Okay, nothing like 3 entries at once!   I am trying to come up with some new recipes that are cheap to make....and don't involve beans.  Green beans are okay....but not the other kind.  The kids just won't eat them.  I was looking at my recipes and it seems like all our favorite ones cost about $10-12 a dinner to make.  Now that is for 9 of us.....but I would still like to get that down in order to fit in our budget.  Also, we try not to u se a lot of sugar.  And one of us is allergic to oatmeal, and I really shouldn't be having corn....but that one seems to be really hard to avoid (I love popcorn, corn on the cob, etc). 

Any ideas out there?    We love Chinese.....but that seems expensive most of the time.  Except for Chow mein, but I already have that one.  We like mexican and Italian too.  Oh yeah... but we already have things like tacos, lasagna, and spaghetti on the menu.

Please post any recipes that your family loves that are cheap to make.

Thanks.

Carylee

So, I'm just reporting my results with my fitness challenge.  I said I would try to walk or use my dd Dance Praise at least 3 times last week.  Well.....I did special stretches 3 days (I use a routine from a book called The Core", I think.  It is aimed specifically at women.  And it really helps my back, etc. May be a few New Age ideas that I ignore in it, though) . and I used my dd dance praise 2 times.  I also walked to church  2 times and to the post office once.  Okay....so those are both only 4 or 5 blocks away....but its a start, right?  It is just soooo hard to find time to exercise......unless you count all the painting I've been doing!

Carylee

Odd title, I guess.  I have been spending the last few days painting my bedroom.  Tomorrow it is on to my 10yrolds room.  We are still trying to get our house ready to sell.  We are waiting and watching a house that is suppose to be going up for sheriff''s auction.  We really desire to move to the country, but stay nearby. Our budget makes that so difficult, though.  This is definitely a lesson in waiting on the Lord.  As soon as I figure this picture thing out, I will post some great waterfall pictures that my family got on a trip to Tennessee.  DH and some of the kids have been having a great time on their days off between homeschool conferences.  Our busy travel season is almost done.  Yeah! I have chose to stay home more than usual this summer so I could fill orders for my books and get my two oldest dc ready for their mission trip. 

So, not only am I painting, but we just got back from getting all their supplies ready for their trip to Mexico.  Which includes paint brushes and other  building supplies.  They will be spending 8 days in Mexico along with the Christian band Unhindered and other teens from across the country.  They will be building houses and ministering to the children.  Last year the group built 26 house in a week!  My dd was going to go to Africa instead, but that cost a lot more, and she did not get all the $ raised.  So she decided to join her brother on the youth group mission trip to Mexico.  As parents we are much more at peace with this decision.  This is a big step.  Their first mission trip.  I always wanted to go on one as a teen, but my parents wouldn't allow it.  It is sure a lot harder when you are a married adult with 7 kids!  I'm glad they are taking this opportunity now while they are young.  They could be doing so many bad things as teens, but instead they are trying to make a difference in the world.  Please lift them up in prayer (and their mom....so I don't worry!) .

Carylee 

Okay....I did exactly what they said to do....I copied the buttons info and then pasted it here....and it didn't work.  :(   Help!  Anyone who knows how to fix this problem.  I can't seem to get any pictures or "buttons' to show up on my blog. :(

Today is our 18th wedding anniversary.....back then I was a size 8.....7 kids later, I am a size 18!  Yikes.  So here's my committment....I am going to try to walk or use my daughter's Dance Praise 3 times this week.   That would be 3 times more than normal!

Here's the link to the blog that I found this on: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/BeccaBeard/481256/?#c1101341

Hopefully I can figure pictures out later this week. Right now I am trying to get the house dejunked so we can put it up for sale.  Grandma took some of the little ones and dh has some with him at work....so I should be able to get things done.  SHOULD is the word.  In 2 days I have only managed our bedroom and half the laundry room.  

