Hi everyone!
Christmas is scaring me a little this year. Not because I can't afford fancy gifts - my loved ones know that my time is being spent educating my daughter instead of earning outside the home - but because I feel a tidal wave of gifts coming our way. This year, instead of the basic nuclear family with a few cousins thrown in, I have my future in-laws as well. I have tried my best to get everyone a small token, or at least make them something to show I care.
However. The in-laws-to-be have taken on my two kids as their own grandchildren, which is something I've prayed for from the moment I knew I'd eventually find someone new. It's wonderful.... except now I fear the present wars will begin. Jake, wonderful man, took me Christmas shopping before Black Friday, where we bought enough gifts to make a jolly Christmas on our own. Then I saw the stack that my mom had started to accumulate, smiled and shook my head. The kids would be awfully busy on Christmas morning, I guessed. Then I found out a similar gift pile had been stacked at Jake's moms house. Whoa. These kids are going to be very well gifted - and will probably have the gimmies for months afterward. Because if you give a mouse a cookie, he'll ask for milk, but what happens when you give a 7 year old 5 Barbies? They'll want a dollhouse and an RV and a swimming pool to go with them.
I don't want to sound ungrateful, because I know that I'm blessed to have so many people who love my children and want to see them happy. And I know that in those gifts are things that my children need like sneakers, as well as toys. And what's more, I know that in each gift are the best loving intentions from everyone who loves my children.
Knowing my kids as I do, I know that they will need at least a few breaks from present opening to avoid feeling overwhelmed. We'll be going to church on Christmas eve, and hopefully that will keep us (me) grounded. And I will pray for gratitude, for patience, and for peace, not just for my family, but for all families. Because I know that many people wish they had my problem. And I know that other people are going through the same challenges.
So I will pray for us all - Peace upon us, and thanks be for the Gift that we should really celebrate.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Playing catch up!
It feels like I'm always trying to catch up around here!
First of all, Catie is doing wonderfully in Agora Cyber Charter School! If they had had this when I was a kid I would have done everything in my power to get my parents to enroll me. Holding breath, hiding under my bed, promising to clean my room... nothing would have been too much.
The breakdown - we recieved about 8 large boxes from Agora containing all our books, worksheets, math manipulatives, science equipment, art supplies, a computer, monitor, printer, peripherials, and I think I saw a kitchen sink fall out of there too. Every day we log onto Catie's school computer and check out our lesson plan for the day. We have language arts and math every day, and alternate between history to science and art to music. The flexibility is outstanding - if Catie's having a good day (it happens) we can get through more than one math class for the day. If it's a rough day (happens too) we can pass on art or history for the day. After all, even in a public school many teachers have days where they just can't get through the material they wanted to.
Yesterday both kids were miserable, cranky and unbearable. Catie had an awful time with her spelling test, wailing the whole way through. They both wound up taking naps from 3 to 5 that afternoon - unheard of for my guys - and I realized that if she had acted this way around someone else they would have assumed she was being rotten. Someone else would not have gotten that my sweet little kids were just wiped out and needed a rest.
On the frugal end of things, I've signed up for 3 standard AngelFood boxes and two specials, which we'll be picking up this Sat. That cost around $134 in food stamps, a pittance considering the amount of food we'll have to wrestle into freezers and cupboards.
In Newport on Saturday there's a church holding a "free flea market". All items have been donated and will be given at no charge, first come/first serve. The craigslist ad suggested that we do our Christmas "shopping" there. Don't mind if I do! The items were described as new or like-new, and I can't wait to check it out!
