2012 February

Ruffle neck shirt tutorial!

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February 29, 2012 by Kittykait 18 Comments

Posted by: Kittykait

I made a Pinterest account last week and it’s been making my crafty side feel super energetic! Last night Deanna gave me a v-neck shirt that she didn’t want and I’ve never been terribly fond of v-necks so I decided to experiment with it. Here’s what I came up with:

Notes:

When you mark the neckline it’s best to measure from the sides to make sure it’s even.
Use a zig-zag stitch! I tried with both and the elastic tried to twist out with the straight stitch.
I don’t finish the edges since knits don’t fray, but you can if you like!

This was super easy, cute and fast! It took me less than ten minutes the first time. The best part? The neckline is more modest because it doesn’t sag at all!

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Huh? Category?

Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

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February 28, 2012 by kimc 28 Comments

We love Tex-mex, and I especially love enchiladas. They’re a great way to stretch meat and nobody will even think of complaining. If your family enjoys beans, you can even skip the meat altogether. Some call those Wet Burritos, but I think Bean & Cheese Enchiladas sounds much more appetizing.

To make a good enchilada, you need a good sauce and it’s not hard at all to make it from scratch. You can even make it a day or two ahead of time to make enchiladas a fairly quick & easy dinner.

The stuff that comes from a can will do the job, but once your family tastes your homemade sauce you’ll never get away with the canned variety again. Don’t try this recipe unless you’re willing to give up the canned option. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. By the way, does anyone want a dozen cans of store-bought enchilada sauce?

Easy Enchilada Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 cups broth or bouillon
1 tsp. salt (omit if using bouillon or well-salted broth)
8 oz. tomato sauce

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Add spices and continue to stir until bubbly.

Whisk in broth and bring to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute, until thickened. Stir in tomato sauce.

Makes 5-6 cups, enough for (2) 9×13 pans of enchiladas.

Super-flavor tips:

For extra flavor, skim and save fat when making chicken broth and use a little [fat] in place of part of the butter.

Try sauteing 1/2 diced fresh onion and 4 cloves minced garlic in the butter instead of using the onion and garlic powder.

Filed Under: food

Giveaway and round-up of baby posts

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February 24, 2012 by kimc 101 Comments

This giveaway has ended. The winner was Kate McKinney!

This week’s giveaway is baby themed for a very good reason, and I’m celebrating that reason with a round-up of some of my past baby posts:

All About Parker – Parker’s first birthday post, with updates on his development, personality and lots of photos.
Sleep? What’s that? – In which I desperately long for sleep.
Sleep training: a 10 da y log – In which I futilely try to get a full night’s sleep.
Car seat training – In which I enjoy rather more success, though I don’t get any more sleep than before.
13 uses for receiving blankets – Because I never knew what to do with all those receiving blankets, and maybe others shared my bewilderment.
Something fun and crazy that happened to me when I was expecting our first boy after 7 girls.
Two related polls about how early and how late your babies have started walking.
Video posts highlighting my crazy crawlers, Bethany and Perry. Parker did it too, but we must have forgotten to get him on video.
Sleeping babies Q & A, because before Parker came along I was really good at this.
Birth stories, which make up an entire category.
And finally, the fun way we announced a new pregnancy to the kids, long ago when we were expecting #8.

So…do you know why I chose this particular theme for this week’s giveaway? Did you spot any of the clues I planted over the past week? Or were you already on our mailing list, so you got The Newsletter?

THE GIVEAWAY

63512 s Giveaway and round up of baby posts We’re going to choose one winner to receive Babies, Adoption, and Family Logistics, 24 audio messages from the 2010 Baby Conference!

As always, there are several ways to enter. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry!

Leave a comment on this post.
Leave a second comment on this post about a clue or hint that you spotted. This entry will only count if you’re the first to mention that particular clue, so be as specific as possible, and please mention just one clue to leave more chances for others.
Post about this giveaway on facebook, twitter, and/or your blog. Each counts as a separate entry.
Post about your favorite Vision Forum product on facebook and/or your blog.
Like Vision Forum on Facebook.
Use the little Facebook button to recommend Babies, Adoption and Family Logistics to your FB friends.

I’ll take entries until next Friday, then choose a random winner. Unless I’m too busy throwing up by then. In that case, I’ll be busy taking this advice.