Carylee

If you have ever used Sonlight or My Father's World, or something similar than you know what this means.  I am using My Father's World this fall for my K, and ECC (Exploring Countries and Cultures) for my 2nd and 6th grader, and their highschool Ancients for my 8th/9th grader.  Well, today my 8th/9th grader got her box!  It was soooooo big.  It was funny as inside it was tons of paper (okay it didn't weigh a ton....but it filled my living room floor!) and another box filled with books.  I was ooohhing over the books....my children decided to have a paper fight (something like a pillow fight) with the paper.  They also thought it was cool to try to tangle it on the ceiling fan....ugh.  Anyways....my daughter took her books to her room to wait for Aug or Sept.  I can hardley wait!  I wish I could read them all....but that is part of what I like about MFW....their high school is meant to be independent. 

Believe it or not....my older high school ds (age 16) begged me to go back to Abeka dvd school!  It goes against every bone in MY body.....but it is his style.  So.....we signed him up.  He really wants accountability and he wants a "real" diploma.  Funny, his younger sister begged me NOT to put her into dvd school.  She wanted MFW and ACE for math.  She likes to get her school done as quick as possible so she can intern at a local veternarians office 2 times a week.  God really makes them all so different!   Righ nowmy oldes  is starting to take drivers ed online through our technical college!  Yikes. 

Carylee

I can't believe that it is already July.  The summer has gone so fast, and I have had very little time to even think of writing (or working on my website!).  I decided to stay home with half of our crew while my husband finishes up the travel season for his job.  Guess I could have had a garden after all! 

The REALLY cool news here is that Veritas Press has decided to carry my Draw and Write Through History books!  Yeah!  They also had me write an article on how to inspire your children to love history for their email newsletter.  You can check it out on their website if you are interested.  I believe they are giving one of my books away for free if you place a certain size order with them! 

On a different note, I just read this scripture in a email devotional that I get from Alpha Omega: "Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me." (Micah 7:7).  Why is it sooooooo hard to "wait on " or "look unto" the Lord?  He is God.  That should be enough.  We have been watching a house in the country for  a little more than a year now.   Both my husband and myself feel that God wants us to be in this house.  It was for sale, but for over $200,000,  That is wayyyy out of our league, to say the least.  IM our present house was bought for less than $50,000!  But.....I have a God.   So....we found out about 2 months ago that the house had been forclosed on and will go for sheriff's auction this fall.    Exciting, huh?  But it doesn't end there.  We feel that God is telling us to put our house for sale BEFORE we get a house.  This is scary as we have a large family.....we can't just go stay with friends if our house sells and we don't get the other one!  But, a friend of mine keeps saying to me "I have a God".    BUT.....now we hear the owner has moved back into her house.   This could mean that it will no longer go up for auction.  Or it could mean nothing.  We have to just sit and wait to see.  Also, we know that there are others interested in this house that have way more money than we do.  It is so hard to sit and wait WITHOUT worrying or trying to figure everything out myself.  Again, my friend says, "I have a God".  What a simple phrase, but it really means so much.  Why do we really worry?  God is sooo much bigger than all my cares.  He hears me.  He knows my hearts desires. He could blind the other people's eyes to the auction date.  He could provide us with exactly the amount of money we need.   He probably has bigger and better things planned for me than I can even imagine.  So I don't pray to get the house.  I pray for peace, and the patience and strength I need to wait!  :)  Really, He has ALWAYS come through in the past.  We bought our present house on a sheriff's auction.  People told us  (like they are doing now) that there was no way we could get it for the amount of money that we had.  We prayed. Not only were we the only ones at the auction, but we got the house for $1 more than what we prayed for.  I am not expecting God to do things the exact same way as before.  But I have seen Him work miracles, so I am expecting Him to work one now! 

Carylee

Well, I am sorry that I have been gone sooooo long!  Our busy season has started.  We have been to Indianapolis, Harrisburg, PA, and Winsten/Salem, NC in the last month.   We have met lots of nice people at the home school conferences that we've gone to for my husband's job.  

