My kid is smarter than me...

My kid is smarter than me... Okay, to be honest, there are so many situations in which this statement applies that I've lost count of them.
But, tonight, I was shocked by my four year old's brilliance.

Here's what happened:
We were watching a movie on Netflix, when my husband decided to get a snack. He got up to pause the movie...

Pause

This usually requires exiting full screen and then clicking on the pause symbol on the screen.

But, no...

It is so much simpler than that (not that these steps are difficult)

Jacob, age 4, says to his dad, "No, Daddy, you don't have to use the mouse. You just press this." And, he proceeds to push the space bar. This pauses the show.

Daddy looks at the screen, then at Jacob, then at me.

"Do it again" he says.

Jacob presses the space bar again and the show plays.

"Again"

Paused

Now, I'm sure that there are many of you who already know this.
I did not know this.
My husband did not know this.
My four year old knew this.

I feel a little bit like I'm old and useless, and perhaps I should just roll over and die now. But, mostly, I'm just totally excited at how brilliant my kid is. And, I just learned a new trick too.

Never Pay Too Much When You Keep a Price List Like This

So, about 16 years ago, when I was first married, I read this book called The Complete Tightwad Gazette.  She has lots of great suggestions, but one that I used was to start making a price book. I've actually discussed this before in this article here.

Since I wrote that article, I have embraced technology and turned my "price book" into a "price list" I typed all of the items in alphabetical order into a Word document, printed it out, and placed it in a page protector inside my coupon binder. (note: this link is to Couponing101.com, a website that I use a lot. Her video tour of her coupon binder explains this concept better than I could in words.)

Over the years, I've heard others talk about, write about, blog about the virtues of keeping a price book or price list. I've yet to see anyone post theirs, although I may just not be looking in the right places. So, I thought I would share mine.

This list is simply a collection of notes I've made over the years as an attempt to keep a list of the best (as in lowest) prices I've seen over the years. These are BEFORE coupon use. I do not include prices after coupons because this list is a reference for me. When I am at the store, and I think "Oooh that looks like a good deal" I refer to my list, and then I know if I have seen much better, a little better or if this really is the best price I've ever seen.

You may have seen prices lower than the ones on my list, and in your area, you may never see prices as low as I have, but this is just a reference. I just figured since so many people are talking about this project, I'd post an example, so here it is. Oh, sometimes I note what store I got the deal from. WAG Walgreens, SAM Sam's club, KRO Kroger, TAG Target, etc. And, I actually added a few items today and so now I'm up to 2 pages. I add to the list after my shopping is done, right from the sale ad and my receipt. I print out a new copy of the list before I go to the store.

PRICE LIST

Baby Wipes 2.14cents per wipe (WAG)

Bar Soap Zest 37c a bar; Dial 34c a bar

Beef Boneless Roast 1.47 lb; Chuck Eye Steak 1.59 lb

Bologna OM or Eckrich 79c lb (KRO)

Bratwurst $2 lb

Bread frozen dough 38c loaf; white 24 oz 70c a loaf

Cashews 25.4c per oz (SAM)

Cereal dry, cold 6.25c per oz

Cheese, blocks 8oz 99c; $1.98 per lb

Cheese, shredded 1.56 lb

Cheese, sliced; imitation 88c per lb

Chicken B/S Tyson 1.55 lb (SAM); whole chx 29c lb; sliced 80c lb

Chocolate chips 12 oz 99c

Coffee; Folgers 9c an oz

Coffee filters 700for $2.88 or 41c per 100 (SAM)

Craisins (dried cranberries) 15.6c per oz or $2.49 per lb

Cream cheese 8 oz 89c

Dish soap Dawn 90oz for $7.48  8.3cents per oz (SAM)

Dryer sheets 120count $2

Eggs Large 3.66cents per egg

Fish Salmon $8.78lb (SAM)

Flour white 9.6c per lb; wheat 40c per lb

Freezer bags Gallon bags 6c per bag (SAM) Quart 4c; Non-freezer storage: Gallon 4.5c; sandwich 1.5c

Fruits, canned: Pears 5.3c per oz; peaches 8.3 c per oz; pie filling (apple/cherry) 21oz 1.29

Fruits, fresh: apples 69c lb, peaches, plums, nects 77c; cherries 2.99 lb; cantaloupe 1.50 each; grapes 49c lb; bananas 19c lb; watermelon 2.99; tomatoes 78c lb