Filed Under: babies, giveaways & deals

4 Moms Q&A

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February 23, 2012 by kimc 17 Comments

It’s time for the monthly Q&A. You’ve got questions, and we’re all wondering if I have answers. Let’s give it a try, shall we?

Q: We just had our first child and are so excited to start our family! We have recently been convicted not to have so much control over the number of children the Lord might want to send, but I’m concerned about my health, and the health of our next baby, if we were to get pregnant again in the next few months. How much time was there between your children since you were able to breast feed? How do you help your body recover between babies?

A: I have always gotten pregnant when my baby is:

a.) taking more food than breastmilk

b.) consistently sleeping through the night

This varies from one woman to the next, but my fertility doesn’t return until both of the above are true. With the first 6, this gave us natural spacing of almost exactly 19 months. Since then our spacing has stretched to about 2 years. I don’t do anything special to help my body recover between babies, but I do try to maintain a generally active lifestyle and healthy diet whether I’m pregnant or not, and I take prenatal vitamins whenever I remember. I’ve been nursing and/or pregnant non-stop since 2 months after my wedding, nearly 20 years ago, so prenatal vitamins are always appropriate!

Q. When you really want another baby how do you keep from pining away for another one and accept what God has for you at that moment? (Seems to me that is almost harder to trust God then than when you aren’t interested in having more.) Also, how do you survive the first trimester blahs?

A. That’s not really something I’ve had to face. I always seem to have another baby before the pining kicks in. I guess I’ve occasionally found myself on the flip side of the coin: learning that I’m pregnant before I feel ready for another baby, especially back when all the kids were little and I already felt overwhelmed with day-to-day life. I quickly learned that my attitude was closely linked to my husband’s: when he was excited, I was. When he felt hesitant, I felt the same way. I think that when we both realized how much his attitude impacted mine, we also realized that we are able and responsible to rule our emotions rather than being led by them. When we resolved to welcome each new addition with unmitigated joy, it just seemed to happen naturally. I know this doesn’t necessarily answer your question, but I do think the key is to rest content in God’s will and His timing. We should bend our heart toward His will, rather than following our heart wherever it leads us. How do I survive the first trimester blahs? Mainly by reminding myself that it only lasts a season. This too shall pass. :)

Q. I need discipline help!!! I already have read your posts and the posts at Raising Olives on the subject. I have also studied the scriptures. I need to make changes in my home, but I would like a concrete example of HOW you USE discipline.

Q. I’ve got baby #5 on the way and trying to deal w/a very defiant 3.5 yr old is leaving me exhausted/flustered. He’s always been more on the energetic, spirited side – so I’m wondering if any of your littles gave you a hard way to go and the way you handled it biblically.

A. I’ll borrow advice from the Headmistress over at the the Common Room, and tell you that offering specific discipline advice online is dangerous business. It’s too easy to misunderstand and be misunderstood. Instead, I would suggest you seek out a Christian family with happy, well-behaved children in your church or other circles. Choose somebody you trust and admire, invite them into your home so they can get to know your family, and ask them. I will tell you this much: we have our share of spirited and strong-willed children, and it’s more important than ever to train them while they are young. A little one who is accustomed to getting his way will become a defiant teen someday, one who towers over his mom (and possibly his dad) and is unwilling to be led by anything but his own desires, determined to learn every lesson the hard way – or not at all. That is not what we want for our children. We’re not in this for ourselves, and the path of least resistance now can lead to hardship and grief for everyone involved in years to come.

Q. How do you teach holiness and purity to your pre-teens/teenagers. What resources do you use other than the Bible (if any). And at what age have you taught the “facts of life”.

A. In a society where nearly every teen has a never-ending chain of boyfriends/girlfriends, it’s not hard to address this topic. It’s all around us, and we have talked about it freely since they were little. We have several books that have proven helpful:

68744 s 4 Moms Q&A The Princess and the Kiss - A loving king and queen present their daughter with a gift from God — her first kiss — to keep or to give away. Amidst a culture that mocks purity and virtue, give your daughters a storybook that beautifully portrays the value of purity and the rewards of waiting on God’s timing. By Jennie Bishop. Hardback. 30 pgs.

