simple hit counter
You are here: Home / 2011 / Archives for October 2011

Monday Movies: funny baby videos go viral

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 31, 2011 By kimc

This week, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to some of the viral videos that have swept the world over the past couple of years.  These are the videos that everyone talks about at baby showers – the ones where they all turn to you in surprise and say, “You haven’t seen it?” See?  I’m doing you a favor, making you culturally literate in the Age of Youtube.

First, the classic:  Charlie Bit Me.  My kids do the same, but somehow it’s even cuter to hear the victim yell “Owwwww” with a British accent.

With kids, a little bit of potty humor is unavoidable and sometimes even adorable.

One of the nicest things about babies is they see the humor in everything.

They even laugh at very scary stuff.

Sometimes they laugh at nothing at all.

Is it just me, or do these guys make you want twins of your own?

Our own boy once kissed a huge toad on YouTube.  It may not have gone viral on YouTube, but we watched the video plenty in our house!

What’s your favorite funny baby video on YouTube?

Filed Under: blogging & technology, humor, videos 2 Comments

Saturday Snapshot: Zoo photos

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 30, 2011 By kimc

The highlight of this week was definitely our trip to the zoo!  It was our first time in years, but we hope to repeat it frequently now that we have a family pass again.  This was Rachael’s gift to the family for Christmas last year, but fortunately the clock didn’t start ticking until we used it for the first time.  Don’t ask me why we waited so long – it’s a long and sordid story of gas prices, out of town trips, and procrastination.

I pulled out my phone to snap photos and – wouldn’t you know it?! – the camera was broken.  It’s under warranty but this is the 5th time since July and I WANTED PHOTOS.  Thankfully Deanna’s phone camera was working so she snapped some good ones, but I am going to press for a new phone this time instead of yet another repair.

The zoo was was wonderful, though I was only able to take 7 of the kids this time.  It was a first for one or two of the youngest – I don’t remember just how long it’s been.  It was a perfect fall day – just a little chilly, but warming just to perfection as time passed. Parker studied each animal with his own brand of quiet delight, pointing and jabbering softly to himself and whoever was holding him.

Apparently somebody saw us, too.  An occasional reader emailed me later that day to say she had spotted us but didn’t recognize us until later.  (Note to self: quit procrastinating and answer some email, starting with that one!)

In the new Africa exhibit, we started out at the aquarium, spending several long minutes studying the hordes of fish.  There were big black oscars like the one my parents had when I was little, and cichlids like the older kids remembered from our own tank 10 years ago.  We watched them move about the tank, many of them nibbling at two huge boulders in the center of the tank.  Finally we moved on, looking for more exciting animals.

As we left the exhibit, Rachael tugged at my skirt.  ”Mom, are those hippos?”  I looked again at the massive boulders.  They had little tails right in the center.  And feet at the bottom.  Facepalm.  Hippo butts.

We had a good look at an impressive Nile Crocodile in the tank next to the hippos.  He had double rows of upright scales down the length of his heavily muscled tail, and after a few minutes he slowly opened his jaws wide, showing off rows of gleaming white teeth.  Perry loved him, but I held Parker up to see and his reaction was very different.  He made scared noises and desperately signed, “”All done!  All done!”

Bethany learned that elephants are actually much larger than anteaters.  Maybe she won’t confuse the two from now on.

I intended to spend just a couple of hours there, but before we knew it the clock struck 2.  On our way to the exit, we came across a sandy [man-made] river where kids were invited to splash, play and even swim.  I’m not sure if the zoo actually intends for children to take them up on the offer this late in the year, but I’m a cool mom every now and then.  It was over 60 degrees (or close enough) and most of my kids had a change of clothes in the van.  I let them splash around and get their legs wet, and we called it a day.

We ended with our traditional group photo on the lion sculptures at the entrance/exit.  Deanna was with us too, but insisted on being behind the camera.

Searches that lured unsuspecting visitors into our web on the web:

What did your week look like?

Filed Under: blogging & technology 2 Comments

Giveaway: $50 gift certificate to The Modest Mom

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 28, 2011 By kimc

This giveaway has ended.

Caroline at The Modest Mom is one generous lady, and I’m happy to be the bearer of good news.  This week you can win a $50 gift certificate good toward any purchase in her shop!  You can also save 10% on any order until October 31 with the code Raisinghomemakers. Go ahead.  Try it.  You know you want to.

Caroline has been adding lots of new items to her shop recently.  I’ve been loving my layering shell.  My first impression was that the neckline was too high (is that possible?) but the more I wear it, the more I like not having to worry about what I’m showing when I lean down.  Freedom!

White Kiki Riki Layering Shell

This very flattering Denim Skirt has a subtle “rainbow” effect with the detailed stitching on the skirt. Perfect when you need a more dressy denim skirt, yet classic and simple enough for everyday wear!

Rainbow Striped Denim Skirt

I love the detailing on this Sailor Skirt and guess what: it has pockets! [kicks self for not requesting a sample]

The Sailor Skirt

My Lydia has her eye on the Nantucket Skirt.  She loves the buttons, and thinks the shorter length would be perfect with boots.

Nantucket Denim Skirt Long

I don’t generally wear maternity skirts, but I love that the panel in this long stretchy black maternity skirt can fold down for non-maternity wear.  It looks so soft and comfy!

Long Stretchy Black Maternity Skirt

The Marrianne blouse is another recent addition, and it’s on sale now.  If pink isn’t your thing, fear not.  It comes in silver too.

The Marrianne Blouse- Pink

 

THE GIVEAWAY

The Modest Mom has agreed to give a $50 gift certificate  to one random winner!

