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Liberty Doll for auction HERE

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

DSCF5730 Liberty Doll for auction HEREupdate: Alaskamommy is the winner. Congratulations!
Since you don’t have a blog or email attached to your profile, please email me your shipping address (call her blest at gmail dot com).

My daughter Kittykait is selling a Liberty Doll. She had intended to list the doll on Ebay but she thought it might be fun to auction her here instead.
DSCF5725 Liberty Doll for auction HERE

The Liberty Doll has hand rooted hair can be brushed and styled like real hair. You can even use a curling iron on her! She has a cloth torso, and her arms can move up and down. She can stand on her own, her eyes are brown and open and close when she lies down.

If you have American Girl Dolls, they are the same size and can share clothes.
DSCF5735 Liberty Doll for auction HERE

This doll has been very gently used and looks brand new. She has been an obedient little girl and kept her hair net on so that her hair stays neat and clean. She wanted to do some work while she was with us, but we told her she might get her dress dirty and then she wouldn’t look new.
After that she was content to rest quietly in her box. She will travel to her new home in her original box.

The bidding opens at $40, including FREE shipping. The winner can pay by check, money order or Paypal, and Kittykait will ship the doll as soon as she receives payment.

To place a bid, just leave the amount in the comments. Bidding will close on Monday, October 15 at 11:59 PM, CST. Please make sure we can contact you!
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Incidentally, if you have a doll from Vision Forum that is in need of repair, Wee Maidens does most repairs for $30. This includes return shipping. This business is run by 2 young ladies who were personally trained by a representative of the German manufacturer.
They also design, make and sell a wide variety of beautiful clothes for these dolls, ranging from historical costumes to cute and modest modern styles.
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P.S. We also have an ebay auction that might be of interest to readers.
I am selling a Kelty Kids baby carrier, like new. The Kelty is well-designed with lots of storage and other features. One very nice option: the baby can face toward mama or outward – this is the only thing I miss in my Ergo. The bidding starts at $24.99 with free shipping included. You can see the auction here:
Kelty Kids Kangaroo cobalt infant carrier FREE SHIP!

Can’t wait for frugal friday!

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

I just posted on Frugal Hacks about 2 very different deals, each fabulously frugal and exciting in its own way.
One could easily be tied to chocolate. See why it’s so hard to choose a favorite?

Chocolate is my friend

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

My friend Jennifer sent me a reaffirmation that dark chocolate is indeed health food. Now I found this in the latest CBD newsletter. I just might have to get one of these in her honor:
chocolate+mug Chocolate is my friend the mug is a little googly-eyed, but so am I on occasion, especially when I’m downing big hunk of dark chocolate.
The mugs are $4.99 for one, $3.99 each for 3 or more. I can think of 3 chocolate lovers. No, I’m not thinking of Me, Myself and I. Well, even if I am, I can think of more chocolate lovers. chocolate+tote Chocolate is my friendI think the $4.99 tote is pretty cute too, though I’m not sure I would actually use it. Maybe I could just use it to tote my chocolate stash.

Praise aerobics

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Amy shared a hil-air-ious praise aerobics video recently. While we were all gathered ’round the warm glow of the monitor laughing ourselves silly (we do that a lot), somebody has the brilliant idea to set The Boy up on the table where he could see better. Somebody else had the brilliant idea to grab the camera.
Here’s what happened.