83520 s 4 Moms Q&A Before You Meet Prince Charming - How can young people be committed to purity and to God’s best? This guide to radiant purity combines the story of a young princess with solid, clear teaching of biblical convictions that young ladies today need to grasp. Through a captivating fairy tale, modern day examples, practical instruction, and abundant humor, Sarah Mally challenges young ladies to turn to the Lord for fulfillment, to guard their hearts and minds, to identify and avoid the world’s thinking, and to shine brightly in this generation. Beall Phillips writes, “Every young lady desiring to be married one day must read this book! It will challenge you; it will stir you; it will delight you! Most importantly, it will help you practically prepare for one of the most important decisions of your life.” Suggested for young ladies ages 12 and up.

57835 s 4 Moms Q&A What He Must Be…If He Wants to Marry My Daughter - What will you say when that certain young man sits down in your living room, sweaty-palmed and tongue-tied, and asks permission to marry your daughter? What criteria should he meet before the two of them join together for life?

Gratefully, God has given us a clear picture of the role of the husband/father in the home, and in What He Must Be…If He Wants to Marry My Daughter, Dr. Voddie Baucham breaks this picture down into ten desirable qualities. Not only should parents of young women seek these qualities in a son in law, but parents of young men should strive to cultivate these qualities in their sons.

Dr. Baucham, one of the architects of the Family Integrated Church movement, follows up his popular book Family Driven Faith with this compelling, down-to-earth apologetic of biblical manhood.

65842 s 4 Moms Q&A It’s Not That Complicated (we don’t have this yet, but I’m sure it’s great!) - Have you ever been confused about your friendships with boys, or how to handle crushes? How friendly is too friendly? How close is too close? What do you do when a guy is paying you way too much attention? What does it means to be a “sister, in all purity”? And what do guys think about all this?

Guy-girl relationships have always been complicated, but perhaps never more so than they are today. So, what’s a girl to do about boys?

Download Sample Chapter

Enter It’s (Not That) Complicated: How to Relate to Guys in a Healthy, Sane and Biblical Way — a new book by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin.

In this engaging work, these sisters take a humorous, hopeful, and deeply thought-provoking new look at guy-girl relationships in our times. Dealing practically with real-life complications such as online interaction, Hollywood expectations, undefined relationships, and unrequited love, the Botkins share important biblical principles that will help young ladies be sisterly, confident, and edifying as they interact with young men.

83452 s 4 Moms Q&A What Our Father Taught Us about Boys - How can young ladies keep their hearts pure? What responsibilities do they have toward young men? Is it possible to be “just friends?” Listen to practical advice on navigating the tricky waters of relationships with boys, and how these relationships—properly conducted—can be edifying and strengthening to a civilization that honors marriage and family life.

To answer your other question, the 4 Moms posted about how we teach the facts of life last May. I, for one, was very amused by the wildly different approaches among our 4 families, since we all seem to agree so often on so many topics.

Q. tell me about your children going out an getting jobs now that they are coming to that age

A. Perry is blessed to work at a truly family-friendly place of business, where the children have been able to go to work with him regularly for years. When they are younger, they do it for fun and toys, but as they get older they are added to the payroll and earn a very fair hourly wage. They love working with their dad and relish their time in “the real world.” They have learned a wide variety of skills, made more friends than they can count, and earned more money than any teen needs, giving them the opportunity to invest, build up savings accounts and learn about money management. Now that some of the older girls have learner’s permits, working with dad an hour from home also gives them time to practice driving. This makes me happy, since it means less time for me in the passenger seat with brand-new drivers. ;)

The other moms are taking questions today, too.

Smockity Frocks

Common Room

Raising Olives

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms:

March 1 - Teaching writing (composition)
March 8 – (food related topic)
March 15 – How to save memories without being overrun

Recent topics:

February 9 - 4 Moms eat too many sweets {dessert linky}
February 2 - 4 Moms share encouraging verses and stories
January 26 - 4 Moms Q&A: Life with littles, dating, happy helpers
January 19 - 4 Moms on buying and storing all those clothes {linky}

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

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, questions

When Motherhood seems too hard

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February 22, 2012 by kimc 3 Comments

I gave Kelly’s new ebook a plug on Facebook when she released it yesterday, but Perry called from work this morning to gently admonish me. He reminded me how eagerly many of you received my Life With Littles and encouragement For Tired Young Mothers of Many posts. ”Don’t you think Kelly’s book would strike a chord with your blog readers?”