To enter the giveaway, do any or all of the following.  Please leave a separate comment here for each entry.  If you are already subscribed to our newsletter, you are automatically entered once!

  1. Leave a comment on this post.
  2. Like The Modest Mom on Facebook
  3. Subscribe to The Modest Mom blog
  4. Like Life in a Shoe on Facebook
  5. Share this giveaway on Facebook.  There is a button below the post to make it easy for you.
  6. Join the Life in a Shoe newsletter to be automatically entered in every giveaway.  No need to leave a comment for this one!  No spam, we promise.  We haven’t even sent a single newsletter yet.  :)  Note: this is not the same as subscribing to our blog posts.
  7. For 3 bonus entries, blog about this giveaway.  You must include a link to both this post and to The Modest Mom. Remember to leave 3 comments for this so you’ll be entered 3 times.

We will take entries until Friday, November 4, then choose a random winner!

The winner this time was Becky H, a member of our email list – remember list members are automatically entered in all giveaways!

Filed Under: giveaways & deals 357 Comments

4 Moms: Big family Q&A

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 27, 2011 By kimc

4 Moms, 35 KidsDo you have questions about big families?  I have answers.  They might not be the answers you were hoping for but since the title of this post promises answers, I’ll give it a shot.

Q. Do momys…do the library?

We used to, but haven’t checked out books in several years.  Since the cost of gas has gone up and our library is in the opposite direction from the rest of civilization, it just wasn’t cost effective.  Our smalltown library has a very poor selection and an interlibrary system that is sadly lacking.  For the price of a trip there and back and a second trip to return the books – and maybe some late fees or interlibrary loan fees (it’s not free here) we found that we could buy several good used books instead of checking out a lot of trash and tripe.  Since we try to read books that are worth owning, this makes sense to us.

The upside is that we’ve been able to build our library over the years without spending any more than we would have in gas and library fees.  The downside is…we’ve been able to build our library over the years…

Q. Can you show more pictures of your bookshelves? How do you organize your books? Dewey decimal, chronologically, by subject, by author?

A. [stifled maniacal laughter]  Are you thinking of organizing your books like mine?  You’re smart to ask for photos first!  Our library is a work in progress for several reasons:

  1. We perpetually have more books than space. It’s a sickness.  We just can’t stop buying books, and when we try to wean ourselves off somebody invariably gives us new books or points us toward a sale we can’t resist.
  2. It’s not just me and Perry. I think the condition is genetic, because the children suffer from it as well.  They’re all building their personal libraries while we build our family library.  In a house of 1183 square feet.  Bringing home new books is like a game of chicken.  Who will quit first?
  3. We let our children use the library. Somebody isn’t crazy about the aesthetic appeal of clearly labelled shelves, which makes it highly unlikely that a book will ever find its way from the hands of a child back to its rightful home.
  4. My organizational system is only a rough draft in my head.  It goes something like this:  …never mind.

Seriously, I do have a system.

  • Fiction is divided roughly into age groups: board books are on the bottom shelves, easy readers are next up, then chapter books, with classics/mature fiction up high.  Poetry has a shelf of its own.
  • Theology is in alphabetical order by author’s last name.
  • Art & music are together, as they should be.
  • History is divided into American history, world history, and reformation.  Books within each category were originally organized by title or subject, though that fell by the wayside long ago.  Right now the children’s history books are integrated with the adult ones, but I don’t know if they’ll stay that way.
  • There is a separate bookcase for homemaking/how to books.
  • Another bookcase holds science, with each shelf covering a general area: field guides, animals, earth science, creation vs. evolution, etc.
  • Various sets – fiction and nonfiction, juvenile and adult –  are located anywhere and everywhere.
  • A few precious autographed, antique or rare books are up high, out of reach of small illiterate hands.
  • Reference books are together.

I’m sure there’s more, but that gives a rough idea of the layout.  Photos?  Not today.  No way!

The children each have at least one shelf of their own personal books in the library in addition to their own cubbies in the bedroom.  Some have far more.  They also have books in storage, and we’re considering enacting a new rule that goes roughly thus:

“Any books that do not fit on your personal shelf shall be considered excessive.  If you are not willing to put your excessive books into general circulation (still retaining personal ownership), they must be put into storage so that we will have to space to acquire said titles for the general family library.”

I would love to replace the bookcases in the library with individual wall-mounted shelves running the full length of the walls and reaching from floor to ceiling.  I think we could fit far more in our limited space and it would look nicer too.  It’s on my to-do list.

I would also love to run a single high shelf around most of the rooms in our house. Books would be within reach of most adults but above eye level, leaving the walls with a fairly empty feel, I think, rather than the cluttered look when we had our bookcases spread throughout the house.  If my calculations are accurate, we could house most of our books this way, even in our small home, getting rid of most of the bookcases and opening up more space for general living.  We could hang framed photos just below and create a unified decorative theme throughout the house.

What do you think of that idea?  Can you picture it?

Q. how do you get packed for a vacation…delegate or do it all yourself? :o )

A.  I decide how many outfits we each need to take based on the length and reason of our trip – e.g. 2 formal and 4 informal.  Then I let the 4 oldest girls (13-18yo) pack independently, offering opinions as requested.  The next few children down the line (ages 11, 10, and maybe the 7yo) pack for themselves with heavy oversight from either me or the older girls.

I pack for myself and the 3 or 4 youngest.  I also do most of Perry’s packing and he fills in the gaps.

