One of the best parts of an Amazon Prime membership?

Free viewing of some awesome kids' shows, most especially Blues Clues, Little Bear, and Mr. Rogers.

I loved them when I watched them, when my oldest watched them, and I still love them today.

<3

Bears Football

Did you see Jay Cutler make that run?!

My quarterback's tougher than yours!

(chanted in my best neener-neener voice)

I love football season!

That is all.  ;)

Edited to add:  

The best offense is a great defense.

Frugal: Of Paper Plates and Dusting Cloths

I've been trying to be more frugal lately.  Saving money for the sake of saving is okay, but my real goal is to be a better steward of the money my husband works so hard to earn, and the resources that God has given to us.

Now, one big part of our spending every month is the groceries.  We feed a lot of people in this house!  Consequently, this post is not about buying less, going meatless, etc.  (We are carnivores here at the Home Front.  <grin>)  But our grocery budget includes cleaning items.

So, I'm trying to reduce the amount I spend on disposable things.  Some things are no-brainers.  Like using real plates instead of paper when possible.  Sometimes they come in handy, and we use them.  But usually, I'm going to be doing dishes anyway...the pans, serving utensils, cups, silverware...and adding six plates to the pile in the sink is not going to kill me.  :D

Another no-brainer is making my own Swiffer-type cloths.

If you search for patterns for homemade Swiffer cloths, you'll get all sorts of fancy designs, involving lots of sewing and terms like hem, elastic, selvage...  Gives me hives just thinking about it!  All the photos online look sweet and pretty, but they involve way more time and skill than I'm willing to invest.

I just wanted something to pick up the dust and hair from my wood floors.  Solution:  old sweatshirt.

I took an old sweatshirt - and I mean old like too-ragged-to-donate old - and cut it up.  I laid one of my store-bought Swiffer cloths on it and cut around it with pinking shears.  I managed to get 14 cloths from that one sweatshirt.  It took me about half an hour, and that's only because my hands get tired using the big shears.  Just attach it like the store-bought variety, dust away, and wash it with your rags or towels when you're done.

I did some rough calculations (okay, the kids did the calculating, during lunch...there's math being used in real life!), and figured that we will save about $140 a year by using our new washable, reusable, totally awesome because there's no sewing, absolutely free to make homemade Swiffer cloths.

Where did February go?

Or, for that matter, March?

Ah, well.  I've been trying to get back on top

of running the household and homeschooling, after spending

the majority of 2012 either ill or sleeping.

{grin}

Just as a little gentle reintroduction to the blogosphere,

I thought I'd share some of my recent favorite funnies.

My 5-year-old told me the other day, "Whew!  That scared the chickens out of me!"

A kitten dies when you use an apostrophe to pluralize.

(From the Well-Trained Mind Forums.  LOVE this!)

Breakfast conversation:

Me:  I don't know who (committed this terrible crime that I can't quite recall at the moment),

but let's not let that happen again.

5yo:  It was (insert brother's name).

Me:  Well, we don't need to point fingers...

5yo:  I'm not pointing fingers; I'm just telling you who did it.

Here's hoping that I find my blogging motivation sometimes before this baby arrives.

Oh!

And did I mention that this time around we're having a girl?!

I know...scary thought.

My house is often like a football game that never ends.

I'm not sure I can "do" a girl,

but I am trusting that God knows better than I.

{heaving a sigh of relief!}

How's your year going?

Didja miss me?

I've missed me.

I decided to take a break from writing and from posting during December.

I intended to get back into full swing with school, writing, blogging,

and of course, all the cleaning and organizing I get in the mood to take care of

right after Christmas.

Instead, I've spent the last three weeks or so,

up until last Monday,

sleeping.  And eating.  And sleeping some more.

Seriously, I've been in a mental fog.

The house is nowhere near the relatively clean state

that I can usually make peace with.

('Cause you know I'm not a compulsive cleaner, right?)

School didn't start on January 2nd.

Or January 9th.

We finally got out the books on the 16th.

The good news is - the house is still here to clean now.

The kids are adjusting to a more structured day that involves homework.