Garbage bags 13 gal size 7.6cents per bag

Hamburger ground chuck 1.29 lb for 80/20 and 1.55 lb for 90/10

Hot chocolate 7.8c per serving

Household cleaning 1/4 to 1/2 cup ammonia to 1 gal water

Jelly Smuckers strawberry 7c per oz

Ketchup 2.5 c per oz

Lasagna noodles 5.6c per oz; whole frozen 12.5c per oz

Laundry soap Era $10.98 per 170 oz/ 6.5cents per oz; Tide $9.49 per 100 oz (TAG)

Mayonnaise: 1 gal 3.81; 32oz 1.49; Miracle Whip 1gal. 7.22 and 16oz 1.79

Milk 1.88 gallon; dry milk 1.52 gal. evaporated milk 12oz 59cents (64 oz of evaporated milk = 1 gal milk)

Napkins 120 55c

Oatmeal 4c per oz

Paper towels: Bounty 6 rolls/$4.50  75c per roll

Parmesan cheese 8oz $2.49 31c per oz

Pasta: spaghetti 1.8c per oz; egg noodles 5.8c per oz; lasagna 5.6c per oz; rotini 4.3c per oz

Pasta sauce 26oz 89cents

Peanut butter Jif 8c per oz; Spartan 5c per oz; peter pan 6.5c per oz

Popcorn: microwave 6.3c per oz; raw kernels 21 cents per lb or 1.3 cents per oz

Pork loin 1.79 lb

Raisins 1.28 per lb/8c per oz

Rice 50lbs for $10.04 = 20 c per lb = 1c per oz

Sloppy joe mix w/out meat 5c per oz

Soda pop 12 oz cans 12.5c per can

Sour cream 16 oz 99cents

Sugar 36c per lb

Sunscreen 8 oz for 3.99 Banana Boat 30spf

Toilet Bowl Cleaner Lysol 4ct/32oz (128) $6.98 $1.75 per bottle or 5.5cents per oz (SAM)

The Works 4ct/32oz $4.48 $1.12 per bottle or 3.5c per oz

Toilet paper 17c per roll (note: single rolls are nearly impossible to find) 32.4c per double roll (SAM)

Tortilla chips $1.11 per lb or 7c per oz

Tortilla shells 10 pack 79c

Tuna 4/$1 6oz cans 25c each

Turkey sliced 80c per lb

Vegetables, canned mixed 24c for 11oz or 33c for 16 oz

Vegetables, fresh: corn on cob 10/$2—20c each; celery 59c stalk; cukes 33c each; broccoli 98c lb; carrots 69c lb; cau liflower 1.50 lb; lettuce 99c per head; potatoes 8.8c per lb

Vegetables, frozen mixed 4.94cents per oz

Vinegar 32oz 89c

Yeast 9c per oz

Yogurt trix cups 7c per oz; Dannon cups 5.5c per oz

The hardest part of homeschooling...

The hardest part of homeschooling is everything is your fault.

I spent the early morning hours creating "report cards" for my children. I did this for their benefit, since they like positive feedback, and they are all geniuses... and also for Daddy, as he likes to see their progress.

I started out by searching for a template; something that looked sort of official.

There is a simple one here

I ended up using this one because I like MS publisher and knew I would be able to make changes and adapt it to my needs.

So, that part was easy. Then, I needed to fill in the grades for each subject. Some were easy; my boys are awesome at math, and always working ahead, so A's across the board. But, then, there's penmanship... a definite struggle. But, how can I label my child, "unsatisfactory"? I chose "needs improvement", which is true, but seems less harsh.

I realized as I filled out these charts that my children really are Excellent in some areas; like "helping others" but they all have shortcomings; my oldest has wretched spelling. I suppose this is because they are human, born into sin, and therefore lacking perfection.

If I was just the parent, I could blame their shortcomings on the poor educational system; blame it on the teacher. If I was just the teacher, then I could blame it on poor parenting. But, when I am brutally honest about their academic accomplishments, I can chalk up their failings to poor parenting (I don't make them work hard enough) or poor teaching ( I don't push them hard enough), either way it's my fault.

The most difficult part of homeschooling, for me, is knowing that it's all my fault.

Now, don't feel too sorry for me though. I have come to realize over the years that God gives us all different abilities. I do not bemoan the fact that my child can't spell because I know that if she needed to be the spelling bee champion, then God would have given her the gift of excellent spelling skills. I also know that my husband's penmanship is not much better than my son's and he gets along in life just fine; and so will they.
It isn't the end of the world if I can't honestly say that each of my children is Excellent in every category, and even if I sometimes have to say that they "need improvement".  In fact, these observations can lead us as parents to see the areas where our children need help, and the areas where they are gifted and we should push them forward toward even more challenging work, and possibly even encourage career opportunities in those areas.

Moving: Packing the knives

I'm moving.
The moving truck will be here in 23 days.

