweet and hilarious scenes.

I know I have missed some. Smart moms to the rescue! What dog stories does your family love?

P.S. I still love my cat.

Happy Tail

2006-06-29T19:30:00.000-05:00

Karla here: I submitted this to the Petfinder.com "Happy Tails Contest." Maybe we'll win free tick medicine. Yippee skippee!

I have a happy tail. In fact, it is so happy that sometimes it whacks against the wall. Other times, it travels around in a circle. Sometimes I am so happy that my whole body wiggles. I know I must look silly, but I can’t help it. I love it when my family comes home!

I first met Karla and the kids a year ago at the Bergen County Humane Society in New Jersey. She had seen my picture on Petfinder.com. I was the exact size, age and breed that Karla was looking for: A one-year-old smooth collie mix. She and the kids gave me nice pats, but I was very busy with all the animal smells at the humane society. I didn’t really know what was going on, but next thing I knew I was jumping in a new car for a ride! Thankfully someone had already loaded my crate in there, because it was a long ride. I was glad to be in my safe bed.

I had a lot of time to think on that ride, and I figured out that my new job must be to protect this new lady and her puppies—she calls them children.

When we finally got out of the car I met John. Boy, was he scary! He has a deep voice and very short fur on his head. Thankfully, I knew just what to do: Get between him and my little flock and bark. That turned out to be a mistake. It seems that John is actually the leader of the pack. Oops. At first I thought that I would get to be the alpha (even though I am female). Frankly, though, I am relieved that someone else is in charge. John is a good boss, but I still keep a close eye on him.

John and I have made great strides in our relationship. He takes me for a walk almost every evening. It is heaven. Sometimes I have to remind him that it is time for our walkies. Dad complains when I come talk to him, but I think he secretly likes the attention. Now when I see Dad, my tail starts whooshing around instead of stopping dead in the air like it used to!

Growing up in New Jersey, I had the privilege of running free in the fenced yard whenever I wanted to. Here in Connecticut, I get to run around in the yard too, but every morning Mom puts a leash on me so that I can pull her around the block. At least that’s what I thought the leash was for. For some reason it makes her really happy when I walk right next to her, so I try to cooperate. I love taking walks. There is so much to smell!

Lately, Mom has been running with me. Personally, I trot. If I actually ran, Mom could never keep up. It is so much fun to jog with her that I don’t even bother with sniffing!

A few times I have tried to get out and have a good adventure. On those occasions I had the added excitement of playing a game of chase with the family. They didn’t look very happy playing chase, though. I can’t imagine how anyone could be unhappy while playing my favorite game. Boy, were they glad when I came home.

Another favorite game of mine is one the children and I invented. It is called “Gotcha.” They tap me on the face and run away. I leap after them and pretend to get them back. We could run around in circles playing Gotcha all day!

I also have a new brother here in Connecticut. He is small, black, and stealthy. The family calls him Black Beauty or simply, “the cat.” We get along pretty well, although he never seems to want to play tag when I do.

He thinks I don’t notice when he saunters up to the children. He may be my brother, but he might be up to no good. Thankfully, I have averted any disasters by barking loudly whenever he lures one of the kids into sitting down next to him and petting him.

This winter, mom made me my very own coat! She is relentless with the walks, even in bad weather. The coat keeps me warm and dry. And I must say, it makes me look quite stylish. You can learn all about it in this February post .

I can see why this family needed me. They are the victims of daily attacks. A man comes up to the house every day and tries to make trouble. Sometimes he even has the nerve to put letters inside the door. Obviously, he is no match for me. All I have to do is bark at him and he leaves. The odd thing is that it is always the same man and he wears the same blue outfit everyday. You’d think he would learn.

I have a lot of nicknames. The latest one is “Lurch.” On one of my first walks, a neighbor called out and asked if I was a Lurcher. Thinking he was referring to the way I was yanking her arm out of the socket, Mom replied. “I guess so!”

It turns out that Lurchers are a very old type of dog bred in England. Gypsies cross-bred Greyhounds and Collies for smart, fast companions. Even though my paperwork says I am a Collie-German Shepherd mix, Mom noticed that I act like a hound. I thought all dogs walked with their noses glued to the ground. And who cares about playing fetch? I’d rather chase small animals or whip my fabric toys around in my mouth. Everyone we meet says I look like a Greyhound. So Mom is doing some research. It looks like I might be a Lurcher, but there are no records to prove it.

At first I missed my old family. But I am very glad that I am not making that poor little boy in New Jersey wheeze and cough anymore. I think we are both happier with the way things are now. I am really glad that my new Mom found out about Petfinder.com and was able to adopt me.

Smart Mom Tools

2006-06-28T07:22:00.000-05:00

When setting up your thrifty, creative, educational household, you don’t want to have a feeding frenzy in the housewares department. That wouldn’t be smart. There are a few tools, however, that will save you money and headaches. Tools with bigger tickets are wonderful to put on your wish list. My in-laws have given me several smart tools as Christmas gifts. Thank you!

Crock pot
I have a friend who made a face when she received a crock pot as a wedding gift. That was a shame. The crock pot is a hardworking friend. It cooks your dinner while you are out gallivanting all day! You can cook just about anything in it. The hardest thing about crock pot cooking is remembering to pull some meat out of the freezer the night before. In the morning, I put the meat in the pot, dump in seasonings, turn it on low and walk away. Love it! Oh, and the meals taste great, too.

Fix it and Forget It: A series of cookbooks with recipes just for the slow cooker.

Clothes line
Such a small investment for such a useful item! We even had some line leftover to take camping so that we can have a clothes line at our campsite. Why pay for your dryer to dry all those clothes when the sun and wind will do it free? An added bonus is that the sun will also bleach out some stains, particularly tomato sauce. It really does not take long to hang up a load, and it gets you outside. You can also train your bigger kids to hang the laundry.

The clothes line is not just for laundry. We hang out our wet stuff from swimming lessons or the beach. Some items from the basement or attic just need to be aired out. The line is the place. We even air our huge tent on it! One caveat: Do not line dry any bedding if you have allergy sufferers in your house. Air-dried sheets sound wonderful, but pollen will get on them and who wants to sneeze all night? Bedding is the one thing that I throw in the dryer with reckless abandon. Kill those dust mites!