That covers the clothes and personal possessions.  For the rest, we often make a list on the whiteboard and check off items as they are packed.  This way nearly anyone can help.  The older girls sometimes help with food prep while I pack for the younger ones, but we have become pretty adept at trading off duties.  The biggest goal and challenge for me is simply keeping everyone and everything moving forward.

Q. How do you get all the house cleaning done? Does it ever get done all in one day, or do you do it one room/section of the house per day? How do you divide the cleaning chores?

A. Define “house cleaning.”  We pick up, sweep, etc. in the kitchen, dining room, living room and bathroom several times/day.  Deeper cleaning gets done as needs are noticed.  Not always the best policy, since you’re most likely to notice footprints on the wall, snotprints on the windows, or dust bunnies divebombing from the ceiling fans while you have a houseful of company.

Our division of labor changes a couple of times/year, but here is the current breakdown:

  • Perry (5yo) – empty small trash cans, any job relating to poop (I promise, he likes this), swat flies
  • Rachael (7yo) – take out compost, straighten toy area, AM dish team
  • Becca (10yo) – dining room, deck, AM dish team
  • Natalie (11yo) – library, trash, AM dish team
  • Megan (13yo) – kitchen, laundry room, PM dish team
  • Lydia (14yo) – animals, yard pickup, PM dish team
  • Kaitlyn (16yo) – living room, bathroom, PM dish team
  • Deanna (18yo) – laundry, PM dish team

I confess our younger ones tend to slide these days.  They are capable of more, and our bigger girls did far more at a younger age.  This was partly because I needed the help and partly because I invested the time to train them.  The temptation for the young mother is to do it all herself because she doesn’t have time to train her young ones to help.  The temptation for the older mother is do it all with the older children with they don’t need the help of the young ones.

Q. How do you organize socks?

A. Our sock solution used to be easy and straightforward.  All our children were girls.  All of their socks were white and roughly the same style.  There were only 2 things to know:

  1. If 2 socks are the same size, they match.
  2. If they fit you, they’re yours.

Now, with 4 teens in the house and 2 more close on their heels plus 2 boys thrown into the mix, it’s infinitely more complicated in practice, though it can still be summed up rather easily.  The current policy reads something like this:

  1. If you don’t like white socks, buy your own.
  2. If you buy your own, you’d better recognize them when they come out of the laundry.
  3. If your socks look just like mine, they’re mine too.

And that’s all, folks.  Sorry if I didn’t get to your question today, but I’m feeling very much like  too little butter spread over too much toast.  Thin, but not in a size 6 way.  More in a mother-of-10-needs-to-spend-less-time-on-the-computer way.

The other Moms are taking questions this week too.

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms:

  • Surprise, but not for the reason you think. It’s because I’m too lazy to look up the list of planned topics.  Really.  We have a list.  You don’t believe me?

Recent topics:

About 4 Moms, including a complete list of all past topics

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, methods 8 Comments

The Founding Fathers Project

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 26, 2011 By kimc

founding fathers projectFriends, neighbors, countrymen, lend me your ears! The Founding Fathers Project needs your help.  How is that for mixed metaphors?  I couldn’t resist, though, especially after I accidentally got sucked into 20 minutes of reading Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. I wanted to check the context of the quote (Shakespeare wrote some bawdy stuff, you know!) and forgot just how riveting his writing can be. For Brutus is an honorable man…

But there are only 47 hours left and counting, so I’ll quit reading for now.  Two young men we know – much more honorable than Brutus – are working hard on a project to bring history to life for young people.  We have known Preston and Daniel and their families for years through Vision Forum.  These bright young men are working to raise $15,000 to create an interactive history experience for the iPad.  They must receive the full amount in pledges by Friday, October 28 at 11:39 AM EDT or they won’t receive any of the pledges at all.  It’s all or nothing.

The men of The Founding Father’s Project are reviving tried and true historical content to teach in a fresh and appealing way in the struggle to preserve our history.

Using interactive, state of the art iPad book technology they are creating an app which draws the user into the pages of history and reanimates the framers of our Republic.…

While books continue to be published about our founders and their values, fewer people read… We have been given new access to current and future generations and these creative avenues of communication must be exploited and brought under the dominion of Christ. We must use all the weapons that providence has placed at our disposal and here is a ground-floor use for one of the newest. While George Washington was the sword of the founding of the Republic, Patrick Henry the trumpet, Thomas Jefferson the pen—without men like John Hancock and Henry Morris, who provided the purse, the day would not have been won.

Consider helping these creative young warriors seize the moment… to preserve the truths of the past for which our fathers pledged their lives and sacred honor to secure.

Looking for more specific info?  Here’s what Preston and Daniel are working on:

We are designing an interactive iPad App that will “speak” the language of today’s youth. The Founding Fathers Project App will have theme appropriate, intentionally selected, historically factual, edifying visual, and primary source historical content…all produced in the “language” of today’s youth. We at AppTankDesigns know the language and we believe we can use that language to make America’s providential history relevant to young people.

If you don’t think that’s particularly cool, maybe you aren’t aware of the possibilities.  I wasn’t aware of the possibilities.  Now I see why people are all in a tizzy about these new-fangled iPads.

Using the “learning by doing” method, this app will combine all three learning modalities (for all three types of learners: visual, auditory and tactile). This format can bring history to life using the language of the young and the God designed function of the brain.

I love that they are thinking in terms of 3 major learning styles!  This appeals to the educator in me, and shows me how likely it is to appeal to nearly anyone. I have a couple of interactive children’s books on my Android phone, and would love to see a truly riveting interactive history series like this for my phone, computer, or my children’s iPods.