I think he was right. He usually is.

Kelly Crawford of Generation Cedar has a new ebook for moms, and the title alone is perfect: Devotions, Advice & Renewal for When Motherhood Feels Too Hard. Isn’t that every day?

When Motherhood Feels Too Hard is the daily inspiration you need to not just get through a day, but to FLOURISH as a mother, to build a home, and to ignite a passion in your children that will impact the next generation for the glory of God!

If the title wasn’t enough, I would be totally sold on Jennie Chancey’s review:

“This eBook is Kelly’s “cup of cold water” to mothers. We all need refreshment and encouragement when the hard days come, and Kelly has provided bite-sized (but meaty and thought-provoking) daily devotionals that urge us to take our calling as mothers seriously but remember at the same time that we are vessels of clay in need of God’s filling. These words are true whether you are the mother of one or the mother of ten! Thank you, Kelly, for sharing your beautiful insights into the calling of motherhood “from the trenches!” -Jennie Chancey, Ladies Against Feminism

When Motherhood Feels Too Hard is available as an instant download (PDF) or for your Kindle. I’ll be starting my copy very soon. Anyone want to join me?

Filed Under: books and poetry, Christian living, mom needs sleep, parenting, reviews

Adrenal update

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February 21, 2012 by kimc 28 Comments

About 2 weeks ago I asked what you all knew about adrenal fatigue, and you came to my rescue with more info than I could absorb in an adrenally fatigued lifetime!

I couldn’t help believing adrenal fatigue was the latest fad and I hated to jump on every bandwagon that passes my way, but I really do think we’re onto something here. Even though we often live a lifestyle that appears healthy on the surface, I think moms of many are habitually sleep deprived and pulled in too many directions to think much about ourselves. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – I think much sanctification comes by children, and most of us would do well to think a little less about ourselves – but maybe it is hard on our health.

I’m a pretty easy-going person. I’ve never felt like a stressful person, but I know that when I’m surrounded by circumstances that would be stressful to a higher strung person, I get heart palpitations and tachycardia that can last for days on end. I also know that if I step back and look objectively, I had multiple sources of stress in my life over the past 2 years, often piled one on top of the other. I thought I was handling things well, but maybe my body disagreed.

I had that conversation with my mom last week and learned that she feels exactly the same way. We don’t feel stressed emotionally or psychologically, but our bodies feel it and react nonetheless.

My conclusion: I was suffering from a combination of mild adrenal fatigue and some early signs of what a dear friend calls, “Mad Cow Disease.” I’ll let you guess what that means, but I’m almost 40.

I say was because I’m feeling better already. For better or worse, I took a shotgun approach and made about a dozen changes all at once, so it’s hard to say which ones or how many are actually making a difference.

I cut back on sugar and caffeine. Except dark chocolate. We all know that’s good for you, and I don’t want to do anything detrimental to my health.
I am making a serious effort to get more sleep. It’s not entirely in my hands, but I can certainly do my part.
On my midwife’s advice, I started taking an adrenal supplement. I don’t want to be hooked on an expensive supplement and I wouldn’t be too quick to credit this except that my blood pressure, which normally runs in the comatose range, is suddenly very normal. That has never happened to me – not during stressful times, not during pregnancy, not during labor, not in rain or shine, sleet, hail or snow…you get the idea. I just woke up one morning about 5 days after I started taking the supplement and I was normal.
Progesterone should be helping with any signs of Mad Cow Disease.
I’m faithfully taking my Supermom vitamins plus a B complex and D3.
I plan to start walking regularly again. I have a tendency to exercise hard or not at all, and I don’t go outdoors nearly as much as I should. This winter has been warm and beautiful, and I’m a fool not to be outside at every chance.

As I mentioned, I’m feeling better already. I didn’t feel terrible to begin with – I just didn’t have the energy that I think I should. With an unprecedented gap after our last baby, I should feel like Wonder Woman. Instead, I felt like I was trapped in the first trimester of a pregnancy – you, know, that part where you always feel like you need another nap? Now I feel like it’s closer to where it should be. Thanks for all your help and advice, and I hope some other tired mama can learn from this like I did.

Filed Under: mom needs sleep

Giveaway: The Last Pilgrims book

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February 17, 2012 by kimc 86 Comments

This giveaway has ended. Scroll to the bottom to see who won!

