Posted in Holiday Bits

Last week at this time, we were back in Michigan.  For those of you not "in the know," we are from Michigan but currently live in Arizona.  We have discovered (the hard way) that we are not desert dwellers, we are 4-season kind of people.  Until we can correct that, however, we need to enjoy the seasons as we can, which we did last week when we travelled to visit family in Michigan in December.  We got a lot of comments about that, and some family that we travelled with vowed never to do it again (3 different families, 10 people, all went back on the same flight due to those great deals).  We, however, *LOVED* every single minute of those blizzardy days, and hope that this is our last snow-less winter.

Anyway, our trip began as so many do:  in the airport.

*by the way, that hat stayed on that boy's head practically the whole week...

When we landed, after an uneventful flight, our vacation picked up and zoomed off.  We saw many, many family members, drove many, many miles (in a blizzard one day, no less), and still were unable to fit in many, many friends (sorry, Bethany!!!!).  It was a full week, with ups and downs, but the snow made everything all right again. lol - yep, we're pathetic.

Our first stop was to hubby's mom's, and his grandmother drove up to see us. They hadn't seen each other in 4½ years, so they had a wonderful visit.  Here's four generations:

We went to Bronner's in Frankenmuth, and had tons of fun.  The boys picked out their annual ornament, I purchased some ornaments as gifts, an Advent calendar, and Advent candles.  Here we are being silly outside:

We drove north, and right into a heavy snow storm.  We loved it:

We went out to dinner with my Grandma, but could only stay the one night as we had to race a blizzard or get caught up there and possibly miss our flight home.  It was a wonderful but too-short visit:

Here's a view from Grandma's house of the snow storm blowing in:

While up there, we stopped by the store, which has been in my mother's side of the family for a couple of decades or more now.  My aunt, one of my mom's sisters, owns it right now.  We had our picture snapped outside of it, which I think may be the one going in the Christmas card this year:

After making it through the blizzard, the boys decided they needed to go sledding with our friends' sons (they have 3, ages 21-14).  Of course they did!  What's a visit to Michigan in December without sledding??  Our friends had boots for our boys, and a quick trip to Goodwill netted appropriate snow pants (and a suit for the oldest), so they were good to go:

After sledding, they went out into the backyard and made two snow fortifications, one group using old siding that they stuck in the snow, the other using a snow brick maker and water (see the mugs in their hands? my friend made hot cocoa, put it in travel mugs, and delivered it to them outdoors, lol):

After working on it for a good portion of the day, they came inside to warm up.  After awhile, we asked why they weren't outside using their forts, to which they replied, "It's dark out there!"  I innocently suggested that I had seen tiki torches out there, and they ran with it from there.  You can't see much, but Snow War 2009 was a rousing success:

On the day we were to fly out, I had coffee with one of my oldest and dearest friends:

...and then headed to a family get-together that my aunt graciously put on for us.  Here's my aunt, my cousin, and myself:

Here's me and my little cousin:

Here's my goofy family again (courtesy of the 8 year old's photographic skills, lol):

The kids played outside in the snow:

 ...then came in and posed quite willingly for this adorable shot:

All in all, the trip was wonderful, hectic, beautiful, and greatly enjoyed.  It has greatly motivated us to move on to 4-seasons again, and that, my friends, is a very good thing indeed.

Posted in Weightloss Wednesdays

Today marks the beginning of my weightloss journey.  I have begun other trips before, but this one promises to be different in that I am among friends.  Accountability is one of the keys to success, and I have found that being positive is another key.  So, despite my tremendous feet-dragging, I'm signing up.

My goal for the rest of the holiday season is to simply maintain my weight.  I hold no delusions that I'll actually be able to lose anything with all of the baking, goodies, and treats that will abound in the next two weeks, but if I can come out of it having enjoyed myself (in moderation, of course) and not packed on an additional 5+ pounds, then I'll be satisfied.  I also wish to get back to my 8+ servings of water each day and my NEWO (No-Excuse Workout; 6 minute workout designed by Jonathon - you can find him through FlyLady).  These simple yet important things are habits I wish to have in place so that when I begin losing weight in earnest, I don't have to struggle with them.

As for my overall goals, tips, ideas, habits, etc., that will wait until after the holiday season.  Tiny little babysteps...

If you too would like to participate in WLW, please go visit my friend Chasity for more information.

Posted in Tightwad Tuesdays

It's Tightwad Tuesday with Canadagirl, and since I've not participated in quite awhile I thought I'd give it a go today.  If you'd like to join in, or simply read other frugal tips, please go visit Mary for all the links and information.