Would you consider helping these guys today?  Even a few dollars helps if enough of us pitch in, and you might be entered in a drawing to win a free iPad.  Remember, if they don’t get pledges for the entire $15,000 your pledge won’t even be taken.  I’m doing it now!  I’m so serious, I’m not even procrastinating.


Filed Under: blogging & technology Leave a Comment

Sausage balls

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 25, 2011 By kimc

Is it possible that I have never posted this recipe on our blog?  I hang my head in shame.

This recipe is from an ancient church cookbook which hubby helped illustrate, along with the other children in that church where we met so long ago – only this cookbook was even before my time.  My mother-in-law gave me a copy when we were married.

We love these sausage balls, though I have altered the recipe a little to suit us.  The biggest change is that we make it from scratch instead of using Bisquick.  The other change is that we usually triple it.  We eat these for late-night movie snacks, holiday treats, and the occasional fun breakfast or lazy dinner.  They’re as good as junk food in our house, but carry less guilt.

If you’re a little short on sausage or cheese, no problem.  I promise they’ll still be delish!

Sausage Balls

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 small onion, diced (optional)
  • 1 lb. uncooked breakfast sausage
  • milk to moisten

Stir together flour, salt, baking powder, cheese and onion. Use hands to work in sausage until evenly distributed – small lumps are fine. Stir in enough milk to moisten flour and make a dough that will hold together.

Shape into uniformly sized balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 20-30 minutes at 400, until lightly browned. Break one open to check sausage for doneness.

Filed Under: food 10 Comments

Monday movies: Meet Tim Hawkins, Christian comedian

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 24, 2011 By kimc

If you haven’t picked up on the fact that we like to laugh around here, you really need to pay closer attention.  We’ve been accused of a lot of character flaws, but excessive seriousness is not one.  The only one in our house who might lack a sense of humor is the target of the current joke.  Fortunately, we switch targets frequently and the sense of humor heals quickly.

We like our humor like we like our coffee: dark and not too sweet.  Coincidentally, that’s also how we like our chocolate.  Tim Hawkins is a Christian comedian, and his sense of humor is just our flavor.

We were first introduced to Tim through this video about his favorite Bible verse.   My new favorite response when I realize I have made myself the target of a joke: “Yuck it up, Christians.”

The video below is a very close parody of a popular song. The lyrics crack me up every. single. time.

This one is a parody too. I’m not familiar with the original versions of these songs, but I’m guessing Tim would be even funnier if I knew what he was mocking. As it is, he’s plenty funny, and smart too. Have you ever known a man who actually said things like this to his wife? Did you attend the funeral?

We like to make up our own versions of children’s books, and like the Grimm Brothers, our own versions are rarely G-rated. After watching Tim talk about Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, I can help but snicker a little when one of my kids is scared at night. I know, I’m a bad mom, but Tim Hawkins understands.

Are you familiar with Tim Hawkins?  What’s your favorite line, skit, or song?  Have you ever seen him perform live?

Filed Under: humor, videos 16 Comments

Saturday Snapshots: I am a bra burner

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 22, 2011 By kimc

We spent the last 7 days in Tennessee on a whirlwind wedding trip that turned into a full-length vacation, thanks to car trouble.  No, not our own car trouble.  We were going to hurry home so as not to miss a Texas visit by my Tennessee sis and her family, but their own car trouble kept them home, so we stayed longer than planned.

This gave the girls time to hit a few thrift stores and expand their collection.

Chuck Taylors

The Circle of Coghlan life

While were there, I discovered that the old lady’s still got it: I jogged 3 miles nonstop.  I guess I should confess that Perry and 2 of the girls were walking beside me while I jogged, so you can adjust your admiration and/or envy levels accordingly.  Nonetheless, I was thrilled.  This was the very sort of jogging that made me kiss the pavement in woozy despair last year, and I was sure I had lost the ability altogether after a full year of being a quitter.  Now I’m jazzed – almost – about taking up jogging again.

In other news, I have proof that I am One Hot Mama.  I may have slightly set fire to my bra.  While wearing it.  I blame the jogging, indirectly, because that caused me to be wearing a highly flammable cotton jogging bra and no nursing pads.  I was using a hair blower to dry a milk spot, and got it a little too close.  When I smelled smoke and saw the scorched spots, I decided it was dry enough.  You never knew I was a bra burner, did you?  Take that, patriarchy hating feminists!

Incidentally, Zulily has cotton nursing bras and camisoles on sale today 2/$11.99.  Just in case you happen to have burned any lately and need replacements.

Recent searches that lured flies into our web on the web:

Ok, you know what?  I see nothing funny.  Maybe that’s because I just drove straight through the night and am now going on 2 hours of snoozing between 6-8 AM.  Maybe our blog had a really boring week.  This week it’s your turn.  Did your blog receive any hits from interesting searches?

Good blog articles I’ve read over the past week:

  • DIY Dollhouse
    KimC says: Oh. My. Goodness. Am I too old to wish for a dollhouse?!
    Homemade Christmas Gift #36: DIY Dollhouse I’m giving you two months to find an old bookcase and make this awesome dollhouse for a little girl on your Christmas list. This is such a great idea! Ann has step by step instructions on her website so...
  • Rearranging for Functionality
    KimC says: I like her. Not sure what that says about me and my housekeeping, but I would love to know her in real life.
    Once upon a time, I posted about clearing the floor of my walk-in closet.  It was a big deal to me, and after weeks/months/who-knows-how-long of doing major bodily contortions to get to my clothes, I was happy about it. I shared my progress, got th...
  • Homemade Hobby Horse
    KimC says: Another winner in the Handmade Gifts category!
    Homemade Christmas Gift #35: Homemade Hobby Horse How cute is this homemade Christmas gift? (The horse not the boy- although he is a cutie) My kids always wanted one of these horses, but they are so expensive. You can make one for a fraction of th...
  • 31 Days of Femininity: How to make your own accessories
    KimC says: So cute, so easy, and stained t-shirts? We've got them!
    *Note-for those of you who remember that I outlined this series at the start, you have probably already realized that I have taken a little bit different path that I originally had planned out. I still intend on getting to the other two topics befor...
  • 10 Wood Pallet Decor Ideas
    KimC says: I'll bet I could get my hands on some free pallets. What should I do with them?
    Scrap wood pallets are some of the most awesome recycled {usually free or very inexpensive} wood for home decor!  I’ve been dying to build something out of pallets, so I decided to devote an entire post to wood pallet inspiration. My first pallet...
  • The Top 1% and Crony Capitalism
    KimC says: Dear America: read this.
    The UK online says if we just took the top incomes of the top ten highest paid CEOs, those incomes would cover the salaries of just over 18,000 Americans. Query: So if we simply fired those top ten CEO's, stole the salaries their company's sharehol...
  • Plugin by 10up

 

Filed Under: blogging & technology 14 Comments

Giveaway~ “It Is Your Life: The Moss Family” & “Children are a Blessing” (2 DVDs)

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 21, 2011 By kimc
This week’s giveaway post was primarily written by the Moore family, who will be giving away 2 of their DVDs.


As a Christian homeschooling family of 12, our goal in life is to work together to serve the Lord and advance His Kingdom.  In our modern culture, film is a very effective way to share the truth found in God’s Word.  With that in mind, we’ve now completed two films with life-changing messages, with two more films coming soon.   Enter the giveaway, then come on over to our site, www.moorefamilyfilms.com, and check out two more documentaries that are in the making.   All four videos will make an excellent addition to your home video library, or a great Christmas gift!   More than just entertainment – these crucial messages of families glorifying the Lord together will be sure to encourage and inspire your family to do the same!

We’re honored to offer two of these DVDs for giveaway to Life in a Shoe readers:

It Is Your Life:  The Moss Family

In this first film of the It Is Your Life series, get a refreshing glimpse into the daily life of the Mosses, a Christian family training their children in the ways of the Lord.  Learn about:
  • Why they educate their children at home
  • Why Beverly stays home to care for the family
  • How George leads his family in Bible reading and prayer
  • Why they trust God for children after 6 c-sections
  • How God brought them through a time of trial
  • How brothers and sisters can be best friends
Be encouraged and inspired as the Mosses work together, play together, and pray together.  See for yourself how a Biblical vision of family life results in a strong family who loves each other and desires to glorify the Lord together.  This is their life…

Read the recent review by Raising Olives

Children are a Blessing 

We live in a day when most people, Christians included, eagerly apply for what God calls a curse – debt – but never give a second thought to preventing or even destroying what God calls a blessing – children.

If we are to live our lives according to the Word of God, we must ask ourselves, “What saith the Scripture?”

Join the Moore family in this timely documentary as they briefly expose the evil history of the birth control movement on the 50th anniversary of “the pill.”  Listen as they transparently share their testimony of how God, in His grace and mercy, opened their eyes in spite of their own sinful beginning.  Be encouraged as they casually answer questions often posed to large families.  Then, experience the joy of Biblical family life as they anticipate, give birth to, and welcome their tenth child into their home.  Most of all, be inspired to look to the Word of God for answers to everything in life, but specifically to see that Children are a Blessing.

 

 

THE GIVEAWAY

Moore Family Films has agreed to give a copy of both It Is Your Life:  The Moss Family and Children are a Blessing to one random winner!

To enter the giveaway, do any or all of the following.  Please leave a separate comment here for each entry.  If you are already subscribed to our newsletter, you are automatically entered once!

  1. Leave a comment on this post.
  2. Like Life in a Shoe on Facebook
  3. Share this giveaway on Facebook.  There is a button below the post to make it easy for you.
  4. Join the Life in a Shoe newsletter to be automatically entered in every giveaway.  No need to leave a comment for this one!  No spam, we promise.  We haven’t even sent a single newsletter yet.  :)  Note: this is not the same as subscribing to our blog posts.
  5. For 3 bonus entries, blog about this giveaway.  You must include a link to both this post and to Moore Family Films. Remember to leave 3 comments for this so you’ll be entered 3 times.

We will take entries until Friday, October 28, then choose a random winner!

Filed Under: giveaways & deals 163 Comments

4 Moms find time for projects

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 20, 2011 By kimc

4 Moms, 35 KidsIt’s Thursday again, and this week our topic takes the form of a question:  How do you find time for projects that need to be done, require focused attention and which the children can’t help with?

To which I respond with another question: You mean like writing this post at the 11th hour because you totally forgot and are out-of-state with sick children? Yeah, sometimes it’s more easily said than done.  Sometimes there’s nothing easy about it at all, and you just have pray for patience and thank God that your life doesn’t depend on meeting a deadline.

I’m mostly going to defer to the other 3 moms this week, but here’s my answer in 575 words or less.  Actually, I checked the wordcount after I finished this post.  Is that lame, or what?