Also, some folks feel it is inappropriate to hang wash on Sunday. I suppose it comes from Sunday being a day of rest. If you were really resting, you would not have any wet laundry to hang! So be sensitive to your neighbors. With each clothespin you squeeze, you can revel in all the money you are saving.

Heavy-duty stand mixer
This is a treat for a smart mom. It simplifies cooking for you (and your children). Like the crock pot, you can dump in the ingredients and walk away. (You will need to come back in a few minutes, though!) While the mixer is doing its thing, you can prepare your pans or help the children with the next step in the recipe.

The Knitting Machine

2006-06-19T06:50:00.000-05:00

core77.com's design blog: The Knitting Machine:

Click the link for a unique take on knitting! Thanks to smart mom Janet for the link.

"The Knitting Machine is Dave Cole's performance art piece that uses construction equipment and 20-foot long knitting needles to construct large-scale objects. Starting yesterday June 30th and throughout the weekend, the artist will use a pair of John Deere excavators to hold the needles and a Genie to wrap the yarn, creating an oversize American flag at MASS MoCA. The flag will then be folded military-style, housed in a diplay case about the size of a Volkswagen Bug, and become part of an exhibit in the museum along with other work by Cole. Something about the mix of domestic craft and construction seems like a fitting way to celebrate the 4th."

Stick House

2006-06-10T11:31:00.000-05:00

Here is the stick house that my six-year-old created on our recent camping trip. I really don't know how it happened except that several weeks before, we had a book from the library about building forts. She said she was inspired by a stick she saw leaning against the tree when we arrived at our campsite. She kept busy among the trees and when she emerged, this is what we saw. In the photo above, my oldest daughter is admiring her little sister's work.

Rub a Dub Dub, Smart Moms and the Tub

2006-06-09T08:08:00.000-05:00

I can see why the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker wanted to be in the tub. It is so useful! Besides your usual bathing, you can use it for:
Washing feet
Filling buckets
Emptying buckets
Rinsing mops
Drying mops
Playing with water Polly Pockets
Soaking laundry
Drying clothes
Drying swim gear
Washing out the cooler
Washing the dog--and the whole bathroom while you are at it!
The next two ideas were contributed by a smart aleck mom. (We may need to have a theological discussion. . .)
Fill it with home-made bubble solution?
Baptizing pets?
Smart mom Bridget says: I teach my daughter how to float in the tub so she won't be scared to when we go to the pool this season!

Your idea here!

The Garden is Growing

2006-06-07T11:39:00.000-05:00

With all the rain we have been having here in New England, the link garden has been growing! I recently planted some new links. I hope they will be helpful to you and your family.

Please take a stroll through the link garden and see what's new. Then post a comment and let me know if you found any of the websites useful.

Bloom where you're planted!

Special thanks to smart mom Alisa for clueing me in to some smart new websites.

Camping 101: Syllabus

2006-06-05T07:26:00.000-05:00

As a novice camper, I learned a lot from the internet. I also checked out children’s books on camping from the library. When I need to learn something quickly, I read children's books on the subject! Oh, and the kids like reading them too.

www.lovetheoutdoors.com Tips on everything from cooking to choosing a sleeping bag. Includes beautiful photos that campers have taken.

Trouble-free Travel with Children by Vicki Lansky
If there is one book you should read about traveling with children, this is it! If there were a Smart Mom Book Award, Lansky gets it.

Camping basics from Family Fun magazine.

Family and Home Network Campy ideas from an organization that advocates strong families.

A camping book list from About.com.

Focus on the Family guides parents through camping.

Please let me know if you find any of these resources helpful.

Happy camping!

Camping 101: Introduction

2006-06-04T07:35:00.000-05:00

As with everything else, there are intensity levels within camping. You can go cheap or extravagant. You can go urban or remote. You can camp just to camp or it can be a vehicle for something else. Do your research and find out what works for you and your family.

Camping can be as simple as a tent and a campfire. There are campgrounds that are so basic that all they offer are a place to pitch your tent and maybe a pit toilet. These are usually very inexpensive places to stay!

On the other hand, you can rent or buy a camper that has more amenities than your own home: gas fireplace, plasma TV, Corian countertops, convection oven. Naturally, these motor homes can also cost more than a brick and mortar house.

Believe it or not, there is a campground right in the middle of urban Toronto, Canada . There are also sites around the country so remote that there are no roads leading to them. You have to hike in. With all your gear. And all your kids. I am sure these pristine campsites are breathtaking, but I have never seen one!

Why are you camping, after all? Are you simply passionate about dirt and fire, or do you want to visit a certain part of the country? Some campgrounds are in the vicinity of major tourist attractions. You can even camp near Disney World. Other campgrounds are a world of their own and there is no reason to go off site. They offer children’s programs, swimming, beaches, arcades, and even live entertainment.

If this is Camping 101, your assignment is to conduct research and determine your camping style. You can turn in your work by clicking the “comment” link below and telling me briefly what you learned!

Happy Campers

2006-06-03T19:46:00.000-05:00

This post is first in an occasional series on family camping.

What does it mean to get campy with your family? According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, it is 3 : something so outrageously artificial, affected, inappropriate, or out-of-date as to be considered amusing. Sleeping in a tent with your spouse and children may take on this characteristic. Or it could be a great family vacation!

Do your homework. As with most family adventures, camping is an expedition. First decide if camping is for you. Weigh the benefits and drawbacks. While camping is beautiful, it can quickly become a nightmare if you are not prepared.

Pros
Cheap
Camping is cheap. At most campgrounds, it will cost $30 or less to reserve a campsite. To what decent hotel can you take your whole family for that price? Because you have to bring some equipment, most folks prefer to drive to their destination. Even with soaring gas prices, piling the kids in the van still costs less than buying them each a plane ticket.

Camping also saves you money in the meal department. You still have to eat, even when you are on vacation. When you camp, you can buy your food at the grocery store and cook it yourself. I don’t have to tell you that it costs less to cook than to buy Johnny a hamburger that he may not even finish.

Nature
Camping brings you nose-to-nose with the outdoors. Children can inspect leaves, feel the rain on their faces, spot constellations and hear dozens of different birdsongs. Camping beats any classroom nature lesson.