My tip today is about airfare.  Most families nowadays seem to be spread apart, so the occasional trip does need to be made.  While my family prefers driving, oftentimes that's just not possible due to time constraints.  That's when the chore of finding airfare begins to loom in front of me.  With a family of four, airfare can quickly get out of control.  It's not unheard of for us to spend an average of $1,500 for four tickets back to Michigan.  Then you've got accommodations, vehicle costs, and food to pay for, which makes even a 4- or 5-day weekend astronomical and almost impossible to do.  This would explain why we've not been back in over two years.

This year has been no different, which is why we were only half-heartedly looking for tickets when I got a call from a friend about a new-to-me airline that was running a ridiculous deal on fares.  I hurriedly went to the computer, pulled them up, picked my jaw up off the floor, called my husband, and promptly purchased the tickets.  The new-to-me airline is called Allegiant Air, and they were running the following deal:  non-stop airfare from Mesa, AZ to Grand Rapids, MI for $39.99 each way.  I'm not kidding.

Apparently this airline has a bad reputation for hidden fees, so I read the fine print really well, several times (something I NEVER do).  I saw that we could avoid some hefty out-the-door fees if we simply drove to the airport and purchased the tickets instead of doing so online or over the phone - something I prefer to do anywayto avoid any way chance of mix-ups.  Considering the airport is only 15 minutes from my house (a minor airport - not the huge Phoenix one - bonus!!), it was a no-brainer for me.  I also checked their luggage fee policy, and so was prepared for that.  My friend and I rushed to the airport (we're flying to the same place), triple-checked the fees and totals, and purchased our tickets for a whopping $141 round trip, non-stop.  That's luggage fees, taxes, everything.  My family of four is flying for just over $560 total, and we have the distinct pleasure of giving our boys the gift of snow at Christmas and giving the grandparents the gift of us.  What a great Christmas gift to all!!

So, I would highly encourage you to check out Allegiant Air, or try to find a new-to-you airline that flies out of your airport.  It pays to shop around, always be open to good deals, and to read the fine print to avoid fees.  Happy Flying!

Posted in The Daily Grind

I have started to post several different times lately, but nothing even remotely interesting comes to mind.  We've had illness here - who hasn't? - celebrated Thanksgiving, are getting ready for Christmas, and are about to hop on a plane this weekend to travel "home for the holidays."  There have been things to post about, but I haven't.  Why not?

I have a confession to make.

I have hit a severe patch of apathy.  For the past few months, my mind-set has been, well, flat.  Before I get helpful words that it's just the holidays, let me reassure you:  it isn't.  It's... I suppose you could say it's a conglomeration of things.  School, housework, finances, extended family, holidays, life choices.  Take your pick.

All of these things I have failed or have failed me in the past couple of years.  I think my mind has just shut down these last couple of months, and been quietly dealing with things in the background while I flounder about in the foreground.  The last couple of days things have pushed to the front of my mind and I think I feel myself beginning to deal with things one at a time.  I feel like I'm finally "airing" my thoughts out, shaking out the dust, and letting go of.... what, I can't really say, but I feel an easing of pressure beginning.  Not to say that things are magically going to be better or perfect, but the strain of things as they are is easing.  For that, I am grateful.  I will endeavour to meet each day with, if not necessarily a smile, an open mind and heart.  Like Mary, I desire to get back into a routine instead of living in reactionary mode.  I desire to pull into my family instead of doling out so much of me to other people.  It's very difficult to live in this place - this place I no longer want to be, and haven't wanted to be for so very long - but I have decided I don't need to feel miserable 24/7 anymore to "remind" God that we don't want to be here.  (pouty child, aren't I?)  We have a plan in place, and with God's blessing and help we will follow through.  Until then, however, it's okay to find peace with myself - in fact, it's absolutely necessary.

May you all find the peace that only you can give yourself with God's grace, and may you all be content with what is today.

Posted in Show and Tell Friday

Happy Friday!  It's time again for Show and Tell Friday with Canadagirl - please do pop over to visit Mary if you'd like to take part or visit the other S&Ts today.

Last weekend hubby and I took our boys and niece north in search of some fall color.  It was mostly on the ground yet (low-lying plants that had turned a lovely red hue), but some trees were beginning to turn ever-so-slightly.  We went to one of our favorite parks, and lo and behold what should we find?  Not one, but TWO trees in full color - standing next to each other no less.  So, while those photos are a bit strained for proper proportions and all, I *had* to work them into some photos.  I was aiming for school photos of the boys, but these didn't turn out to my satisfaction, so I'm going to have to do something else.  I'm disappointed, but I did the best I could at the time considering that there was a middle school and high school track event going on all around us, and my batteries were dying and I had no spares. :P

Anyway, all we pretty much did was easy hiking, exploring, and just enjoying the day.  Enjoy!