9 Ways to distract, immobilize, neutralize, or otherwise incapacitate children while you work on important projects

  1. Use DVDs to babysit.  Yes, sometimes I do it.  I try to limit the use of brain candy like this, but it’s effective when we choose to employ it.
  2. Use other forms of brain candy that are normally restricted: video games, computer time, or finger paint.  Just kidding about that last one.  Were you paying attention?
  3. Send them outside. Work during their usual playtimes, or just give them a fun picnic lunch and boot them out.  Work fast, because they will be back.  At least, we all hope they will.  If they’re not, you just got a bigger project.
  4. Put them to work. Assign a chore they can accomplish without oversight, or work on your project during their regular school/chore time.
  5. Give them a project of their own. Let them start a fun, kid-appropriate project of their own that they can do independently or with whatever limited help/oversight you can provide while working on your Very Important Project.
  6. Work during naptime. If you don’t have daily nap/quiet time, maybe you should start.  This is very important recharge time for moms, and guarantees you a bit of time every day to work on whatever can’t be done with rugrats underfoot.
  7. Burn the midnight oil. With challenges like children, you can’t necessarily choose your own hours.  Keeping late hours can create problems of its own, but in some cases it might be your best choice.  Long ago, a young mom who looked remarkably like me spent several weeks sewing 5 fancy Easter dresses for 5 children 6yo and under, all between the hours of 10 PM and 2 AM.
  8. Work in small bites. Yes, I know.  Some projects go much better when you can dedicate a big chunk of time.  Sometimes you don’t have the option of doing it that way, and it can still be done in small bites.  You might lose some efficiency doing it that way, but if your “free time” comes in small pieces, you’ll be happier when you learn to appreciate and use it that way.
  9. Swap babysitting with another mom. OK, this one is rarely practical for me, but many moms have friends nearby who are also craving some project time.  Take turns entertaining the wee ones so your brain doesn’t explode from over-stimulation when you try to concentrate on your task.
  10. Learn to work with, around, and through distraction. Yes, everything goes faster and better when you can focus, but this is real life and you are a mom.  Live it, learn it, love it.  This is your life.

Can you add to the list?

The other 4 Moms are talking about it too.

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms:

  • October 27 - Q&A (watch Facebook for an invitation to post your questions)

Recent topics:

About 4 Moms, including a complete list of all past topics

 

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids 7 Comments

Daily deals for moms and kids from Zulily

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 19, 2011 By kimc

I have a growing list of daily deal sites that I check, well, daily. Woot used to be on my list, and now it’s back since I found a fabulous deal on my new Ninja Blender!  Groupon is another where I frequently find deals worth actually purchasing

One of my favorites is Zulily.  It’s a lot like No More Rack but classier and geared more specifically at moms and young children.  They have new sales every day from several different sources.  Some days they’re all duds, and some days they have great stuff!  Items are very limited in quantity, and prices are steeply discounted.

A lot of what they sell is adorable-but-overpriced children’s clothing, which I can get for much less at thrift stores and boutiques, but they also have some really useful stuff that we actually buy.

Last week, they had 2 different types of popular name brand reusable pocket diapers.  Those went very quickly!

Right now they have this Knot Genie, the perfect hairbrush for a houseful of little girls with long hair.  If they’re red-headed and tender-headed, so much the better.  We have 2 of these, and the kids love them!

They also have maternity clothes, sometimes at a steep enough discount to make them worthwhile.  If I had a formal party to attend and was pregnant, I would totally wear this:

They also have a lot of educational toys, books and even magazines.  Right now, you can get a 1 year subscription to Zoobooks for $15.

I signed up for their daily email so I know what’s going on sale and can snag what I want before it’s gone, because the best deals can sometimes go very quickly.

What’s your favorite daily deal site?

Filed Under: giveaways & deals Leave a Comment

Why I haven’t posted lately

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 18, 2011 By kimc

There’s a reason I haven’t been posting lately.  I’m procrastinating for good reason.  Maybe that means it’s not really procrastination?  You be the judge: we’re in Tennessee for my youngest brother-in-law’s wedding!

the Coghlan 6

Perry with all his younger siblings

Groom and parents at the after-party

He’s such a smart young man, he didn’t just marry the teacher’s pet like his big brother did.

big brother and teacher's pet

He married his teacher’s daughter.

Does that poor girl know what she's getting into?

Bride and Coghlan clan

We’ve been having a grand old time with family on both sides – not just all of Perry’s sibs and nieces and nephews, but also my Tennessee sister with her husband and 2 wee ones.  We love these people!

{no pic here because apparently all 30-odd people in my sister’s 2 bedroom apartment were having too much fun to whip out the camera}

In other news, Vision Forum’s new 2011 catalog is out.  Did you get yours?  I can’t wait for my sources in the warehouse to start bringing home new goodies!  What’s on your wishlist?

part of 31 Days of Procrastination

Filed Under: family, procrastination 1 Comment

Saturday Snapshot

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 14, 2011 By kimc

This week I took up jogging again.  It sounds so easy when I say it like that, but the reality is that I haven’t jogged since I puffed, wheezed and stumbled through the last week of Couch to 5K a year ago.  I’m almost starting from scratch again, and I feel like this when I finish each “jog”:

I’m using a different program this time, and I plan to take it easier.  I put the word jog in quotes because what I’m doing hardly qualifies as jogging: I walk 3.2 mph for 2 minutes, then jog 5.1 mph for 1 minute.  Repeat for a total of 10 cycles, trying to cover 2 1/4 miles in 30 minutes, then collapse in the middle of the road because it’s still 1/4 mile to home, and wave away passing vehicles when they stop to ask if I’m ok.

That’s my current routine.  Fun, huh?  Actually the beautiful fall weather makes it almost fun.

Almost.