Kids can play
The thought of being stuck in a hotel room with my three children sets my teeth on edge. We all get cabin fever. At a campsite, they have an instant yard to play in. They can play nearby as you relax in your camp chair. In some cases, they can even bike around safely and make some new friends!

Meals of your choice
You are in charge of what goes in your cooler. You can bring healthy choices that are hard to get at restaurants. You can even splurge and buy some treats. Your meals will still cost less than they would at a restaurant. Of course, you can have a few special nights and get dinner out if you want. But sometimes—with children—it is more relaxing NOT to go out to eat.

Low-tech
Because camping does not have the bells and whistles of an amusement park, children have to use their imaginations! It is amazing what children can create with sticks and leaves when they are given the chance. On our most recent camping trip, my yougest daughter built an amazing fort in the copse of trees near our tent.

Cons
Cheap
The reason that campgrounds provide inexpensive accommodations is that they do not provide in-room bathrooms, hair dryers or ironing boards. You have to walk to the bathroom. Sometimes in the middle of the night without a flashlight. Campground bathrooms are not what I would call luxurious. But they are usually clean and have running water. If you are going on vacation in order to spend a lot of time in the bathroom, you may want to consider a hotel.

While driving will save you transportation money, it may cost you in other ways. After all, someone actually has to do the driving. It can be tiring and stressful to be trapped in the van with a grouchy spouse and antsy children. Smart mom Vicki Lansky has great road trip tips in her book Trouble-Free Travel with Children.

Nature
If you have never slept in a tent, you may not know that birds wake up around 5:00 a.m. and start singing VERY LOUDLY. I am usually not ready to roll out of the sleeping bag at dawn, but I would much rather wake up to the birds than to my neighbor’s car alarm. Also, an eye mask and earplugs are helpful.

You are not alone on your campsite. There are creatures, large and small, who are very interested in what you brought in your food box. Since you are a smart mom, you can easily work around this: Wear bug spray, keep the tent door zipped, lock the food in the car and put the garbage in its receptacle.

Kids can play
They will get dirty. Very dirty.

Meals of your choice
You have to cook them! You probably won’t have a gourmet kitchen at your campsite with every tool imaginable. Camp cooking does not, however, have to be complicated. Chuckwagondiner.com shows how, with good ingredients and foil, camp meals can be simple and very tasty.

Low- tech
If it rains and everyone is bored to tears, you can’t just put in a movie. That is, unless you have a fancy camper or a DVD player in your car. Otherwise you can find a local movie theater and make it a day on the town. Better yet, snuggle in your tent and play games!

what if God was a DJ?

2006-05-18T18:53:00.000-05:00

would he do stuff like this? an 8 minute flick from youtube.

Books and Bucks

2006-05-11T20:24:00.000-05:00

Today I spent a serendipitous afternoon at my favorite used bookstore. It was quiet there. I saved a bundle on schoolbooks for next year. We even got to have a yummy snack and visit some animals. I left feeling thankful and thrifty.

I was not planning to go to the used bookstore today. I had to return a nebulizer that we were renting for my daughter. We were being charged by the week, so I wanted that thing out of the house as soon as the doctor said, “Take a Zyrtec and call me in a week.”

Since gas is $3 million a gallon, I tried to think of anything else I needed to do in the same town. Hey! Our favorite used bookstore is in that town. Hey! Here is a bag of books that I want to get rid of. I see something coming together here. I also happen to have a list of the books we will need next year for school (a small but very helpful miracle).

The gentleman at the medical supply rental acted as if we wrecked his whole day by returning the nebulizer. He kept asking me questions, as if it were a very odd thing to return a rented item. I put the box on the counter and would not touch it again. He would not touch it either. Finally, he printed a receipt for me. Thank the Lord, the total was less than I expected. Maybe he was just preoccupied.

Now for the real fun! The book place that we go to is really a used book compound. The family that owns the store lives on the property. Besides their houses, there is the original barn filled to the hayloft with books. The barn wasn’t enough so they have added a collection of outbuildings. There are various and sundry sheds and lean-tos filled with every genre you can imagine. Here you have to be as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove. One of the sheds is labeled "The Haunted.” Guess what type of books are in there.

Our first stop is Ellis Island. That is really what it is called. It is where books immigrate into the used book compound. There are no agents at Ellis Island when we arrive, so we follow the directions on the sign and press the button on the intercom. A sticker on the button says, “Press and Speak.” So I say, “Hello!”

“Hello?” is the response, as if I just want to chat.

“I came to sell some books.”

“You know that we only give store credit, right?” I guess he did not want to put down his book.

“Yes. I want to add to the credit that I already have.” Then, so as not to sound presumptuous, I press the button again. “Hopefully!”

Next comes the inspection. Some of my books accepted, some are rejected. The criteria are mysterious, but I don’t care. I “earned” six more bucks in store credit. Considering that books sell here for $1 each, I can afford quite a few new-to-us books!

Next comes the complex process of shopping. First we have to say hello to the dogs. They are in the fenced yard today, so the children just climb on the rusted pot-bellied stove and stick their hands over the fence. Never mind that these dogs don’t know my kids from Adam. Then we greet the first of many cats. While they all love books, they do not all love children. So it is time for a snack.

It is very important to get a snack at the book compound. As soon as you walk in the barn, there is an old dresser outfitted with candy-store jars of cookies. I know today will be a perfect day when I spy the chocolate-covered Donettes under the glass dome. I pour myself a cup of coffee in a REAL mug. Oh, and according to a note on the coffee machine, “They don’t do decaf.” That makes my decision much easier!

Now that we are stuffing our faces with chocolate, we can’t very well paw over piles of books. We finish our snack outside and the youngest two get involved in a giant checker game set up on the patio table.

Finally I drag everyone up to the loft where the children’s books are. There is no science to shopping here. Either they have the book or they don’t. They have no way of telling you if they have a certain book in stock and
they cannot order it for you. With trepidation, I scan the “B” section for the author that I need. Lo and behold, the book is there. This same exhilarating miracle happened no less than nine times.

I got nine school books (mostly Newberry Award winners, mind you) for $.54. That’s 54 CENTS. Not 54 dollars. Cents. If I had paid full price for these nine books it would have cost $45.00 (that’s 45 dollars)! So, smart moms, find yourselves a good used bookstore! You may have to weed through some junk, but you can save yourself a lot of cash. And you may even get a free cup of coffee.