Posted in Tightwad Tuesdays

Happy Tuesday, and welcome back to Tightwad Tuesday with Canadagirl!  If you have a money-saving tip that works well for you and that you'd like to share with us, please do head over and visit Mary to get started.

My tip for today is short, photo-less, and pretty unglamorous, but it's such a helpful little thing, especially in light of decreased home school budgets.  I believe that selling used home school curricula on eBay is unavailable any longer if you have the 'answer' key or teacher's text with it (unless that policy changed again - I don't use eBay, so I don't know much about it), so what's a home educating mother to do?  You could try to sell it locally, or, to reach a larger audience and get top dollar for it, you could use Homeschool Classifieds.  Homeschool Classifieds is a site FULL of curricula for sale, all by home schooling parents.  I both buy and sell my books there; where else can I support another home schooling family while having my own home schooling family supported?  It's a wonderful thing, and it works for me.  Ü

Posted in Show and Tell Friday

Happy Friday, and welcome!  Today is Show and Tell Friday with Canadagirl, and if you would like to take part, please head over to Mary's.

Have you done the math?  I have.  Christmas is three months from today - 91 days from now.  Does that cause a little panic to flutter within?  It does me, and I've begun my gifts already!  Due to a change in thought and a decrease in funds, I've begun making more and more gifts each Christmas for the past couple of years.  This year is no different; in fact, I'm now trying to make over 50% of the gifts we exchange.  To that end, I thought I'd share with you the three afghans I've completed thus far, and the new one I've just begun.  I've finally learned how to read a crochet pattern, (I'm mostly self-taught with a little help from my mom), and love experimenting with new patterns.  The one I've just begun is a fun one; it's a shell pattern.  Anyway, here are the completed throws:

And here is the new one:

Thanks for visiting, and have a great weekend!

Posted in Show and Tell Friday

Today I thought I'd take you on a little tour of our trailer.  I was actually asked awhile ago to hear a little about when we lived in our trailer when we first moved to Arizona.  I'm happy to take you through it, and hope you enjoy the tour.

Anywho, here is our trailer, ready to hit the road.  Just looking at it makes me want to drive forever, but I digress.

Here is our living/dining area.  They are both part of what's called a 'slide-out,' which means that a section of the trailer actually slides out away from the trailer so your room in the trailer is expanded.  You can also see the 'bar' and stools of the kitchen in this shot.  And the location of the bathroom (door left of center) and the pantry (to the right of the bathroom).  Hey, it's a trailer.  It's not like we travel by bus like my folks, lol, and have separate rooms.

Here's the kitchen, and you can also see the boys' bunks to the right.  They have a door, strangely enough, at the foot of their bunks, which is lovely for fresh air circulation when the weather is cooperating.  The door is to accomodate storage, as the bottom bunk picks up and you can slide bikes and larger items in there.  We don't use it for that, but love the door there all the same.  And yes, that is a microwave, large fridge, and oven you see.  *blush*  Guess our idea of 'roughing it' isn't so rough, lol.  But we're not as bad as my parents, who have a washer/dryer in theirs.  So there.

Here is the bathroom, complete with a mini-bathtub.  Yup, yup.

Finally, here's our bedroom:

If you would like more information on how to participate in Show and Tell Fridays, please go visit Mary.

Posted in Tightwad Tuesdays

Today is Tightwad Tuesday with Canadagirl, so I thought that I would share my recent shopping trip for winter clothing.  Whether we are still here in the desert come winter, or in a snowy clime, we still need warm clothing.  Many of you visit the desert during the winter months, bringing with you bathing suits, shorts, and t-shirts.  You then proceed to look at the natives strangely when you see us in our sweaters, cords, and jackets.  Trust me when I tell you we think *you* are the strange ones, lol.  After our bodies have acclimated to 115° weather, temperatures in the mid-50's to mid-60's are chilly indeed.  If you throw in some winter rain, it gets downright cold.

After taking inventory of our clothing, I realized we were seriously low on warm clothing, and headed off to the thrift store with Piper a couple of Saturdays back when they were having a 50% off everything sale.  You know those shopping trips where you either have the money and can't find anything, or don't have the money and see everything you want?  Well, this was the shopping trip that combined the best of both those experiences.  I had the money, and we found wonderful buys. 

 Here are the clothes I found for me:

Here are the clothes I found for my men:

All told, I got 37 total pieces of clothing for $108.  13 of those items were sweaters, and one was a skirt.  The rest were long-sleeved shirts, ranging from everyday variety to dressier pieces.  Just by shopping the thrift store on their sale day, I saved $108!  Assigning the following values, which I consider to be average prices, here is what I estimate I saved at retail price:  long-sleeved shirt ($15) x 14= $210, sweaters ($20) x 13= $260, skirt ($15) x 1= $15.  This leads to a total of $485, which I consider to be on the low side considering there are items of clothing in there with tags reading "Christian Dior," "Ralph Lauren, Chaps," and "Aeropostale."  Even at that modest sum, however, I saved at least $377!  There is absolutely no difference in any of these items of clothing from anything brand new I would have purchased off the rack except a washing or two.  That's it.