It’s been too long since our last giveaway, and this week we’re going to get started again with something a little different and fun for Life in a Shoe, but the off-grid lifestyle holds a strong appeal for many people. Michael Bunker’s non-fiction book on the subject, Surviving Off Off-Grid: Decolonizing the Industrial Mind, received very positive reviews.

Now he has a fictional offering in a similar vein: The Last Pilgrims, scheduled for release on Feb. 24.

About the Book

More than your typical post-apocalyptic fare, The Last Pilgrims could well be one of the most important and prescient novels of our time. Twenty years in the future is five-hundred years in the past. It is just two decades after the worldwide societal collapse and the Vallenses, an Amish-like “plain people” living and surviving in what was once Central Texas, are under attack by the King of Aztlan and his armies. The pacifistic Vallenses are defended by the shadowy Ghost Militia and their inspiring leader Phillip, a militant freeman who wages a guerilla war with Aztlan.

Jonathan Wall and the thriving agrarian community of Vallenses have prospered by living the simple and sustainable ways of the past. In a massively depopulated world, balkanization is a reality and monarchy is back. A corrupt kingdom arises, led by a king who cannot abide freemen on lands that he covets. Just as the Vallenses send off a plea to the benevolent King of the South States, a mysterious assassin misses his target: Jonathan Wall.

Phillip “the Ghost” is on a personal mission to save the Vallenses – even if it is against their will, while Jonathan’s own son David and his fearless teenage daughter Ruth are led to challenge their pacifistic upbringing and question whether or not the time has come for the Vallenses to fight for the land, the people, and the God they love.

The Last Pilgrims is a modern re-telling of the forgotten history of the Ancient Waldenses – simple farmers who lived in the valleys of the Alps for hundreds of years despite repeated attempts to annihilate them. Full of tragedy, adventure, humor, and love, The Last Pilgrims is a rare post-apocalyptic saga that takes history and casts it into the future, while examining that future in light of the errors of the present and the past.

Check out the YouTube trailer. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but let’s be honest: how many books have a trailer this cool?

This book is brand new, but reviews from previewers are already looking good. I really like the last part of this review, where the blogger describes The Four Things I Appreciated Most About The Last Pilgrims:

The period piece feel of the book. I am a sucker for period pieces, historical fiction, historical non-fiction, and any book that tells a good story with historical context weaved throughout. The Last Pilgrims actually takes place in the future, but because of the agrarian setting is feels like 500 years in the past.

Discusses a “collapse” without the paranoia. The story is set twenty years after the breakdown of the industrial society that we know today. Because of this it would be really easy for it to slip into the crazy conspiracy theory and paranoia-oriented post-apocalyptic fiction genre. Fortunately, Mr. Bunker writes the scenario in a very realistic, matter-of-fact way that focuses more on the sustainability of this new life than it does the paranoid zombie conspiracy theories.

Action as part of a good plot line. I almost never reach for an action-packed thriller first when I need a good read. Perhaps this is the reason I was a bit skeptical of the book. It’s not you, it’s me. But I was really pleased to find the action, battles, and suspense in The Last Pilgrims done tastefully and not at the cost of character development or a real, engaging plot line.

Humor balances the drama. Humor is used throughout the book, mostly via witty banter between the characters. This makes the storyline just feel more real, engaging, and light enough to balance out the very real and serious drama playing out.

From another review:

“Fantastic writing… excellent, well-crafted and imaginative…

It is rare that someone has such aptitude to interweave so many elements into their work, that it not only conveys a very important message, but it is also a true pleasure to read. Your well-developed characters, the really well considered plot, timing and flow of narrative have really helped in creating a true masterpiece. You really made me stop and think about a life that is possibly lurking not far in the future, when having almost instant access to people, places and material possessions would be impossible.

- Natasha

THE GIVEAWAY

Interested? You can enter to win your own paperback copy of this book! There are several ways to enter. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each one.

Leave a comment here.
Link to this giveaway on your blog, facebook, and/or twitter.
Link to The Last Pilgrims on your blog, facebook, and/or twitter.
Like The Last Pilgrims on Facebook.
Remember, if you have joined the mailing list for the Life in a Shoe newsletter, you are automatically entered in every giveaway!