[url=http://www.dropshots.com/][img]http://media4.dropshots.com/photos/274350/20071010/110221.jpg[/img][/url]

Too good to keep to myself

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

 Too good to keep to myselfWe finished most of the big switcharoo last night: moved beds, dressers and hanging clothes from one bedroom to another. It was a big job (esp. on a Monday and grocery day) and there are still many small details to finish, like the mountain of clean laundry that accumulated on the couch while we worked, and the mountain of dirty laundry that pulled the same trick in the kitchen.
The children will still be shuffled a bit between their two rooms, but since they have matching dressers and bunkbeds, those switches should be very easy: “Hey you! Grab your drawer, your pillow, and your hanging clothes and go to your new room.”
There was no sign of our errant tarantula, though Kait did feel a suspicious lump under the carpet.
Last night hubby and I spent our first night in a bedroom with a ceiling (long story) and it was lovely. I slept well and got right to work on finishing the job.
Wait. No, I didn’t. I stayed up too late, read my Bible through bleary eyes and planted myself in front of the computer.
And here I sit.
Like a fool, I’m cleaning out my links instead of facing the real and looming mess about me.
These links have been languishing in my bloglines folder for far too long, much like the pile of clothes to be mended, which is hidden in my closet.
It’s high time to get the stuff out into plain sight. Maybe I’ll drape the mending over my rocking chair where it can mock me publicly until I take care of it. After we clean up some other messes, of course, beginning with my bloglines folder.

  • Pastor McDonald has some good thoughts on unity. I especially appreciate the joke that opens his post. It’s so easy to find yourself on either side of that picture at one time or another. The closing line has become a laughing catchphrase among the children and I for when we’re being too nit-picky or divisive.
  • His wife, Stacy McDonald is giving a sneak peek to the book that she and Jennie Chancey are collaborating upon, Passionate Housewives Desperate for God. update: the book is finished and will be available for sale in 2-3 weeks. Crystal is hosting a giveaway of 10 copies!
  • Also from Stacy:
    Later this month, I will be interviewing the Botkin sisters; and in a way, so will you! Starting today, I’m inviting my readers to send in their questions regarding the Botkins’ book, So Much More. In addition, if you have questions regarding the everyday lives or beliefs of Anna Sofia or Elizabeth, this is your time to ask them!

    All questions should be sent to me at Botkin Interview Questions by October 23rd. Please note, questions will be compiled, integrated, and edited as needed for space and brevity. Please keep your questions direct, brief, and gracious. Questions will not be accepted during or after the interview. Please send your questions on or before the aforementioned date.

  • While we’re talking about the Botkins, the film is finished and sneak previews are happening around the country. It looks like I’ll have to wait for the official premier at the SAICFF, but I can live with that. I’m sure it’s worth the wait!
  • Cindy at Dominion Family is on a rant. First she rants about billboards, then breasts.
  • I have long admired the writings of Nancy Wilson. I was delighted to discover that she has a blog. Here is my first bookmarked post from her blog, one that I sorely need: Checkpoints for the Tongue.

Menu

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

I have figured out that since I usually shop on Monday or Tuesday, it makes sense for me to plan the menu at least through next Monday.

BREAKFAST:

  • Monday – oats
  • Tuesday – pancakes
  • Wednesday – muffins
  • Thursday – egg & cheese breakfast burritos
  • Friday – cream of wheat
  • Saturday – sausage gravy, biscuits, eggs
  • Sunday – leftover pizza
  • Monday – oats

LUNCH:

  • Monday – leftover jambalaya
  • Tuesday – ramen noodles. Lest you think we eat these all the time, we haven’t actually had them in the last few weeks. I keep putting it off because everyone loves them and we don’t want to have them on a day that one of the girls is gone.
  • Wednesday – quesadillas. Bean and cheese, unless for some incredible and unforseen reason we manage to have leftover taco meat from Monday’s dinner.
  • Thursday – double decker PB&J
  • Friday – leftovers
  • Saturday – [brunch, above]
  • Sunday – funnel cakes in the evening
  • Monday – beanie weenies. Somehow we’ve managed to skip this 2 weeks in a row. Maybe I should just give up on it.