In the midst of all this traveling, book 3 of Draw and Write Through History (The Vikings and the Middle Ages) finally got printed!  Yeah!  It is done!   I haven't had time to update my website yet (drawandwrite.com)  It should be available to order it off the website by the second week of June.  Otherwise, if you wan't to order it sooner, just email me.   They are selling for $11.00 plus $2.50 shipping, or all 3 books for $30.00 plus $3.50 shipping.    Sorry, I don't have a picture to post yet.  Maybe I can figure it out later this week.  

Also, amidst all our travel....my 13 month old decided to start walking while she was at her Nana's house!  Now she is really trouble!

Today, we are at a friend's house in NC.  We went to see the Billy Graham Library.   My husband worked for Billy Graham for 10 years, so it was neat to see.  Tomorrow we are going to travel again.  Maybe somewhere near the ocean.  The children are begging for a beach trip.  Well, they really want to go to a amusement park....but with our size family that would cost wayyyyy too much.  So the beach sounds better! 

Oh yeah....If you happen to be in Winston Salem, NC    check out the Brookstown Inn.  It is really neat.  It was a cotton mill in the 1840s.  Now someone turned it into a hotel.  Very cool if you like historical places.  The rooms are great and they even serve milk and cookies and wine and cheese for free in the evenings! 

Sorry for rambling on soo many topics!  If I only had time to post more often!

Carylee

Just thought I should mention how the spelling bee went.  My daughter got out in the first round :( . She must have been really nervous.  The word was "cadenza" and she left the "e" out, spelling it "cadnza".   She knew the word.  Oh, well.  I must say that she had an awesome attitude about it.  Others left when they got out.  She wanted to stay and cheer the others on.  And when someone asked, she was very quick to say that she would be back next year!  

My ds age 15 has his debute in the play Peter Pan this Friday night.  He is one of the pirates.  He gave me his sinister pirate smile the other day.....it was creepy!  He really looked like a pirate!  It will be fun to see.  Even his 5 year old brother is asking every day if we get to go see it yet!   It is a little overwhelming, though.   He will miss the entire week of school.  He has practice all day, every day this week.  Ugh.

Carylee

I'm doing a little "I did it" dance!  Okay....okay....God did it....but I am still excited!    Book 3, The Vikings, The Middle Ages, and the Renaissance (in my Draw and Write through History series) is on its way to the editor tomorrow morning!  Whew.  Now I can spend the week getting ready for our busy conference schedule with my husbands work.  And maybe I can get my website updated!   Please feel free to check in at drawandwrite.com .  The new book should be available for purchase by the end of April.  Maybe sooner if all goes well!  

Carylee

I hate to say it, but it really hasn't been a good day.  I just keep thinking....after 11 years of homeschooling....this should be easy, right?  I just don't know how other large families get it all (or even half) done!  I am suppose to homeschool 4 children, keep 2 preschoolers busy, care for a very active baby/toddler, balance the checkbook and pay the bills, make all the meals, and try to get my next book done!  All I got done today was math with 2 children, one load of laundry (oh, yeah....forgot that on the previous list!), a quick trip to the grocery store....and meals.  My book deadline is here.....it really has to be done by early next month.  I just don't know how I'm going to accomplish it!  My middle 4 seem to fight half of the day.  I guess I just haven't trained them good enough.  The oldest is busy all day with school.  The 13yr old dd gets done early....but always seems to have her own agenda....friends to visit, mission trip letters to send, etc.  I can sometimes get her to help for awhile with the baby or the preschoolers.  But then I am still trying to juggle which ever one she doesn't take!  The 10yrold ds....is always arguing/whining.  He struggles with school.  He can't handle the little ones for more than a couple of minutes.  The 6 yearold ds is a brainiac....and is always begging me for more school....when I really need to spend time with his older brother.  Then there's the 5yr old ds.  He STILL wets his pants, dumped glitter into the fishtank yesterday , dumped fishfood in today(one fish died)....and generally begs for someone to take him outside, watch a movie or eat candy all day. The 4 year old whines....but is easier to keep busy.  The almost one year old.....well are YOU tired yet? 