(Homework?  What's that?  Are you speaking English, Mom?)

The even better news is - we're expecting a baby later this year!

I'm thrilled to be able to say that.

A baby.

Why I should be so blessed, I have no idea.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole experience.

It's taken me a while to begin to get my thoughts in order.

(Or even stay conscious long enough to have coherent thoughts in the first place.)

But I'm hoping to be posting a little more regularly

now that the fatigue is retreating a bit.

Thanks for sticking around!

Listening to : downhere

I've been hearing this song a lot lately on WBGL.  

{from youtube}

From the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Day,

they play exclusively Christmas music.

It's been reducing me to tears on a regular basis,

 so I thought I'd share the chorus so you can be weepy too.

You're welcome!

How Many Kings   by  downhere

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me

Recently Reading...

Visiting the library is a weekly occurrence at our house.

Sometimes, even more than weekly.

Let's just say, the librarians know us by name.

And sometimes cringe when they see the bags full of books we're returning.

(I'd insert a picture here of the mountain(s) of books that we have out right now,

if only I could track them all down.

Looks like a scavenger hunt will be in order before our next visit.)

Since I've been seriously focusing on developing my writing,

I've also been reading a lot of poetry.

Did you know that reading other poets' work

helps you write better poetry?

It's true.  And eminently enjoyable as well.

Anyway,

I ran across a great collection I wanted to share with you.

The Household Gods by Daniel Bourne

Not only are the poems fantastic,

but the poet is from a little town not far from where I live.

It's just a little bit inspiring.

{grin}

You should check it out!

Wirdy Winsday

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Wirdy Winsday!

On the spur of the moment this afternoon, I decided to institute my own meme. 

A meme is "an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."

I have no fancy graphics or buttons, at the moment.  But you never know what might happen in the future.  I've heard it's full of possibility!

Anywhooo...

On Wirdy Winsday, we will adventure into the land of language, featuring our favorite words.  Why?  Simply because we love how they feel, rolling off our tongues.

One of my very favorite words is  pernicious.

:  harmful, especially in a sneaky way  :

As in,

Life without poetry is pernicious to your health.

What's your favorite wird today? 

(Since I don't have one of those neat-o mosquito linky dealies, you'll just have to leave a comment!)

And yes, I know I misspelled "wordy Wednesday".  It was intentional.  And is likely to change.

;D

Also - I'm linking up to Works for Me Wednesday, on the theory that expanding your vocabulary is always a good thing!

A Beautiful Birthday

I turn 33 today.

I used to think that “30” seemed old.  Back when I was 17, and I knew everything.

Every day I learn something new.  Something about myself, my kids, life.

My life is … amazing.

I can’t recall ever having a driving ambition to be any certain thing.

I wanted to be an archaeologist for a while, and an Egyptologist, and a teacher, and someone rich enough to live in Ireland (I don’t think that qualifies as an occupation, but oh, well).

Mostly what I remember from my youth is being angry.

I didn’t really like myself much.  Or anyone else.  I wasn’t a very good friend.  I wasn’t a very nice person.

I could put on a really good front, and convince you that I was the good girl.

But that wasn’t me. 

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.  I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.”

Lamentations 3:19-20

That was me.  Then.

~     ~     ~     ~     ~

This is me.  Now.

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:21-23

 

The Lord has blessed me so richly.

Four wonderful boys to love and care for and teach and raise up to be Godly men.

An incredible husband who loves me and protects me, cherishes me and sacrifices himself for me.

Family that loves me and blesses me with the joy of their presence.  (And with pizza…but I digress.)

 

~     ~     ~     ~     ~

The Lord has given me His grace and mercy.

Grace –

the blessing and favor of God, which I could never, in a million lifetimes, deserve

Mercy –

the withholding of the punishment which I absolutely deserve, a million times over

 

Thank You, Jesus, for another beautiful birthday.

 

FF: And then it was … s u m m e r

 

I am so thankful that it’s summer!

What have you been up to?

__________

Listening to some great music!

__________

Playing horseshoes

(not my throw, btw – a double ringer by my fantastic husband!)