DINNER:

  • Monday – taco salad
  • Tuesday – [family potluck at our house] swiss burgers. These are getting rave reviews, and we still have plenty of cheap ground beef in the freezer.
  • Wednesday – bubble-up pizza. Lydia has been begging to make this as a kid-dinner. Hubby and I will have chicken caesar salads again.
  • Thursday – steak salad for hubby and me, cheesy chicken & rice casserole for the kiddos. Preseasoned fajita beef is on sale this week.
  • Friday – pizza, of course!
  • Saturday – beef fajitas. More sale meat. mmmm!
  • Sunday – sausage spaghetti. Kait requested this, and I think it might go over well at church for the weekly fellowship meal.
  • Monday – cheesy chicken patties. This is a recipe I’ve been meaning to try for quite a while. I just hope I can either find the recipe or remember enough to wing it.

Now to write a shopping list and get out the door. Note to self: hurry up!

Table manners

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

There’s a reason I haven’t posted much on table manners…
DSCF5466 Table manners
But once we get the gravy out of his hair he cleans up pretty well, wouldn’t you say?
DSCF5477 Table manners

Want a pet?

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Do you live in the San Antonio area?
And if you do would you like a kitten?
He is black all over, & is almost three mos.
He is free to a good home.
My sister found him when he was about two weeks old,
He had ants all over him, and he was abandoned in an old tree stump.
We fed him with an eyedropper and now he eats hard food.
If you are interested or have any questions,
feel free to email my Mom at : callherblest at gmail.com

Baked Herb Chicken and other recipes

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

These links have been saved in my bloglines, just waiting for me to remember not to forget to try them someday. Don’t they look delicious? Forget meeting at the park; if I ever mirl with these people, I want them to invite me to their homes for a meal!

And here’s my easy recipe for Baked Herb Chicken, as seen in my menu last week. Easy, frugal, and always gets rave reviews.

Baked Herb ChickenI make this in my 18 qt. electric roaster for church fellowships; it feeds a crowd. You could cut it in half for a 9×13 to feed 6-8.

3-4 cups uncooked rice
8 lbs. chicken pieces – I use legs and thighs because they’re cheap
1 large can cream-of-something soup. Yes, I’m ashamed. Just open the can and don’t tell anyone.
6-8 cups water (twice as much water as rice)
1 chicken bouillon cube for each cup of water
2-3 Tbs. of seasoning – I like basil or Italian seasoning. I think Cajun sounds good but haven’t tried it yet.
2 tsp. lemon juice – adds a subtle edge to the dish. Don’t worry; it won’t taste lemony.

Now the easy part:

  • Grease the pan. Spread dry rice evenly across the bottom.
  • Arrange raw chicken on top.
  • Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken and rice.
  • Cover and cook until chicken and rice are done. I plug this in before church at 300 degrees and it’s done in 2.5-3 hours. In a regular oven, it would take about 1.5 hours at 325.

We had a bit left over and used it later as the base for a cheesy chicken/broccoli casserole. I deboned the chicken, stirred it into the rice, and added a package of broccoli w/the cooking liquid, some shredded cheese, and heated til bubbly.
Yummy again!

Excitement not involving a tarantula

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

I just received a call from the producer of the Take a Stand radio show, asking me to answer few questions on air for Adam McManus – in 7 minutes!
He wanted to talk about a USA Today article on working moms and whether they should stay home. I barely had time to send the kids out with drinks and a water hose, skim the article and then we were on!
That was 30 minutes ago and I’ve had my 10 minutes of world fame, but my heart is still pounding. I’m not exactly sure what he asked or how I answered, but my friends are assuring me that I sounded very unruffled and articulate. That’s what friends are for.
Here’s what I told hubby on googletalk as I hung up:

i was terrified for the first few minutes, then my brain just listened helplessly as my mouth took over. I was silently begging my mouth not to do anything stupid.
i felt like bill murray and what’s-his-face in What About Bob during the tv interview. Bob was my mouth and what’s-his-face was my brain.

See? And I still can’t think of what’s-his-face’s name.
Tarantulas hardly ruffle me, but live radio interviews send me into a tizzy.