Who am I fooling?  I still hate exercise, but I love that I’m feeling better and stronger, and my kids and hubby keep telling me I’m hot. :)

Searches that brought unsuspecting web surfers to our crazy little piece of reality:

  • What’s a small house? - If a kid falls out every time someone opens the front door, you might have a small house.
  • why do scorpions get on beds – The better to sting you, my dear!
  • scorpions hide under pillows – Yes.  Yes, they do.
  • paralyze indecision fear ship empty boxes – I have no idea what that means, but Bob Newhart might be able to help you.
  • girl with spiders living under skin- Hubby had that dream once, and it was way scarier than the zombie apocalypse dream I had last night.  Scarier for me, I mean.  I woke up to him screaming and thrashing around under the sheets.  We still tell that story around the figurative family campfire.
  • how to get my own room in a 3 bedroom house with 4 people in it – Well, you’ve already got a 50-50 chance.  If you’re really serious, I recommend poor personal hygiene and a lot of garlic.

What I’ve been reading, which isn’t much because I was busy getting my ducks in a row for this weekend – oh, but look!  A surprise from Google Reader: all the posts I thought I was sharing last week!

  • Homemade Tutu
    KimC says: OH MY GOODNESS. How many of these do I need to do? How many daughters and nieces under 10yo do I have?
    Homemade Christmas Gift #26: Homemade Tutu This is a no sew gift that any little girl is going to love! Save money by making an inexpensive tutu for your favorite little girl this Christmas. You can find the tutorial here. Don’t miss any of the...
  • Use Pinterest to Find a New ‘Do
    KimC says: Boy do I wish I had seen this before Thursday. Bad haircut day!
    Over the years I’ve used a number of bookmarking methods. Saving the url in my browser, stumbling it, and other such means worked, but sometimes I would forget where I bookmarked it. Pinterest is different. Since it’s visually driven, I tend to...
  • Ten Ways: Leftover Baked Potatoes
    KimC says: With colder weather (i. e. not in the triple digits) we are enjoying potatoes again. Somehow they just sound better in cool weather, don't they?
    (why, yes, I'm on a Cheap Food Posting Kick lately... reducing our grocery costs or making the food we have last lander is on my mind quite a bit these days, and I imagine I'm not the only one!)Ways to use up leftover baked potatoes:1) Topping for S...
  • Said the Spider to the Fly
    KimC says: My favorite part: "In the founding era, the basic orientation was this: 'How can we protect our rights from Congress?' Today, the assumption for many has become: 'How can we have our rights protected by Congress?' Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly.
    When the Constitution first came out of the convention, the opposition to it (as it then was) was identified with the anti-Federalists, led by men like Patrick Henry. The support for it was called Federalist, led by men like James Madison. In the re...
  • Weekend Links: Dominion Theology, Remodeled Room and More
    KimC says: Set aside a few minutes for this article, then come back and tell me what you think. really
    I loved Connie’s “Do You Have 5 Loaves and 2 Fish?“. This idea for Game Storage = Wall Art is much better than my stack of broken game boxes in the closet. (You store all the game pieces behind the board.) If you have your thinking cap on...
  • 4 Moms Memorize {and 2 Giveaways}
    KimC says: I am so glad to find a detailed description of this memorization system! Someone please remind me to actually do it, ok?
    Memorization is something that I’m passionate about and  something that I think is sorely neglected in today’s society. Memorization is an important part of our home school and one of our children’s first subjects. We work on memorization 5...
  • Sam’s Club Seasonal Membership
    KimC says: If I wasn't a loyal and deeply devoted Costco customer, I would jump on this deal.
    If you want a Sam’s Membership for the holidays but don’t want to pay for a full year, you can purchase a 15-week seasonal membership for $15. It is available for purchase between October 4 and 10 and allows new members to shop in-club and onl...
  • Vintage Lace Earring Holder
    KimC says: I made up the same idea over the summer, and it's hanging next to my dresser!
    Homemade Christmas Gift #19: Vintage Lace Earring Holder This is such a great idea and you can reuse old frames/ mirrors in your attic or garage to make it. If you don’t have any old frames check out garage sales or thrift stores. Often times gr...
  • Human Assets v. Human Liabilities
    KimC says: I read this on my phone and the video wouldn't load, but I have a feeling I would have liked it.
    Funny, it wasn’t a popular word when we were growing up, but it’s a most popular term thrown around today. A “worldview” is the way you view the world. We don’t typically “think about” our worldview; it’s really just the way we thin...
  • Granola Recipe: Easy and Healthy Granola Bars or No Bake Cookies | Squawkfox
    KimC says: Oh, yum! I don't have a food processor, but I bet my new Ninja blender could handle the job!
    I have a thing for granola. No, I'm not a trippy hippie. But I do love the healthy simplicity of a delicious granola bar while outside on a hike or as an
  • Mommy Hates Cooking ebook Giveaway
    KimC says: I'm sharing this just because I'm so impressed with the cover of the ebook. If I ever publish an ebook, I want the same designer. Now I have to find out who it is.
    I have talked about menu planning since I first started this site. It is something I have done for years and something I think is important for saving money and saving time. I would go crazy without a menu plan. When Kristy from Mommy Hates Cooking...
  • Couch to 5K
    KimC says: Wondering...should I do this program again? The first time was SO HARD I never want to run again, but I know it would be much easier this time.
    If you follow me on Facebook you have probably read my udaptes about the Couch to 5k program. You might have also read my update earlier this week about how excited I was to actually finish the Couch to 5k program. And not only did I complete it, I...
  • Plugin by 10up

What were some of the highlights of your week?

Filed Under: blogging & technology 2 Comments

Giveaway: Modest Middles nursing tank

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 14, 2011 By kimc

Edited to add winner at bottom.