Sorry, for complaining.  I LOVE my children.  I wouldn't trade them for a smaller family any day.  BUT....today as I looked around my EXTREMELY messy house and though that it deserved to be condemed, I really thought to myself....I NEED HELP AROUND HERE!  I just don't know where to get it.  All my friends are just as busy with their own lives....they don't have time for a cleaning party, nor do they want a household of children to come visit for a day.  Someone kindly mentioned that I should put the little ones in daycare/preschool.  I would actually consider part-time daycare....but I cannot afford it right now.   So.....now you know why I don't have time to write very often :).

Oh, yeah....when my husband came home from work (he was home 4 minutes before he left for youth group....and he won't be back until midnight)....and I tried to tell him nicely how I felt....he sweetly said...."I don't know how you get done what you do, honey."  Sweet....but not the answer I needed. 

Now I have the quiet time to work on my book....but I am too tired :(.

Oh, yeah for all who are wondering....the book I am almost done with is Book 3 in  my Draw and Write Through History Series.  It will be about the Vikings and the Middle Ages.   You can watch for it on my website : drawandwrite.com

My computer has been "in the shop" getting fixed for a whole week!  I have been going through withdrawl!  Not to mention, hyperventilating a bit....since my next book is due to be done.  It is so nice to be back.  I can't wait to get going on my book. 

I'll write more soon.  Time for bed, I'm afraid.

A great friend of mine gave me this recipe.  It is for a VERY CHEAP and VERY EASY homemade ice cream.   All you need is:

1 can of Sweetened Condensed milk

1 tsp. of vanilla

A Tupperware fix and mix bowl or Thats a bowl ( or any other very large bowl) FULL of .........that's right.....

SNOW!!!!

Okay, I'll admit that when my friend first told me this I thought she might be a little crazy....I mean, we have a lot of dogs, and cats, and squirrels....and who knows what else outside!  But.....we have been getting a TON of snow lately....so I gave it a try.   Of course I made sure to take only the top, fresh layer of snow.  I also made sure it wasn't yellow!  Anyways....you add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla on top of the snow.  Then you mix it with more of a chopping motion than a stirring motion.  WOW!  It was ready in about 2 minutes and it was the best vanilla ice cream that I had ever had!  It made enough for the 8 of us to all have some.  Okay....we would have liked a little more....but we all had enough really.  It only cost $1.29....or whatever the sweetened condensed milk cost (I buy mine at Aldis).  So there you go.  Cheap ice cream....if you don't mind only eating it in the winter!

Ugh.  I've been dealing with the stomach flu for 3 days now.  I am praying that no one else gets it.  This kind of thing usually goes through our family of 9 like crazy. 

If this snow doesn't stop coming here (Wisconsin) soon.....I think the headlines will be about the mass migration of Wisconsinites moving to Florida!

More car issues.  I was cozy and asleep at 5am 2 days ago when my husband kneeled beside the bed and wispered that he had just wrecked the good car.  He was out doing our son's paper route (until this wonderful snow is gone) and got stuck in a snow bank.  A plow pulled him out and broke the back axel....or so they thought at the time.  The other car that someone gave us a few months ago....has been sitting in our driveway as the brakes gave out the 2nd day we drove it!  Now my dh is driving our gas-hog 15 passenger van to work.  Not good for the budget.   Praise the Lord for the tax return....even though it was suppose to by a dishwasher (oh yeah... that broke 2 weeks ago, too!), and curriculum....and clothes!At least the cars are getting fixed and should be back by Friday!  Yeah!