__________

The boys’ (and my) new favorite board game:

The Settlers of Catan

(I almost won today!)

__________

Welcome home, Fred!

This is the toad that has taken up residence in the old clothesline pole in the backyard.  We don’t know how he got in there, but we like to keep tabs on him.  We thought he’d been blown away in a recent storm, but he was back at his post today. 

__________

More time messing around on the video games—a little bit, anyway!

__________

One of my favorite holidays:  Father’s Day!

__________

Clothes drying on the racks …

outside!

for free!!

I love not running the dryer!

__________

Linking up with Finding Joy

Listening to Lately…

Who You Are

by Tenth Avenue North

……….

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.

……….

These are not the entire lyrics for this song; it’s just the bridge and the chorus.  The kids and I saw Tenth Avenue North perform this on the 2011 Dove Awards broadcast, and I’ve had these lines stuck in my head for days.  (Thank you to my wonderful husband for downloading the CD for me!)

Anyway – isn’t that the truth?  I’m a new creature in Christ.

I don’t have to worry about the mess I was in when He found me.

Or the enormous messes I end up in, which are entirely of my own making.

Or how unworthy I feel the majority of the time. 

I am remade!

Linking up to lowercase letters for Miscellany Monday

Screen Time

 

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I though I’d share some heart-warming favorites on the Inspiration Network this weekend.

And, of course, anyone who knows me will not be surprised to see the Waltons come first on my list!  I find it hard to describe why I love this series so much.  The strong family values.  The loving but protective parents.  The mother who always has her hair done up neatly after a full day of cooking, laundry, and refereeing that group of boys.  sigh  Their independence and love of God’s creation and their fellow men.  The simple yet timeless morals in each and every episode.  What’s not to love?  (And it’s on twice a day!)

 

Our chick flick pick of the weekend is Fireproof.  A FANTASTIC movie about love, marriage, commitment, faith, friendship…a total package for a great Valentine’s Day date-at-home.  (Gentlemen – if I have any male readers – your lovely ladies will love you for watching the movie with them.  Trust me on this.  You could even earn extra bonus points if you suggest it before she mentions it.  You can thank me in the comments section.)

Our manly man movie of the weekend would be Facing the Giants.  Lots of football action, faith, friendship, commitment, love…wait, this sounds familiar!  Recurring themes that are enjoyable no matter how many times you come across them, right?   (Ladies – don’t worry if you’re not a football fanatic.  You’ll still enjoy the movie.  One word … babies.  Enough said.)

So, if you can’t or don’t want to get out this weekend, snuggle up with your sweetie on the couch and catch an episode or two of the Waltons, or watch a Valentine’s double feature Saturday on INSP.

The Home Front gives the lineup two BIG THUMBS UP!

 

all photos from the Inspiration Network website

Bring Your Own Umbrella

 

I’m so EXCITED!!

A few weeks ago, I won a giveaway on The Morris Tribe.  The very first blog giveaway I ever entered, and I won!  (Okay, so 24 other people won too, but you’re missing the point!)

My wonderful winnings?  A copy of Wendy Jeub’s new book, Love In a Diet.

First of all, thanks to Kelly Morris for offering this fantastic resource.  (And by the way – you should really check out her blog for some fantastically helpful info on homemaking, kid-managing, finding balance in your life…there are so many great posts!)

Secondly, thanks to Wendy Jeub for writing the book.  (The Jeub family also has a daily-updated blog that’s always informative and thought-provoking.  Check them out!)

Love in a Diet arrived in the mail today, and I definitely know what I’m doing this afternoon!  I only have 4 boys – not as big a crew as either of these other moms – but I can totally relate to being overweight and overwhelmed.  I’m really looking forward to some shared wisdom.

Being the…ahem…model of patience that I am, I flipped through the pages before sitting down to write this post, and the one-liner that caught my eye is to “bring your own umbrella”!  Wendy’s tip is to plan ahead; if you know you’ll be out and about, and will be getting hungry, pack a “good” snack so you won’t hit the drive thru.

I’m sure there will be many more good tips, so stay tuned!