Knitting like a Knut

2006-05-01T07:33:00.000-05:00

I am a prodigal knitter. My mother tried desperately to teach me to knit when I was a child. She was a very accomplished knitter in her heyday. She made whole outfits: matching sweaters, skirts and socks, tailored dresses. I barely grasped a rudimentary knit and purl. It didn’t go anywhere and I cast knitting aside.

I know another prodigal knitter. Her mother is such a savvy knitter that she was making fuzzy scarves before it was cool. My friend, a smart mom named Kim, doesn’t knit a stitch and neither do any of her four sisters! Shocking, I know.

But I could not stand it anymore. So many people I knew were making cute scarves that I had to try again. I zeroed in on Friday nights. That is when we bring our kids to church for a kids’ Bible club. My smart friend Janet said she would be happy to teach me to knit a cute fuzzy scarf. On Friday nights she is busy organizing about 50 million six- and seven-year-olds. But I noticed that the ladies who take attendance (smart moms AND grandmoms) spent time knitting while the children were otherwise engaged. Aha!

Linda was thrilled to help me. She said she loves to pass arts like knitting on to younger women. I had chosen crazy yarn and huge needles. I figured the furry yarn would make the mistakes harder to notice. I didn’t realize all those frills would make mistakes easier to make! Linda patiently showed me how to cast on. I watched her knit a few stitches. Then she gave me the needles to try. It came right back to me.

I don’t remember my mother making any specific project. I don’t remember the color of any yarn she used. But somehow I remember the rhythm. I can see her throwing the yarn over the needle. When I am knitting, my hands know just what to do. Linda couldn’t believe it. “You are a natural!” she said. Not really. I think it was osmosis. Besides, casting on, purling and binding off are another story! Until this month, I had to hand my needles and dangling project to Janet at the end and say, “Now what?”

I also remember the knitting bag. My mother was still knitting when I was a baby. I know she knit my beautiful Christmas stocking. Macular degeneration took over as I was growing up. I remember my mother saying she was dropping stitches (whatever that meant!) so knitting was getting frustrating. Then she stopped.

That first wild scarf (black eyelash yarn with brightly colored ribbon confetti) I gave to my mother-in-law. She is also an amazing knitter. We prize the Irish knit fisherman sweater that she made for my husband. She was touched that I gave her my first-ever knitting project.

I wanted to get a little more experience under my belt before I presented anything to my own mother. I wanted it to actually be useful for her, not just cute because I made it—like when we gave our moms bouquets of dandelions! So I gave her my second scarf. Unfortunately, it featured several different widths. Fortunately, the yarn was soft, warm, pretty and matched her coat!

Most recently, I took a huge risk and decided to knit a baby blanket. My local liquidation store had puffy Lion Brand Homespun yarn in light pink and light yellow for $2 per skein. I had to buy it, now that I knit and all. Come to find out, a friend from college (and now a smart mom) just adopted a baby girl. Now I know who will get the blanket.

I searched the internet for an extremely easy pattern. Even the kids’ patterns I found were too hard for me. Then I came across a pattern that met several of my criteria. It was free. It was billed as great for beginners. The pattern called for only one color and the one stitch that I know. I even read that this baby blanket is better than others because it “sticks” to the baby. It is knit on the diagonal (on the bias) and therefore interacts like a flannelgraph with the baby’s clothing. This is very important for new parents. It is hard enough to get up during the night for feedings. This way they do not have to get up because the baby’s blanket slipped off and she is cold!

“YO” was the only obstacle. The pattern, like all knitting patterns, was written in secret knitting code. It kept telling me “YO.” The translator key at the bottom of the pattern was slightly helpful. YO stands for “yarn over.” Ooohhhh. Silly me.

I called on my smart knitting friends for aid. One told me that “yarn over” is when someone is telling a story and comes to the end. The yarn is over. Very funny.

Smart mom Alisa came to the rescue. She called me right away and talked me through it. She did not know exactly what YO meant, but she knew how to find out. About.com. I had to print out the explanation and stare at the picture for a while. Then I had to pick up the knitting needles and stare at them for a while. Then I got it! But knitting remains a mystery to me. I finished the project today. I don’t understand how or why, but it looks and feels like a baby blanket.

I know you are dying to find out if this is a thrifty gift. I invested $10.00 total, all in yarn. (Blankets use a lot more yarn than scarves!) Considering that I can probably get a fleece baby blanket at Stuff Mart for about $5.00, it is not the cheapest gift going. But it is made with love, and that is worth something. Also, I found a simple hat pattern that I can make with the leftover yarn. Hand knit blanket and hat sets probably sell for a lot more than $10.00 at craft fairs. Especially in New England.

Besides providing a personal gift, knitting has many other benefits. You can pray for the recipient of your project. As you are sitting there with the yarn all over your lap, you can talk to God about the person for whom you are knitting. Ask him to give strength to the new parent, or to ease the pain of the ill person. A whole ministry, called Shawl Ministries, has been built around this idea.

Another good reason to knit is that idle hands are the devil’s chocolate, I mean, work shop. While my children are doing schoolwork at the table, I can be available without hovering over them. I can sit and knit. I am there to answer questions, but I can keep my hands busy (and hopefully out of the cookie jar).

Apparently knitting in church could become a raging controversy. Some feel that it is distracting to those around us. I, however, think that it is a wonderful thing to do. Of course, we should not wave our project around, or let our needles clatter all over the place (like I did yesterday – oops!). Knitting in church helps me focus and listen. Besides, God is a knitter: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.” (Psalm 139:13)

Knitting is a great way to pass the time on long car rides. I often get bored while my husband is driving. I tried using the time to do my nails, but he nearly passed out from the fumes. Reading makes me nauseated. Knitting is perfect, because I can get something done and still enjoy conversation with my honey.

Smart mom Heidi gets paid to crochet! She has a couple of customers who order blankets and wraps and she custom crochets them. She can work on these orders almost anywhere and get paid for it. Very thrifty!

I can’t wait to start my next project. Good friends of ours are expecting a baby boy. Guess what he will be getting – in yellow!