The good news.....I dropped my ds off at play practice last Friday and went shopping at the local thrift store.  As I walked in the door....it hit me.   I had no one with me.   My dd had offered to babysit and I took her up on it.  It was a shock to my system.  I took a pile (no kidding here) 2 ft high into the dressing room!  No one was there to say, "mom....let's go!", or "can't I have this toy?", or "He's bugging me", or "Wahhhhhhh!".  It was heaven.  Don't get me wrong....I love my children dearly.   But.....I think I need to do that once a month or something!   I got awesome deals.  Books my dd wanted for $.25......clothes for our travel season.  It was great.  I think I spent $50.  It was sooooo worth it. 

One last thing.....I just read a VERY interesting book.....The Giver by Lois Lowry.  I know this is a controversial book.  But I also Knew that it is on a lot of highschool reading lists including SL.  So.... I decided to read it first.  I would definitely NOT have a younger child read it.  But I will have my highschool ds read it and discuss it.  It would spark some good discussions on Euthenasia (spelling?) and such.  It was a little on the freaky side.....a society where sameness is valued.  No color, no real feelings or emotions.  Very interesting and well written.  BUT I did not like the end as it leaves you wondering if the main character and a baby survive or not.  Also warning: there is a scene where a baby is "released" which is a nice way for saying killed.     I would definitely say read it first before you let your dc read it. It is not for everyone.

Okay.....I should be in bed.....maybe this is why I get sick a lot???  Lack of sleep......:)

Does it mean you are doing something right when there is oposition?  Is it Satan trying to stop us?  Or is God trying to pass on wisdom?  My 13yr old dd is a very determined young lady.  I think I have mentioned that before.  She wants so bad to go on a mission trip.  Well....she wanted to go to China....but since that isn't possible she signed up for a trip to ....South Africa!  I was hesitant at first.  She IS only 13.  But my dh was all for it.  We prayed.  I still feel she is young.  But we have been assured that she will be well supervised.  She will be going with Teen Mania.  The cost is great.....almost $4,000!  I told her that if God wanted her to go, the money would be there.  She is working so hard.  She already sent out 30 letters....not including people from our church! She is taking babysitting jobs, and pet sitting jobs, and even got a donation for helping someone move (which she would have done for free!).  A week after she decided to go....she got her Brio magazine.  Guess what??? It was about South Africa! 

BUT....my parents do not approve.  My mom has always been on the cautious side....so that didn't surprise me.  But my dad (a pastor)....well that hurt a little.  We didn't expect financial support....just moral support.  They think we are crazy for letting her go when she is so young. 

My dh's mom says the same thing. 

Are we crazy?   My ds age 15 use to be at least slightly interested in missions....now he just doesn't care.  He says he really doesn't want to go to another country.  He'd rather be at home where it is safe....and he can play with friends and video games.   Isn't it better to let my dd go while she is excited??  She doesn't always have the best attitude....I am hoping that this trip might open her heart and eyes more to God's ways.  Isn't it better that she goes on a mission trip now while she has time?  I sure can't go as an adult with 7dc!  Isn't it better that she has a heart for going on a mission trip instead of chasing boys (like a lot of her friends!).....or worrying about the next trip to the mall (one girl her age in her 4-H club said that it was her New Years resolution to buy a new pair of shoes everytime she went shopping!)....or sitting around playing video games? I mean.....we pick curriculum that is mission orientated to help turn their hearts to the nations....and then we say....oh, sorry, you are too young to go? 

At this point we are planning on her going.  Unless God shows us otherwise.  She has already raised enough money in the last 2 weeks to make her $300 deposit.  Only 3, 700 to go!