Romance is in the air

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

I was working outside yesterday afternoon, and looked down just in time to see this guy casually sauntering making a beeline straight toward my foot.
DSCF5425 Romance is in the air
The quarter gives you an idea of his size. Males are typically significantly smaller than females and this one is no exception. He’s just a little guy, much smaller and slimmer than Shelob.

What’s that? You can’t see the quarter? Oops. That’s because he’s COVERING THE WHOLE ENTIRE QUARTER with his small, slim body. But he really is much smaller than Shelob. You thought I was teasing about that, didn’t you? Nope.
DSCF5423 Romance is in the air
Apparently the males are also more athletic than the females. When we went after him with a jar, this guy had none of Shelob’s leisurely demeanor. He’s a man with a plan and he moved with startling speed.

I found a very informative article online and learned that our guest is definitely a male, probably mature and hunting for a cute girl. From the article, So You Found a Tarantula:

Most species are nocturnal, and if one shows up in or around your house, it is just because he is trying to hide out during the day to return to his search at night (or maybe you have female tarantulas living around your house).

Yup. Give him a dozen roses, and he’s ready to go.
So now we’re thinking that maybe we should tie a string around one of his legs and let him loose in the house. What do you think?

Calm down; now I’m kidding. Do you really think I want trade in my daddy longlegs for baby tarantulas next year?

a saunter through the September archives

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Last month’s review was so much fun, I’m going to do this again. Here are my favorite posts from previous Septembers.
In ’05, I was brand new to blogging. I started my blog on a whim on August 31, so September was my first full month.

Highlights for September ’05

By September of ’06 I had a new baby and was spending a lot of time nursing, so parenting tips were heavy on my mind.

Highlights for September ’06

Over the last month I seem to have blogged mainly about issues, from arachnids to feminism. But don’t worry – the obligatory vomit story was in there too.

Highlights for September ’07

The roles of women in the home

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

From Doug’s blog:

John Calvin on The Heaven-Blessed Priority of Homemaking
?And if men say, ?what is this? A woman playeth the housewife, she spinneth on her distaff, and this is all that women can do.? As in deed there are a number of fools that when they speak of women?s distaffs, of seeing to their children, will make a scorn of it, and despise it. But what then? What saith the heavenly Judge? That he is well pleased with it, and accepteth of it, and putteth it in his reckoning. So then let women learn to rejoice when they do their duty, and though the world despise it, let this comfort sweeten all respect they might have that way, and say, ?God seeth me here, and his Angels, who are sufficient witnesses of my doings, although the world do not allow of them.??[i]

[i] John Calvin, in A Sermon of Master John Caluine, vpon the first Epistle of Paul, toTimothie, published for the benefite and edifying of the Churche of God, ?The 19. A Sermon on 1 Timothy 2:13-15? (London: G. Bishop and T. Woodcoke, 1579).


Apparently the idea that housekeeping is too demeaning for an intelligent woman is not a new one. Certain men have thought so for at least 4 centuries.
But I suspect that this is a relatively new thought pattern among women.
I have been saddened to see many Christian women lately object to the idea that the Biblical pattern is for young women to stay in their father’s house and under his authority until they are married. Under their parents’ supervision they can continue their education, polishing and honing the many skills of the Proverbs 31 woman, preparing to become highly accomplished wives and mothers when they are married.
Likewise, some Christian sisters even take exception to the clear Biblical pattern that a wife’s calling centers around the home.
This is not to say that every young woman will eventually be married, but marriage is the norm. And what if a woman is called to singleness? Did she waste all those years learning “womanly arts,” serving family and friends? Was there no gain for Christ’s kingdom in all the time she spent helping new mothers, cleaning the homes of the widows and elderly, serving the sick and needy, helping with the family business, planning and preparing meals for her parents and siblings, helping with her siblings’ education, furthering her own education in a myriad of ways?

“Do you mean to say that a woman isn’t allowed to have a calling or a career?” they ask, with offended feminine dignity.