This will be the third move in three years.

I've found the best way to pack my sharp knives is to have a paper wrapper over them. 

I could buy some here, but I'm really cheap (at least that's what I've been told; I prefer to think of myself as practical, and that means I don't spend money needlessly). So, I made my own.

I've been buying the Sunday paper for the coupons lately, so I have lots of newspaper hanging around.

I wrap the paper around the end of the knife, and leave the handle out. I wrap it tightly, tape it in place, and lay it into the packing box flat.

I put the knives at the top of a box of other kitchen items. This way I will see them as soon as I open the box, and will not accidentally stick my hand into a box and get cut.
If you don't like using newspaper for packing because of the ink, you can get end rolls of blank newspaper for a few dollars at your local newspaper office. They usually have plenty of these, and they are much cheaper than buying packaging paper.

Don't Be a Boring Parent

Good morning! I get up every - well, nearly every - morning before everyone else in my house. I make coffee, I pray, I read, I write a bit on a novel I've got in a box, I make lists, I plan meals, I check my email, I post a Facebook status, etc. Pretty much, I do whatever I feel like doing in my pajamas.

Now, I could do all of those things anytime. The difference in the morning is that no one tries to talk to me when I'm doing them. In my house, early mornings are fairly quiet.
In fact, I have one early riser who I've trained to stay in bed and read until breakfast, so it stays quiet even longer.

Wonderful things happen in these morning hours. I often find inspiration and comfort. Today, I read this lovely article from a blog I follow.

It reminded me of some other things I've read about parenting. We all want to feel successful in some area of our lives. The experience of success is what builds self-esteem, and gives us the confidence to try again.
This is true for our children to.

It is important to look for and help them to discover areas where they can be successful. My young children love to help with household chores, like folding laundry and setting the table because they hear "Great job" For older kids, it could be a sport, a musical instrument, writing poetry, academics, or something else.
But, whatever it is, children entering their teen years having a place where they fit in; the team, the band, the writing club, the honor roll, etc. are less likely to get into trouble because they aren't struggling to find something to do and somewhere to belong.

This carries into adulthood too. I am happier when I make time to pursue hobbies (see list above). I've known women who send their children off to school and when the house is clean, they find themselves bored. Some turn to drinking, or gambling, or soap operas; and some even find a whole new life on the internet. The same troubles await our teens who have nothing productive to do.

I homeschool and have six children, so go ahead and ask, how could I possibly ever be bored?

I have a lot to do, but I sometimes find I'm bored on the sixth pan of dishes or the eighteenth basket of laundry, or the tenth time explaining how to divide fractions; but results are a little bit harder to see in homeschooling - no report cards - so, it comes back to the concept of failure. It is easy to feel like a failure as a parent every time one of my children struggles with a subject. EASY!
My hobbies allow me to see immediate success, (beautiful photographs, eloquent writing, money saved) and builds my confidence overall, which allows me to dig back in and get the job done; even when we are all bored with fractions.

So, here's my advice:
1) Help your children (and yourself) find areas where they/you can be successful
2) Pay attention to those successes
3) Be aware when they/you are struggling and feeling like a failure
4) Point out past successes, to help build future confidence

Remember when you got up out of bed and made breakfast even though you hadn't slept all night because of the two year old laying on your head, and your back hurt because of the four year old's knees pressing your spine into an abnormal position, and you were so stiff you could hardly walk? If you could do that, then you can do this.

Freezer Meals, Simple and Practical

Here's what we had for dinner tonight. Chicken Pot Pie.

There are lots of ways to do freezer meals. You can spend a whole day making 30 different meals; you can make a 30 batches of one meal and trade with 29 friends. The trading is actually great fun if someone else organizes it. 

I keep it simple. When I have an abundance of something; like leftover chicken in this case; I pick a recipe to use it up, and I make as much as I can with the ingredients that I have. We eat it for dinner, and whatever is left gets divided into freezer bags, labeled and put in the freezer. 

For a tip on how to fit the most meals in your freezer, see this post.

As to the labeling; and organizing - this is important because if you do not keep your freezer meals organized, you will end up forgetting what you have and wasting food. I keep a simple chart taped to the wall next to my stove. I write the name of the recipe, the date I put it in the freezer and any special instructions. I put the same information on the bag label. 

When I use something out of the freezer, I cross it off the list. Easy Peasy.

I mostly use these meals on busy days, but I also check the list periodically to see if there is anything that has been in there for awhile and needs to be eaten up.

As to this recipe, I made up the chicken pot pie filling only, and froze that.

Tonight, I heated it up and poured it over biscuits. You can also put it in a pie crust and bake it. OR you can pour it over sliced bread.