One more thing before I wrap up. My favorite cloth diaper company, Cotton Babies, have gotten even smarter! They're the makers of BumGenius! diapers, which are high quality pocket diapers that adjust in size to fit from birth to potty training. I always wanted them for my guys, but they're $18 each. Not a very frugal choice. Now the smarties made two new diaper kits, but the onw I'm thrilled over is Econobum. For $50 you get 12 cloth diapers and 3 one-size adjustable wipe-clean covers. That is the most outstanding deal ever - I mean, you can get the prefold diapers and covers, but covers are usually sized - you have to buy new ones every time the kid grows. These - you buy 2 or 3 kits for $100 - $150 when you have your kid, and you don't spend another dime on diapers! Unless you're traveling or sick... that's where the Flip system comes in. A bit more pricey, but still affordable, Flip is a one size cover paired with a super-absorbant insert. Nice. But the clever part is the disposable option for when things go wrong - a maxi-pad-like insert that can be thrown away. Useful for travel, sitters, and when Mom is so sick that blinking hurts, let alone doing smelly laundry.
Almost makes me want to have another baby!
Almost.
First of all, Catie is doing wonderfully in Agora Cyber Charter School! If they had had this when I was a kid I would have done everything in my power to get my parents to enroll me. Holding breath, hiding under my bed, promising to clean my room... nothing would have been too much.
The breakdown - we recieved about 8 large boxes from Agora containing all our books, worksheets, math manipulatives, science equipment, art supplies, a computer, monitor, printer, peripherials, and I think I saw a kitchen sink fall out of there too. Every day we log onto Catie's school computer and check out our lesson plan for the day. We have language arts and math every day, and alternate between history to science and art to music. The flexibility is outstanding - if Catie's having a good day (it happens) we can get through more than one math class for the day. If it's a rough day (happens too) we can pass on art or history for the day. After all, even in a public school many teachers have days where they just can't get through the material they wanted to.
Yesterday both kids were miserable, cranky and unbearable. Catie had an awful time with her spelling test, wailing the whole way through. They both wound up taking naps from 3 to 5 that afternoon - unheard of for my guys - and I realized that if she had acted this way around someone else they would have assumed she was being rotten. Someone else would not have gotten that my sweet little kids were just wiped out and needed a rest.
On the frugal end of things, I've signed up for 3 standard AngelFood boxes and two specials, which we'll be picking up this Sat. That cost around $134 in food stamps, a pittance considering the amount of food we'll have to wrestle into freezers and cupboards.
In Newport on Saturday there's a church holding a "free flea market". All items have been donated and will be given at no charge, first come/first serve. The craigslist ad suggested that we do our Christmas "shopping" there. Don't mind if I do! The items were described as new or like-new, and I can't wait to check it out!
One more thing before I wrap up. My favorite cloth diaper company, Cotton Babies, have gotten even smarter! They're the makers of BumGenius! diapers, which are high quality pocket diapers that adjust in size to fit from birth to potty training. I always wanted them for my guys, but they're $18 each. Not a very frugal choice. Now the smarties made two new diaper kits, but the onw I'm thrilled over is Econobum. For $50 you get 12 cloth diapers and 3 one-size adjustable wipe-clean covers. That is the most outstanding deal ever - I mean, you can get the prefold diapers and covers, but covers are usually sized - you have to buy new ones every time the kid grows. These - you buy 2 or 3 kits for $100 - $150 when you have your kid, and you don't spend another dime on diapers! Unless you're traveling or sick... that's where the Flip system comes in. A bit more pricey, but still affordable, Flip is a one size cover paired with a super-absorbant insert. Nice. But the clever part is the disposable option for when things go wrong - a maxi-pad-like insert that can be thrown away. Useful for travel, sitters, and when Mom is so sick that blinking hurts, let alone doing smelly laundry.
Almost makes me want to have another baby!
Almost.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
More swagbucks!
Once again, I am compelled by swagbucks! I suddenly realized that if had had done my searches daily, I could have given away all sorts of goodies for Christmas without spending any cash.
Got a swagbucks account yet? No? If you go through this link below, you'll get to start earning points every time you did a search. They give me a few for everyone who links through me, but then you can link your friends and do a guilt free amway-style earning tower!
www.swagbucks.com/refer/tiredmom
Got a swagbucks account yet? No? If you go through this link below, you'll get to start earning points every time you did a search. They give me a few for everyone who links through me, but then you can link your friends and do a guilt free amway-style earning tower!
www.swagbucks.com/refer/tiredmom
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