Why does this sadden me? Because like many feminist thought patterns, it is demeaning to women. Motherhood and wifehood fit firmly within the definition of both terms (calling and career) and many say that these are high callings. But some women seem to hold the traditional Biblical role of women in such low esteem that they don’t even count these roles as callings or careers.

This is the “respect” that feminism creates for the women of the world.

More on the subject from writers I respect:

Monday lists

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

CHORES
Chores are still being rotated weekly. This is relatively new for us but seems to be providing a nice balance of variety and accountability.
7yo Natalie has recently started Real Chores with lots of help and oversight, and 6yo Becca is practicing certain elements of larger chores rather than being in the Big Girl Rotation.

  • Deanna: Dining room (includes table, side table, bookshelf, sweep)
  • Kaitlyn: Bathroom (all the expected duties)
  • Lydia: Kitchen (everything but dishes, which are a group effort)
  • Megan: Animals & Laundry room (4 dogs, 2 cats and litter box, 2 gerbils, 2 rabbits, straighten and sweep laundry room, start 2 load each of lights and darks)
  • Natalie: Living room (general pick up, straighten toys, dvds and books, vacuum)
  • Becca: straighten bookshelves throughout the house

MENU
Last week was our first time in quite a while to have a menu for the week. While we didn’t rigidly obey it, it did provide an easy guideline and freed up my brain cells for other important thoughts like…important stuff.
Here’s what we have planned for this week. If you are really paying attention you might notice some of the same meals you saw last week. These are probably the ones that didn’t actually happen last week, though a couple are just meals we especially like and don’t mind eating 2 weeks in a row.
I have a lot of groceries left from last week so really don’t need to shop much this week. I’ll just pick up a few odds and ends when we’re out for dentist appointments tomorrow. Of course, odds and ends for a household of 10 usually means just one mostly-filled grocery cart.
If you notice a lot of ground beef meals last week and this week, it’s because we found some great buys and that’s what in the freezer. Hubby is fond of saying that red meat is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Monday
breakfast: leftover muffins
lunch: leftovers: bean/cheese quesadillas (we butter the outside and cook these on the griddle. mmm!)
dinner: taco salad

Tuesday
breakfast: breakfast burritos (egg and cheese, maybe w/a bit of sausage)
lunch: picnic between dentist appointments (pb & j, carrot sticks, fruit, jug of water)
dinner: cheesy chicken/broccoli/rice casserole for potluck @ my sister’s house

Wednesday
breakfast: muffins
lunch: pasta w/leftover spaghetti sauce
dinner: hamburger patties w/mushroom gravy, salad

Thursday
breakfast: hasty pudding, a la Laura Ingalls
lunch: beanie weenies (we didn’t do this last week)
dinner: jambalaya (we didn’t do this one last week)

Friday
breakfast: pancakes
lunch: Ramen noodles
dinner: pizza night – every Friday!

Saturday
breakfast: cold pizza
lunch: leftovers
dinner: TBA

Sunday
breakfast: ummm…pour a glass of milk and get your tail in the van!
lunch: TBA (church fellowship)
dinner: leftovers and snackage (we don’t really eat a 3rd meal after the church fellowship meal on Sundays)

THINGS TO DO:
Mondays always take a while to reassemble the house. Does your house fall apart over the weekend too? We always seem to be so busy on projects and family time that we forget to do the usual maintenance, so we wake up to a fearsome sight on Monday morning.
Here’s what I’m hoping to accomplish in addition to general cleanup and a bit of school. Tell me if you think I’m crazy.

  • Grout the tile that we have laid so far in the bathroom. The tile is mostly but not entirely glued down; I’d like to grout what we have done so far.
  • Cut and attach a thin layer of plywood to shim out a narrow ledge that we still need to tile, so I can tile that as well. After that, we’ll just need to do around the window and the shower enclosure will be finished. I think. I hope.
  • Paint the girls’ bedroom in preparation for a major 3-way bedroom swap.
  • Stain the boards for the built-in living bookcase that I’ve been in the process of building for the last 2 years.