NOTE: I often alter recipes based on what I have available. For example, I used canned mixed vegetables, not frozen. You can use a cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup for your gravy or use broth and thicken it with corn starch or flour. If you are new to cooking from scratch and inventing your own recipes; here is a good substitution chart. I have a printed and laminated one from Betty Crocker that I use as a bookmark in my cookbook. I refer to it often. I'm not saving much if I have to run to the store for one ingredient.

Save time, money and space with Hamburger

I have many job titles; including mom, wife, teacher, chauffeur, and chef. But, generally, I would describe my primary job as "home economist". This means it's my job to make sure that my household spends less money than my husband makes.

So, I am always searching for tips and tricks and ways to save money, stretch money and even make a little money. When we first were married, I read "The Tightwad Gazette"  and that really got me started on a life of frugality. I think it is the best gift for a newly married couple or for a baby shower - totally practical and useful and life changing and far longer lasting than any cute little baby dress or toaster. And, yes some people think I'm crazy when I give this gift. But, I'm okay with that. The benefits that I know the book will bring to the family (assuming they read it) are well worth the reputation as OneCrazyLady.

Anyway, to the point of this post - which by the way is not to promote Amy's book. I want to talk about one way that I save time, money and space when it comes to feeding my family.
1) I buy hamburger in bulk when it is on sale.
2) Then, I cook it. All of it. At once. This will save me countless hours cooking a pound or two at a time for each meal.

UPDATE (02/21/2014): The photo shows my meat cooking up in a frying pan, but now I buy it in 10 lb packages and cook it in a stock pot all at once. I add a little water to keep it from sticking to the bottom, drain it through a colander when cooked and check the temperature (160 is the safe temp. for cooked hamburger). It's quick and easy.

3) I drain the fat. Getting rid of this fat means the meat is better for you, and it will take up less space than if you had frozen it raw.
4)I let it cool a bit, then I put it into Ziploc bags. I use gallon bags; we are a family of 8 and one bag will give us about 2 meals, plus leftovers when thawed.
5) I lay these flat in my chest freezer.
6) After they are frozen stiff, they stack very nicely, like books in my upright.

Tip: I put the hamburger in the bags, then use a rolling pin to make it flat. Some of the items pictured are actually freezer meals that I made in advance and froze the same way. But, you can see how nicely they stack. I have 8 meals on one shelf in the freezer of a side by side unit, and room for more.
7) After filling up the freezer bags, I take whatever cooked meat is left, put it into a Tupperware or similar container for my refrigerator to be used that night. Get deals on freezer bags here.

Did you scrub the toilet with my toothbrush?

Hopefully, you'll never have to ask this question in the middle of brushing your teeth. To avoid uncomfortable situations such as this, I suggest a simple household tip.
My frugal and creative friends, you already know that duct tape can fix just about anything - even this predicament.
When a toothbrush has reached it's prime as a cleaner of teeth, and is ready to retire to the bucket under the kitchen sink, where it will spend the rest of its life as a scrubber of crevices; it needs to be designated as such. Especially in a house of 8, where we often buy multi-packs and the toothbrushes all look similar.
I don't mind accidentally using my husband's toothbrush because I forgot what color was supposed to be mine. He might mind, but that's a different subject all together. If I ever try to give marriage advice, ignore it, I don't know what I'm talking about.
As to the subject at hand; how not to end up with the toothbrush in your mouth that you used to scrub the kitchen floor, and how to make sure someone doesn't accidentally use your toothbrush to scrub the bathroom faucets.

NOTE: For those of you think this could never happen... with six kids in the house... anything can happen!

 On to the point of this short story that I managed to make long... take a piece of duct tape and wrap it around the handle of the "retired" toothbrushes, and everyone will know that those are for cleaning things other than teeth.
The End

Why a blog?

I used to have a blog. I even wrote in it often. Then, I joined Hubpages, and took their 30 day challenge, writing a new post nearly every day.
Recently, my husband mentioned to me that when I write for "others" for free, I am selling myself short. Hmm. This got me thinking. I've written several articles for various venues, and sometimes I even make a little money at it. Now, if I write for Hubpages, then they make money off the visitors that I bring to my articles because they can charge advertisers based on the number of visitors to their site. Makes sense. Except, that I'm the one doing the writing, and I'm not making any money.
So, if I'm going to write for free, then I might as well do it under my own name, my own blog, and get all the credit. And, if someone wants to advertise their product next to my article? Well, then, wouldn't they have to pay ME? In theory, at least.
Anyway, I love to write about all sorts of things, so you never know what you might find here. Enjoy.

BTW if you are interested, here is a link to my Hubpages articles.