My Crowning Glory

2006-04-21T19:37:00.000-05:00

Today I got a temporary crown. My permanent crown, which I will receive in about two weeks, will be real gold. But it will be covered in porcelain so that I do not stand out too much. Now that I think of it, I would not stand out very much in my neighborhood with gold teeth. If I did, it would only be because I did not have my street name spelled out in the gold.

I have good teeth. I have always been proud of the fact that I am the one with the whitest teeth in any group photo. Imagine my indignation when my kind but honest hygienist apologetically told me that I had a fractured tooth. What? How did that happen? It’s not like I play football!

It’s just age, she informed me. Your tooth is worn out. And the huge filling in it does not help. Age? I don’t remember anyone on that hit TV show “Thirtysomething” having worn-out teeth. She kept saying she was sorry, but I would need a crown. No problem, I thought. They’ll put a little cover on top of my tooth so that it does not fall apart. Anyway, a crown sounds pretty.

But nooooooooo. First the hygienist will make an impression of my teeth. My son recently had impressions made at the orthodontist’s office. He vomitted. Why do I suddenly feel eight years old?

Then the dentist has to file the tooth down to a “stump” (the hygienist actually used this word). Then they have a clone of my original tooth produced in a lab. The imposter tooth will be fitted onto the stump. Although it all sounded ugly, I trust my hygienist so I made the crowning appointment. Then a frightening thing happened.

My husband lost a chunk of his tooth. I may have white teeth, but John has iron teeth. I think he has had two cavities in his whole life. (And he is even older than I am.) He called the dentist--and was told he needed a crown. To add insult to injury, he would have to have this emergency coronation on Easter Sunday before church.

It turned out that John’s dentist gave him a bigger filling instead of a crown, but my sweet husband urged me to move my appointment up. He did not want me to chew chunky Trident like he did. I got on the horn first thing Monday morning. They got me right in.

Thank God, the impressions weren’t so bad. It was like biting down on soft wax. Then came the needle. Why do they make them so big and metallic? I wished I was eight and at my children’s pediatric dentist: “I’m going to put some strawberry jelly in your cheek honey, and then you will feel a little pinch.”

Don’t get me wrong. My dentist is wonderful--I don’t think it is a coincidence that she is a mom who does dental work part time so that she can spend time with her children. Dr. S. called out the essential advice, “Breathe through your nose!” Right! Like when I gave birth. Do the breathing. In, out, count. (That breathing has gotten me through many more medical procedures than just childbirth. Good value.)

I am a special patient. If there is something that only happens to 1% of people, it happens to me. My cheek did not tingle, like it was supposed to. It felt warm instead. Naturally, I stumped the dental staff. Dr. S., God bless her, waited. She gave me a few more shots of the good stuff. Then she waited some more. She refused to start on the stump until I told her that I tingled. I told you she was wonderful. She said she would start slowly and I should holler if I felt anything. (Actually she said I should put up one finger.)

Since I couldn’t bite a bullet, I squeezed my hands. I would have squeezed the arms of the dental chair, but I could not find them and I did not want to squeeze Dr. S. by accident. Next thing I knew two hygienists were coming at me, each holding open a giant plastic mitten. I’m not kidding. They were being very nice, but I really thought they were going to tie me down.

“Hot paraffin treatment,” smiled Dr. S., “because your hands were so tense.” I was baffled for a moment. How could I squeeze with these giant mittens on? Suddenly my hands were surrounded by the warmth of the hot wax. It was soft. I actually did not want to squeeze my hands anymore. Who would have guessed that going to the dentist would be like goining to a spa? They even gave me a hot moist towel afterwards.

When I got home, I sounded like an angry cleft pallet patient. I couldn’t open my mouth very much. The whole side of my face (including my ear!) was numb. My tongue would not listen to me. My words came out nasal and clenched.

My own children began to make fun of me! They mimicked the slurred way that I was speaking. We all laughed. I think it was healthy. Then my son said that he was imitating me because he felt bad that I was the only one who had to talk “funny.” I believed him.

Correction!

2006-04-07T11:58:00.000-05:00

I mistakenly wrote that Ann Hibbard recounts Scripture passages in her own words in her book Family Celebrations at Easter. In fact, the passages are direct quotes from the New International Version of the Bible! How embarassing that I did not recognize it. Although I suppose it shows just how natural the NIV translation is!

Family Lent Field Report

2006-04-06T07:53:00.000-05:00

Our Lenten-Easter Tree

We seem to have found our groove in the family lent department. We are enjoying the resources that we have discovered and are doing an activity that fits nicely into life while reinforcing the story of Jesus.

Every day during Morning Meeting we read the days’ selection in Family Celebrations at Easter by Ann Hibbard. The author shares an anecdote from her life that relates to what Jesus or the disciples experienced. Next comes the Scripture passage. She gives the reference, but also re-tells the story in her own words. We enjoy reading her description of what happened. Several straight-forward discussion/comprehension questions follow. There is a little prayer that we read.

Then we place a corresponding ornament on our Lenten Tree! The book depicts a symbol for each day during lent. The simple picture symbolizes the part of Jesus’ story that we read that day. The clever author (definitely a smart mom!) includes all the symbols in the back of the book in reproducible form. They are clear drawings, uniform in size and shape, which makes them easy to work with.

I photocopied the symbols and had the children color them in with colored pencils. Then we cut them out and traced cardboard backings for them. We glued the colored symbols to the cardboard, punched a hole in the top and inserted wire Christmas ornament hooks. Ta da! An Easter ornament. It went quickly and the children enjoyed it.

Now, what to hang the ornaments on? I have read a couple of different explanations of “Easter Trees” using dead branches. In the past, I have cut some Forsythia branches and brought them inside just to see them bloom. I figured, why not use Forsythia branches for the Easter Tree; then our tree will blossom!

I cut four or five branches from the Forsythia in our yard (which needed to be trimmed anyway). I put them in a quart mason jar and filled it halfway with water. If need be, you can put marbles in the jar for ballast. I put a plate under the jar and placed our “tree” in the living room.

Not only do we see our tree filling up with Easter symbols, but we see the branches coming back to life! I really had my doubts that anything would bloom out of those dead branches. But sure enough, green bumps grew into yellow spikes that burst into yellow trumpets! It happens every year, but it is still unbelievable. It is a great picture of how Jesus was dead, but now he is alive.