Today was the day!  My dd age 13 competed against 41 public school children in the district spelling bee.  She placed 7th!  The top eight get to go on to state!  So there was quite the excitement in our house tonight.  The next bee is on March 15th.  Only one child will go on from there to Washington D.C.   The winner tonight was a little girl in 6th grade.  She reminded me of oneof the kids in Aquilla and the Bee.  My daughter thought she heard that she had 3 coaches!  She was very good.   Are you suppose to get a coach!?   We really can't afford it.  My daughter is gifted in this area....but I don't know that she has much of a chance against this little girl.  Oh well.  It really was a lot of fun.  And at least we made a name for homeschoolers in our community!  If I can ever get pictures to show up on my blog, I will put her picture on here.  For now....I think she wants a break from spelling! :)

Congratulations Jenn4Him!  You are the winner of book 1: Creation Through Jonah, in the Draw and Write Through History series!  

I want to thank everyone who entered.  Keep an eye on my blog and my website for other fun contests.  Also book 3 will be coming out this spring!

Carylee

This one is for those who HAVE my book/books.....or get them in the next month.  I am half-way through writing book three....The Vikings and the Middle Ages.  It is scheduled to come out in April.  I would REALLY like to include some drawings done by children.....SO.....

Have your children draw a drawing out of one of my books and send it too me.  You can go to drawandwrite.com to get our contact address.   The deadline for drawings is March 11th (my birthday!).

I will pick some of the drawings to include in my next book (space allowing)!  If I choose your child's drawing I will list their name and age (if you okay it)...and You will be sent a free copy of the book!

If for some reason there is not enough space in the book for the drawings....I will pick my two favorite drawings and send them a free book (when it comes out in April).

So.....    1) Have your children draw a picture from my books

               2) Send it in

               3) include your child's name and age and a way to contact you if you win!

Have fun!  And just a side note.....we love it when children send us drawings from our books....anytime!

I stayed up WAYYYYYYY to late last night, but I made some decisions about our homeschool curriculum.  Just a reminder.....I have 7 dc ages 9months, 3,5,6,10,13,and 15.  I have the hardest time sticking with any curriculum.  We travel to many homeschool conferences with my husband's job....and I see to many options.  Anyways,I have finally decided to give My Father's World a try.  I ordered their K and ECC (Exploring Countries and Cultures).  I might do their highschool stuff too for my two oldest.  I don't need the stuff until fall....but I wanted to order it before the tax return money disappeared!  I am so excited.  I can't wait to use it!  This year we used ACE paces.  Now before you groan.....they really were a blessing this year.  With a new baby and all.....I just really needed a year where the dc didn't need much help from me.  And it worked for most of them.  In fact, the older two would rather keep doing the PACES.  BUT I don't think that they are learning much on the higher thinking/reasoning end of things.  So....I am hoping to work on that next year!  

My brilliant little 6 year old finished his 2nd grade math PACES last week and has been begging for more math.  I ordered Singapore math for him last night.  We will give it a try!

Well....off to bed.  I have been sick for 33 days now!  This cough and sinus junk just won't go away.  I think it is lack of sleep!

Check back soon.  Tomorrow I will announce the winner of my book!

Yesterday was the monthly homeschool meeting.  It takes us an hour to get to the group.  We don't get to go very often as it costs too much time and money to load up our crew into the 15 passenger van and drive the hour at 8miles to the gallon! 

Well this time we had to go....we had clean-up duty.  A friend of mine took 2 of my children with her, and my husband drove the blue whale (the van) to work so that we could drive a less gass guzzling car the distance!  Anyways, we got there and discovered that they were doing something different.  It was so neat!  There are a couple families in our homeschool group going through a very rough time.  So our leader decided that we would make them baskets of food.  We got in groups of two and started cooking in the church kitchen.  When we were done, we had 3 wonderful looking baskets to deliver.  It was really fun.  And we still managed to get our talking in!

Just leave a comment here and you will be entered in a give away for Book 1: Draw and Write Through History: Creation Through Jonah.  You can check it out on my website: Drawandwrite.com .  The drawing will be held on February 3, 2008.  This is only open to people in the United States.  Thanks and have fun!

Carylee

By the way....I can't get images to show....the above box is suppose to be a link to the info on this giveaway contest.  Anyone with info on how to get my links and pictures to show up would be greatly appreciated!