Well, now we're good to head into the cooler months, or a snowy clime, and we won't freeze to death.  Ü  If you have a Tightwad tip, story, or experience to share, please do go visit Mary for more information. 

Posted in Show and Tell Friday

Happy Friday, and welcome to my first Show &Tell Friday with Canadagirl in far too long!  If you have something you'd like to share with us, please do go visit Mary.

A few weeks ago it was my husband's birthday, and so we decided to go camping up in Flagstaff for a long weekend.  Flagstaff is at a significantly higher elevation than where we are down here in the valley, so their temperatures run, on average, 30° cooler than ours.  Needless to say, it's a popular summer destination for the valley residents.  We headed up on Wednesday and set up camp in the beautiful Ponderosa Pines.

Thursday was hubby's actual birthday, and we let him plan the whole weekend, so we were off on a day trip (me? I'd sit at the campsite and NEVER MOVE, because that's a vacation to me, but he's an on-the-go kind of guy. So, off we went.) to the Sunset Crater just NE of Flagstaff.

Apparently, the whole northern part of Arizona would be relatively flat except that it's a hot-bed of volcanic activity.  Okay, inactive volcanic activity, but another eruption would not surprise scientists.  Pretty much all the mountains that can be seen up there were once volcanoes.  You can still see the lava flow from the most recent volcano, Sunset Crater, which erupted roughly 1,000 years ago.  Due to too many man-made disturbances, they have shut down the trail up to Sunset Crater (unless you're Native American, who use it for ceremonies), but you are more than welcome to climb up others.  Which we, pant, pant, *gasp*, did.  Still recuperating from that.  About 300 yards almost totally vertical.  Anyway... see the black rock on the right? That's the lava flow.

After enjoying a couple of walks (see above photo, taken on the footpath at the base of Sunset Crater), we got back in our truck and headed the 20 some miles to the Wupatki Pueblo. This would have been inhabited when Sunset Crater last erupted, and it boggles the mind to think of what the people must have thought, doesn't it?  It's beautifully preserved, and has a fascinating history.  Here's the village pueblo:

Here's the community gathering place (it was a huge circle):

After this trip, we headed home to celebrate:

The next morning, we got up and headed to the Grand Canyon, which is about 85 miles NNW of Flagstaff.  We had a beautiful day for it and enjoyed a lovely drive.

We first stopped at National Geographic's visitor center, which is incredible.  I picked up a living school book for each of the boys for our next school year, which is always fun.  We got "Brighty of the Grand Canyon" by Marguerite Henry and "The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons" by John Wesley Powell, who, incidentally, was a Civil War veteran who, with nine other men, took four boats into the Colorado river to explore the last unmapped territory of the continental United States.  This book is a compilation of J.W. Powell's journals from that journey, and this boat is an exact replica Hollywood made when they filmed the story:

After purchasing our admission tag, we hopped in the truck and headed the last few miles to the Grand Canyon.  We stopped at the National Park Service's visitor center as well.  Here's Jigger standing in front of a representation of the layers of rock, sediment, etc., that the Grand Canyon is comprised of:

Finally, here's the Grand Canyon:

And here's a shot when I was playing around with my camera settings.  I actually have several of these sepia toned photos, and prefer them to the full on color photos.

While we were there, we saw three California Condors.  These birds have been on the endangered list, and were recently re-released into the Grand Canyon.  We had read up on that before we went, and were properly awed every single time they flew overhead.  Of course, I didn't get a photo of them, which, upon seeing a picture of them up close, Piper remarked was probably a good thing, lol.

While there, we had so much fun listening to all of the different languages and seeing all of the different people.  It was amazing.  We heard Asian (several dialects), Italian, Spanish, French, British, German, and Dutch, just to name a few.  Piper was asked by a French family to take their photo, and we (unwittingly) asked a portly, older Italian gentleman to take ours.  My pathetic Italian language skills didn't allow me to pick up that he wanted to know where the zoom was until the photo was done, but that's okay, because we have the memory of that photo of his congenial frustration and my non-existant Italian conversation.  Here's the final product:

We sat awhile...:

before heading back to our truck.  By the by, if you like, you can take a train directly to the Grand Canyon.  That seems like the way to travel to Jigger:

And that's our trip north.  Saturday hubby did give me one day to sit around the campsite, so we did a long Nature Walk and played board games around the drizzly rain.  It was lovely.  Can't wait to go back.