Why I Love my Front Loader

2006-03-30T09:43:00.000-05:00

A few years ago my husband gave me the very romantic gift of a front-loading washing machine. Even though it is not roses and Godiva, I love it! It is efficient and fun.

It is so gentle on laundry that I can wash almost anything in it. It does not gave an agitator, so the clothes just roll around with the soap and water. Muddy sneakers? Throw them in the washer! (NOT in the dryer, though.) Hand-knit sweater from grandma got juice on it? No problem. Throw it in the front loader. Sister has the stomach flu and christened her favorite teddy bear? Toss it in the washer--quick! It has delicate to heavy wash settings. Even its regular cycle is gentle.

The front loader warms my thrifty heart. It saves water AND laundry soap. Rather than filling a vat with water, it just sprays enough water into the drum to wet the clothes. Somehow, it "knows" how much laundry is in there, so it does not put an excess of water in the drum! I guess because of the minimal amount of water, I only need to use 1/4 cup laundry soap for a regular-size load. Hallelujah!

Another wonderful thing about the front loader is that the children can easily do laundry themselves! They do not have to drag out a stool to reach the top of the drum and throw clothes in. The door is at their level. They just walk over to it and put the dirty laundry in. Don't worry; the door locks during the wash cycle. The detergent dispenser is also on the front!

I was inspired to tell you about this smart washing machine because a few minutes ago all three of my children were watching the "Laundry Show" with rapt attention. Just like at the laundry mat, the front loader has a glass door. We can see all our clothes spinning around in the washer. Today, my son decided that some stuffed animals needed to be washed. The kids were laughing out loud at the sight of their stuffed buddies going for a ride in the washer. I even heard this with a giggle, "Whoops, there goes Daddy's underwear!"

Naming names

2006-03-28T08:34:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the amazing women in the Bible (from the other side of the bookmark):

Abigail--The woman with beauty and brains

Anna--The woman who became the first Christian missionary

Deborah--The woman who was a fearless patriot

Dorcas--The woman whose dressmaking made her famous

Esther--The woman who saved her nation from genocide

Eunice--The woman whose son became a famous evangelist

Hannah--The woman who personifies ideal motherhood

Lydia--The woman who was diligent in business

Mary of Bethany--The woman everlastingly remembered

Naomi--The woman who tasted the cup of bitternenss

Priscilla--The woman who was foremost in service

Rhoda--The woman who was called mad

Sarah--The woman who became the mother of nations

Vashti--The woman who exalted modesty

From Womens' Ministry Department, General Council of the Assemblies of God

Are you familiar with all of these women? I'm not. I guess we need to look them up. Why was Rhoda called mad? Probably not for the same reasons that I am called mad!

The Bible is full of smart moms!

2006-03-27T07:38:00.000-05:00

This is from a bookmark that I was recently given.

Can you believe that Jesus' first appearance after his resurrection was to women? (Mathhew 28:9)

Can you believe that the first evangelists were women? (Luke 24:9, 10)

Can you believe that the first convert in Europe was a woman--Lydia, dealer in purple cloth? (Acts 16:14)

Can you believe that 189 women's names are mentioned in the Bible?

Can you believe that 17 occupations for women are listed in the Bible?

Can you believe that the only judge of Isreal who was both a prophetess and a great military strategist was a woman--Deborah?

From Women's Ministry Department, General Council of the Assemblies of God.

Moving Movies

2006-03-26T20:36:00.000-05:00

Film is a controversial medium. Some denominations have even taught their congregations to not only refrain from smoking and drinking, but from going to the movies as well! There certainly is an awful lot of junk out there in the film world. I also personally hate television.

But I believe that film is a legitimate artform. Also, child education folks say that the best way to monitor what your children are watching is to only use hand-picked videos. There are some films with redeeming value. They make us think and feel. They make us ask questions and talk to each other. That is why we signed up with Netflix.

With this on-line DVD service we choose our films and they are mailed directly to our home. Blockbuster has a similar service. For a fee, you choose a certain number of movies to be sent to your home at a time. When you return the films, they send you the next titles in your queue.

The really fun part is setting up your queue. Ever have a friend recommend a great movie, then forget the title when you finally get to the video store? Just add it to your on-line movie list instead! You can check the summary, rating and number of stars the movie got. The movie service also recommends films. Their computer notices what genres you tend to select (scary!) and makes recommendations accordingly. Always double check these tips, though. You want to know what you are getting before you add it to your list!

Just about any film on DVD is available. That means you can get documentaries, foreign, art and Christian films. The children can request as many movies as they want (as long as they are parent-approved). We just add them to the queue and they are automatically rationed out!

Another benefit of an on-line film service is that no one has to brave the video store. In our house it seemed everyone wanted to watch a movie, but no one wanted to go pick it up. The title we wanted was usually out. Plus, whoever martyred him- or herself to make the trip got slimed by the nasty movies all over the store. This way, the movie comes to us and it is one we checked into and know that we want to see.

Smart moms can also find a plethora of videos at the local library! Sometimes there is a nominal fee, but the library is a wonderful resource for educational and fun videos. Plus, it is safe to bring your children there.

If you view my profile, you will find a list of some of the movies that I like.

Post a comment and let us know what smart movies you have seen lately!

Plastic Bags 101

2006-03-22T07:41:00.000-05:00

Or, 101 Uses for Plastic Bags.

Okay, maybe I haven't thought of 101 uses yet, but if all you smart folks out there post your ideas, we may come close!

Last night, as I was leaving my favorite Stuff Mart, I spied the large plastic-bag-recycling recepticle. Dargh! I think it is a great idea to recycle the masses of plastic shopping bags that we accumulate. The problem is, I NEVER remember to do it!

I am ashamed to admit that in our house we have even thrown away bundles of plastic bags--in the regular garbage. I know, it is one of the seven thrifty sins. Plastic shopping bags multiply exponentially. You can't have them taking over your house. But there are many smart uses for them. Here are some ways to master the plastic bag excess. (Remember, they serve you; you do not serve them!)

1. Recycle. Write a note on your grocery list to bring them when you go shopping. Stuff them in the recepticle provided.

2. Re-use. Do like the Europeans. Bring a bundle of bags from home when you shop. Bag your items in them and then you will not bring more bags home.

