Adventures at the McLean's
Sep. 17, 2008

Come join me for a cup of coffee at my new blog

I wanted to share with you know about my new spot on the web, But First We Have Coffee I'd love to have you join me for a cup of coffee.

I have downloads, coupons, lots of photos, and we plan on having some fun videos shortly. See you there!



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Sep. 7, 2008

Weekly Round Up In Photos

A bowlful of peaches


Paring peaches

Lemon Meningue Pies!

Birthday girl!

Great job!

Tiger Salamander

Emily

Tessila

Curious deer



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Sep. 7, 2008

The P word!

The "P" word! And you are wondering... oh no, is she going to start talk politics? Is it going to be more talk about Sarah Palin? Nahhh! I want to talk to you about price books. Yup... price books. What? You don't know what a price book is? Get yourself a fresh cup of java and I'll tell you all about it. It's not too difficult, but I always like a good excuse to enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend.

A price book is a notebook of sorts, in which you write down each item you purchase and at what store. I also like to write down the cost per ounce so I can compare easily. You can categorize the book by store, product, or categories, such as cleaning items, canned foods, etc.

Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced Da cision), author of the Tightwad Gazette, gave me this idea and it has worked well.

The idea behind the price book is that you can accumulate the cost for each of your most common items, thus determining where the best prices can be found. When something is on sale, you will know if it really is a good deal. You eventually get a sense of what is good and what is not.  I have used it to create goals for how much I spend on meals. My goals might be $3 for each breakfast and $3 for each lunch and $9 for each dinner. Your mileage may vary. At least with a price sheet, you will know where your money is going.

Another aspect of using this price book is that you can see seasonal trends for items. Produce are not the only items that fluctuate in price for the season. Turkey, ham, potatoes are just a few items that fluctuate according to the season or time of year.  You will learn when the best time is to purchase these items. Stock up! Plan ahead!

I have provided this price book for you in a .pdf format for your own use. If you prefer it in Excel, which can also be opened in Open Office, click here. Feel free to print, copy, distribute. I simply as that you not remove the copyright information and website at the bottom of the page.

Other reading on the topic can be found at the following:
Wait, I'm not quite done, yet. There's another part of this picture. I have found a great little free program, which installs quite easily, wherein I can take all my data and set it up on the computer. The program can is simply called Shopping List and can be found here.

Click here to see enlargement

The program is optional. It depends on what you would like to do and if you prefer to use the paper notebook solely. I like lists. I like options. I know that if something happened to my notebook, I have a back up.

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Sep. 3, 2008

What a Mother Must Sacrifice

This blog post at Holy Experience blessed me today. I am happy to share it with you. Lord bless your day as you serve your family.


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Sep. 1, 2008

A Poem By My Great Grandfather

My great grandfather wrote this poem circ. 1900.

Somebody's dog is killing sheep,
Out in the darkness while you' asleep;
Chasing them down in the midnight fog,
Tell me stranger, is that your dog?

Somebody's boy is riding his steed,
Out on the highway at breakneck speed.
Popping away with his little gun,
Say! neighbor, is that your son?

Somebody's girl is walking the streets,
Smiling at every tough she meets;
Loosing her head in the mid-night whirl,
Dear fond mother, is that your girl?

Lest the time will come
when your blood will seethe,
When that dog comes home
with wool in his teeth,
Or the boy ends up with a broken neck.
Or the girl, poor thing, is a hopeless wreck.

If that's your dog, the ornery pup,
Build a dog house or chain him up.
If that's your boy, 'tis the proper thing,
Tie him down with an apron string.
And if that's your girl, let little be said,
Spank her hard and put her to bed.

Rev. Wm. J. Hopper, Browns, Illinois. Circa 1900
He was a circuit-rider



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Aug. 31, 2008

A few photos from this past week
































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Aug. 29, 2008

The List For Today

The agenda today consists of ... and not in any particular order:
  • Coffee
  • CTBHH chat
  • Watering the yard
  • Quiet time
  • Wish my twins Happy Birthday!
  • Finish getting our network hooked up to use SOS (Switched on Schoolhouse)
  • Finish our MOTH schedule before school starts next week
  • Attend a maquillage party, hosted by two of my daughters, Bethy and Anne
  • Laundry


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Aug. 28, 2008

Show and Tell

In my garage, I have a huge prize that I thought I'd share today.

My boys did a lot of labor in order to bring this baby home for us. It's beautiful! It's a restaurant-grade Vulcan stove range! yahoo.gif

This thing is mammoth! It needs a lot of cleaning up!!! It has 2 ovens, side by side. There are only 2 burners, which are in the center with 2 huge griddles on both sides. The splash guard comes with and includes a warming shelf above. The below photos is the closest I could find. It is iron like the old fashioned cook stoves, and ready for propane.


  bounce.gif  This is something we would have for years to come!

It means we get to go back to having hash browns! It means... we get to sit down and actually eat fresh pancakes together... or bake multiple pizzas at the same time, instead of a lot of waiting!

The biggest problem now is finding a place to put it!  We have to tear something up to install it.
It is very heavy! We don't have a place to set it up right now. We'd have to maybe add onto our kitchen so it could be on a cement floor. Our kitchen floor would would not handle it!  We are considering waiting until we move, which we are hoping to do sometime in the future.

Thanks for looking!


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Aug. 27, 2008

Quick Tip For Child Training

Say what you mean and mean what you say.

Col. 3:21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.


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Aug. 25, 2008

Blessings of Trials

Have you ever considered that trails are a blessing?

James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Does this mean we are to be joyful DURING trials? No. It means that we are to be joyful that we HAVE trails, because they produce endurance...and as the rest of these verses tell us. so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Did you know the literal translation of trials right there in James is actually temptations? Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith....

Let's remember that we have been bought with a price and that we are not our own:

1 Cor. 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.

Romans 8:16-18 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Praying for our husbands NOT to go through trials is selfish. To pray for his endurance is appropriate.

Is it not true that when we have trials, that we grow in our reliance in Christ? Can you think of trials where this is true?

Galations 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Paul writes to the Church in Philipi how much he appreciates their support.for helping to bear his burdens. And how he is not for want. He is not only appreciative for their support, but is also encouraging.

Philippians 4:1-19 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.


1 Peter 1:6,7 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;



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