I posted recently on Facebook about a good sale on something like the Bella Band because I’ve been itching to try one, and a kind reader pointed me toward Modest Middles instead.  After visiting the site, I was instantly in love with the idea and I knew you would be too!

The Modest Middle is the lowest cut tank top you ever saw.  Doesn’t sound very modest, does it?  It might make interesting nightwear.  :)  But here’s the cool part: it’s cut below your bra, so you can pull up your shirt to nurse your baby, while the Modest Middle stays down.  Get it?  Your belly, back and sides are fully covered!
It’s simple and ingenious, and works exactly as described.
Modest Middles are available in black, white, nude and gray in 4 sizes, and are cut just a little longer than most tanks to make sure your midriff stays covered.  The fabric is a lightweight, silky soft, stretchy blend of modal (rayon) and spandex.  If I wasn’t already in love with the idea, the feel of the fabric would have done the trick.  This is an incredibly comfy piece of clothing!
Want to earn a little money to pay for your own Modest Middles?  The referral program pays a generous $8/sale!
MODEST MIDDLES FREE SHIPPING COUPON CODE

Don’t want to wait for the giveaway?  Use the code MM141 to get free shipping on your order now!

THE GIVEAWAY

Amy of Modest Middles has agreed to give one reader her choice of size and color!

To enter the giveaway, do any or all of the following.  Please leave a separate comment here for each entry.  If you are already subscribed to our newsletter, you are automatically entered once!

  1. Leave a comment on this post telling where you would nurse if you had a Modest Middle.
  2. Like Modest Middles on Facebook
  3. Like Life in a Shoe on Facebook
  4. Share this giveaway on Facebook.  There is a button below the post to make it easy for you.
  5. Join the Life in a Shoe newsletter to be automatically entered in every giveaway.  No need to leave a comment for this one!  No spam, we promise.  We haven’t even sent a single newsletter yet.  :)  Note: this is not the same as subscribing to our blog posts.
  6. For 3 bonus entries, blog about this giveaway.  You must include a link to both this post and to Modest Middles. Remember to leave 3 comments for this so you’ll be entered 3 times.

We will take entries until Friday, October 21, then choose a random winner!

This giveaway has ended.  The winning comment was:

Meghan V. says:

I would nurse just about everywhere. It would make it so much more comfortable since I wouldn’t be worried if this or that was showing.

 

Disclosure: I received a free product for review at my request.  I received no other compensation for this post.

Filed Under: giveaways & deals 163 Comments

4 Moms: Keeping the food budget down as the prices go up {linky}

No current giveaway. Shocking, right?

October 13, 2011 By kimc

4 Moms, 35 Kids
Today we’re talking about the food budget.  That’s nothing new: I think everyone in the nation is talking about the rising price of food and what to do about it.  Last year I shared 13 tips to manage the food budget.

There’s a common idea floating around that junk food is cheaper than nutritious food, so our diets must suffer when the budget is pinched.  The writer of this article from the NY Times disagrees, and so do I.

As the price of food goes up, the way we eat is undeniably affected, but not necessarily for the worse.  Instead, we have chosen to shift away from many of the prepared foods that lingered in our diet:

  • Canned beans are now cooked from dried.
  • Spaghetti sauce is made from tomato paste for a fraction of the cost.
  • Ditto for enchilada sauce and…
  • Pizza sauce.
  • I finally kicked the cream-of-mushroom habit and started making white sauce from scratch consistently.
  • Cold cereal is more rare than ever in our house, a treat reserved for especially rushed Sunday mornings.

As the budget shrinks, we cook even more from scratch.  If we want convenience foods, we break out the pressure canner.  We do pinto and black beans often, and have also  tried pizza sauce, enchilada sauce, spaghetti sauce, pumpkin, apple pie filling, chili, jalapeno relish, and chicken bought on sale.

We also keep an eye on the cost of individual meals, shying away from those that cost more than others.

We eat far more beans, are learning to love lentils, and God has provided inexpensive sources of other healthful foods that weren’t even in our diet before now.  We still eat a lot of produce, always sticking to what’s in season and what’s on sale.  Red meat has become a rarity in our house, but that’s ok.  Chicken goes on sale often, and we don’t need meat every day.  Many meals are just as satisfying without the meat: bean & cheese enchiladas, taco salad with seasoned beans instead of taco meat, potato chowder and other hearty soups, fried rice with lots of eggs and veggies.

If beans and legumes aren’t enough, we get plenty of protein from homegrown eggs, from Costco cheese, and milk.  We’re even dabbling in quinoa – not cheap, but also not bad as a source of protein, and lots of fun to cook and eat.  Is it just me, or are the tiny spirals adorable?

The result of rising food prices?  We are eating less prepared foods, less corn syrup, more fiber, and more protein.

How have rising food prices affected your household budget and diet?  How have you responded?  Answer in the comments or link up with your own post.

Please remember the linky rules:

  1. You must link to a specific relevant post on your blog.
  2. Your post must include a link to at least one of the 4 Moms.
  3. The post to which you link must be completely family friendly.

If your link is deleted, you probably didn’t follow one of the rules above. Please feel free to add your link again once you have fixed the problem. If you don’t know why your link was deleted, please ask.

 

Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets — Easy-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
For best results, use HTML mode to edit this section of the post.

The other 4 Moms are talking about it too.

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms:

  • October 20 - How do you find time for projects that need to be done, require focused attention and which the children can’t help with?
  • October 27 - Q&A (watch Facebook for an invitation to post your questions)

Recent topics:

About 4 Moms, including a complete list of all past topics

 

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, food 10 Comments