3. Do you own a dog? Since we got a dog, our plastic bag collection has dwindled. (Yay!) Stuff a bag in every coat pocket to pick up after your dog when you take walks. Use them to pick up after your dog in your own yard.

4. Travel. Plastic shopping bags compress to take up very little space. (So do down comforters, by the way. . .I feel another essay coming on.) Bring them on the road for, well, all of the uses on this list!

5. Laundry. Each family member can have a bag for his or her own dirty laundry. Use several to separate wet items or colors!

6. Garbage. Duh. I like to use the white bags for garbage can liners in the bathroom and bedrooms. You can also stuff a few in the bottom of the can to be ready for the next time you need a new bag!

7. Work-out clothes.

8. Swim gear and bathing suits.

9. To hold treasures from hikes or beach walks.

10. My sister uses them instead of packing peanuts when she mails us presents!

11. Diapers.

12. Other messy kid accidents.

13. To safely carry things up and down stairs. Only need one hand! Great for kids who want to carry toys everywhere. (Obviously, teach children NEVER to put plastic bags near their faces!) And for grown-ups who are having trouble with stairs for health reasons.

14. Library books. Keep them together and keep them dry. This could help us save money in overdue fines!

15. Chicken garbage. When cooking, you can put chicken packaging or other offensive food garbage in its very own bag. Tie it up and outside it goes!

16. So far, the thing that has put the biggest dent in our plastic bag population has been using them to distribute Girl Scout cookies.

17.

101.

Visit the Link Garden

2006-03-17T08:32:00.000-05:00

Rather than a link farm, we have a link garden. Websites that just list a bunch of links and have no content are called link farms. The Smart Mom Blog has content and a list of smart links. There are some websites out there that are wonderful resources for smart moms. I contnually collect links for sites that will help us with parenting, education, thrift, and creativity.

Please enjoy the Link Garden. Feel free to post your comments about the links in the garden, or about other smart websites that we should include. Thanks!

Liberty Day

2006-03-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

We attended Liberty Day yesterday and had a wonderful time! I just learned about this national event a couple of weeks ago. On March 16, in honor of James Madison's birthday, students all over the nation can visit their state's legislative offices. They get special Liberty Day Kids t-shirts to wear and a tote bag full of copies of the U.S. Constitution and stickers. The lake of red t-shirts fans out and, with their families, approaches employees with questions about the Constitution. The questions (and answers!) are provided by the Liberty Day folks. Those state employees answering correctly get a sticker! Those who bomb get a copy of the Constitution to study for next year. At first the folks we approached seemed disinterested, but then it became fun for the employees to see who got a sticker and who didn't!

I think my children learned a lot. They learned how to approach people politley and be friendly. They learned about the U.S. Constitution! We have never studied it, but in those couple of hours they learned some of the most important things about the document, like the five rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and the qualifications to become a senator. Even my one child who did not talk to anyone the entire day was quizzing all of us on the Constitution on the way home!

Thank you to Liberty Day.org and the Family Resource Center in New England for organizing this event and making it free! My children and I each enjoyed different aspects of the experience: Talking to the employees at our state Legislative Office Building, the beautiful architecture, even meeting two guide dogs in the Legislative Office Building!

We also had the chance to tour the state Capitol buildings. Our tour guide was excellent and made the place come alive. She was animated, very well-informed and we could tell that she loved what she did. The tour was the perfect way for us to learn history AND the legislative process!

Saint Patrick

2006-03-16T08:28:00.000-05:00

There are shamrocks and leprechauns everywhere. A smart mom has to ask, Is there anything meaningful to celebrate on St. Patrick's Day?

As a matter of fact, there is. God worked powerfully through Saint Patrick. He was born A.D. 387-390 in Scotland as Maewyn Succat. His is an amazing story of slavery, redemption and changed lives. Rather than me repeating Saint Patrick's story, read it in his own words:

The Confessio

Seperate fact from legend by reading here:
Fact or Fantasy?

Catholic Encyclopedia

Saint Patrick Centre

St. Patrick's Day.com

Some history from the History Channel

I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that Veggies Tales is spreading the word about the real Saint Patrick! In a cartoon short that precedes one of the Veggie Tales feature attractions, Maewyn Succat is introduced. With its usual madcap humor, Big Idea Productions tells the amazing story of this slave boy who went from tending sheep to tending flocks of believers all over Ireland. A great cartoon to watch this week! The Veggie Tales experts in my house claim it is on the "Sumo of the Opera" DVD.

Not only did Patrick use the shamrock to explain the trinity to the Celts, but he set up Christian communities to reach out to these pagan tribes in Ireland. The shamrock idea is a wonderful way to demonstrate to our children the abstract concept of our tri-une God. (Three leaves in one leaf.) You could have the children cut shamrocks out of green construction paper and write "Father," "Jesus," and "Holy Spirit" on each section!

I learned from Celtic Way of Evangelism by George Hunter III that Saint Patrick was responsible for setting up Christian communities near the Celts, who had earlier enslaved him. The Christians intentionally invited Celts in, modeled the Christian life for them, cared for them and taught them. What a wise example for us to follow in the 21st century!

An efficient way to get the most out of St. Patrick's Day is to go to the library and check out a few good children's books. You will all learn a lot about the saint and the history of the holiday. You will spend some cozy time with your children reading to them, and they will grow in literacy. All that for free!

Here are a couple of books that we like:
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie De Paola
Tomie De Paola has several good books about saints and other Christian stories.

Patrick: Saint of Ireland by Joyce Denham

St. Patrick's Day by Gail Gibbons As usual, Gibbons gives children the facts wih clear, colorful illustrations.

As I write about these holidays, it occurs to me that the year is a continual celebration of God's work, flowing from one holiday to the next. As soon as one season is over, we begin to reflect on another aspect of our faith. Right now, Evangelicals are saying "Huh?" Catholics are saying "Duh!" When I read The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, I noticed that they were constantly celebrating something: Each of the seven children's birthdays, each of the children's feast days (of the saint after whom they were named), and all the other Catholic holidays and seasons! What a fun way to live. It must have been a lot of work as well. The children made gifts for each other, but remember that as a baroness in Austria, Maria von Trapp had a staff of people to help her!

Top o' the morning to you!

Lent Field Report

2006-03-11T07:46:00.000-05:00

It has been eleven days since I gave up chocolate and coffee for Lent. Some people refer to this as fasting. I don't feel that I am fasting. I feel more like I am de-toxing. Jesus said that when we are fasting or praying or doing spiritual discipline we are not supposed to make a spectacle of it or wail and whine. I don't want to make a spectacle of myself, but I think I am learning something.

The first thing I learned is that I am a miserable brat. I knew Sunday would be a special challenge since we have coffee and doughnuts between services. All I think about during church is the coffee and doughnuts. That is also the time that I chat with all my friends. My first reaction was to appeal to the tradition that Sundays are not counted as part of Lent. Sunday is the day of celebrating Jesus' resurrection, so I could celebrate with coffee and chocolate munchkins! I knew that if I caved is so early in the game, however, that it would be all over. Instead, I grit my teeth.

I saw some friends as we arrived at church. I was grumpy and focused on NOT DRINKING COFFEE, so I could barely talk to them. Wasn't that stupid? The point of giving up something is to be more like Jesus. Instead, I was less like him because I was not loving.

I have also learned the truth of this statement: "Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restaining sensual indulgence" (Colossians 2:23). I can't even do it. Forswearing coffee and chocolate is not my new religion. So when friends offer me a cup of coffee, I don't say no. . . But even when I am by myself I don't say no. True confessions: I ate several Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies. I ate a chocolate cupcake. I got a hot chocolate at Dunkin Donuts because their Chai machine was broken.

I also immediately discovered substitutes. I subconsiously thought the lent scheme would help me lose weight. Not to be denied, I quickly formed a Chai habit. I also ate almost a whole sleeve of Girl Scout peanut butter sandwich cookies in one "session." Maybe it is a ploy of the devil that Girl Scout cookies are delivered during lent every year.

All this confirms that I am a wretch in need of a savior. Oh, right. That is what lent is all about, because "the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it (Jeremiah 17:9)?"

The best part of all this is that while I am researching and struggling and looking for ways to incorporate lent into life, my smart mom friend Janet hands me a book that has done it all already. God has a sense of humor. The book looks great and I just bought it from Amazon for less than a dollar! Thanks Janet! I can't wait to read through this book with my family: Family Celebrations at Easter.

Comments

2006-02-17T16:23:00.000-05:00

I know there are a lot of smart folks out there. If you have a smart, practical idea, please post a comment and share it. Thank you!

Dog Coat

2006-02-17T07:50:00.000-05:00

I was determined to have a coat for my dog. We walk in all weather and she does not have a whole lot of fur on her underside. I wanted something warm and waterproof. I found the perfect coat at Pet Edge. Even though it was a VERY good price, my husband lovingly reminded me that our budget does not have a "dog apparel" line item! So I did what any smart mom would do. I set out to make my own.

I had some fun with a picnic blanket and a FREE pattern from the Circle of Crafters website. In all, the coat cost me about $2.50 and a few hours (spread over two days) to make. I had to buy some more Velcro, but I already had everything else! I had purchased the reflective tape in the fall to sew on all of our coats. I love reflective tape! I was very happy with the value and service that I got from Identi-Tape Inc. I purchased sew-on reflective tape from them online.

You can hardly tell that this cozy coat used to be a picnic blanket. It is quilted for warmth and has been treated with waterproofing spray for those early morning hurricane walks. Naturally, it is reversible: One side revealing a traditional tartan, the other a bold blue vinyl with an urban edge. Practicality has not been lost to fashion, as this blanket coat has a pocket on each side, appliqued with a charming heart. The design also puts safety first with a reflective strip on the back of the coat.

Like all pieces from my workshop it is one-of-a-kind and no, Mom, I cannot take orders.

Thanks for humoring me!

Valentine's Day

2006-02-15T08:27:00.000-05:00

Now that we have all had our Valentine's Day celebrations, here are some things to think about. (It's not too late. As a florist's daughter, I refer to this as Valentine's WEEK. Have you ever tried to deliver 80 million dozen red roses on one day?)

As with most holidays, I dread the commercial frenzy and misguidance of Valentine's Day. What is the point of spending $10 on a bunch of flimsy paper cards with the latest annoying cartoon character on them? The exchange of valentines among children seems stressful and impersonal for them. Plus, isn't Valentine's Day about physical, romantic love anyway? Should children even be celebrating it?

I set out to discover why we celebrate Valentine's Day and I learned a few things. No one is sure of the details, but it seems that Saint Valentine was a Roman monk who refused to keep silent about the love of God and was jailed for it. Good for him! It also seems he sent a nice note to the jailer's blind daughter and she may have regained her sight. Sharing God's love and miracles sound great to me!

The steamy side to Valentine's Day comes from the pre-christian Lupercalia celebration. Single young people drew names to determine with whom they would be paired off for the year. I don't know about you, but that does not sound fun to me.

Here are some resources on the history of the holiday.
wikipedia,
saint valentine,
st valentine's day

We have tried to redeem the holiday around our house. I gladly accept flowers and mushy cards (and chocolate!) from my husband. It is wonderful to know that I am loved and important for the children to see their parents being affectionate. I bought a box of Valentines after the holiday one year for less than 25 cents. They have knock-knock jokes on them! They have lasted a few years now. We give them to each other. It is great to reinforce that we love each other and that acceptance and affection come from the family. We also get a good laugh from the knock-knock jokes. I also like to get a few good children's books out of the library about St. Valentine and read them to the kids. We all learn something!

This year my daughters, who are scouts, had a Valentine's Day tea party. They invited a few non-scouting girlfriends. They gave each other Valentines and enjoyed dressing up, being proper and getting to know new friends!

Happy St. Valentine's Day (Week)!

Welcome!

2006-02-12T20:31:00.000-05:00

My hope is that Smart Mom Blog will be a platform from which I can share smart and practical tips that I have collected over the years. The topics that interest me include parenting, education, home keeping, thrift, creativity and whatever I happen to be obsessed with at the moment.

The alternative name for this web log is the Really Useful Blog. Like Thomas the Tank Engine, my goal is to help, encourage and make you smile.