I’ll take entries through Thursday and will announce a random winner on Friday, February 24 – the day the book will be released.

This giveaway has ended. The winner was newsletter subscriber, Britton!

Filed Under: books and poetry, giveaways & deals

4 Moms on sibling relationships: bullying, arguing, bickering

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February 16, 2012 by kimc 6 Comments

4moms35kids 4 Moms on sibling relationships: bullying, arguing, bickering

If you want to know how to avoid sibling squabbles, I have to confess I don’t have the answer to this question. We have our share of bickering and bossiness. I like to think our children are best friends and get along wonderfully, but that doesn’t mean they are perfect. They bicker and squabble over the most ridiculous things. They remind me of a couple of other sinners I know, whom the children also happen to look like.

The important thing is that they also admit fault, ask forgiveness, and keep being best friends. In a coincidence of astounding proportions, this is also a very accurate description of the relationship between me and my sweetheart.

The fact that we don’t set a perfect example doesn’t mean we are allowed or obligated to tolerate or condone strife and contention in others. It means we need to take the problem all the more seriously, beginning with ourselves but doing our best to nip it in the bud with the children as well.

The Bible has a lot to say about strife, contention, and those who cause it.

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Proverbs 29:22 A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.

Proverbs 20:3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.

Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

When we correct the kids, we emphasize that one person’s sinful attitude does not justify the sins of another. We are each responsible for our own sins. At the same time, when arguments happen I try to impress upon each child that she probably could have ended or defused the situation by exercising humility, and her pride led her sibling deeper into sin as well.

83524 s 4 Moms on sibling relationships: bullying, arguing, bickering Book recommendation: Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends

Website description:

This painfully honest, hilarious book offers a creative look at how to build relationships between siblings. The goal is not just for brothers and sisters to get along, but to be best friends. Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally reinforce, in a fresh and innovative way, the very principles we parents talk about daily with our children. Each sibling wrote a section of every chapter, offering their unique perspective, with riotous personal anecdotes, all related to how the three of them became best friends. We read a few pages every day, and I am always delightfully surprised by how well the children remember and apply what we have read.

See what the other moms are doing about the problem:

Smockity Frocks

Common Room

Raising Olives

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms:

February 23 – Q&A (watch Facebook on Wednesday for your chance to ask a question)
March 1 - Teaching writing (composition)
March 8 – (food related topic)
March 15 – How to save memories without being overrun

Recent topics:

February 9 - 4 Moms eat too many sweets {dessert linky}
February 2 - 4 Moms share encouraging verses and stories
January 26 - 4 Moms Q&A: Life with littles, dating, happy helpers
January 19 - 4 Moms on buying and storing all those clothes {linky}

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

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, parenting

Cultural views of debt and children

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February 15, 2012 by kimc 7 Comments

edit: code is now fixed. Sorry for the trouble!

I shared this on Facebook, but I was so tickled with Kaitlyn’s Photoshop work that I didn’t want those of you who are not on Facebook to miss it.

The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing, but in our culture we apply for a curse and reject blessings. Something is wrong with this picture. ~Doug Phillips

Like it? Grab the code:

<a href=”http://inashoe.com/2012/02/cultural-views-of-debt-and-children/”><image src=”http://inashoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/babies-vs-debt.jpg” width=”248″></a>

Or view the image on Life in a Shoe’s Facebook page to share it.

Filed Under: worldview

4 Moms eat too many sweets {dessert linky}

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February 9, 2012 by kimc 23 Comments

4moms35kids 4 Moms eat too many sweets {dessert linky} OK, that’s not exactly the topic we agreed on. We were going to talk about desserts. If you must know, I’m projecting. I eat too many sweets. I like to skip the bread and rice and potatoes and all those evil empty carbs not so I can have a healthy diet, but so I can eat more dessert. There. The truth is out.

I occasionally serve a healthy dessert, but to be quite honest they just don’t go over well. I try to serve a healthy and well-rounded diet, but when the healthy invades the desserts, worlds collide and bad things happen. I don’t want to be responsible for a tear in the time-space continuum.

When it comes to desserts, we don’t serve them often but we have a few favorites that we always come back to. I asked the kids if this was because we were boring or because those particular treats were so amazing, and was relieved to hear them answer correctly. Yes, we love our Chocolate Peanut Butter No-bake cookies, toffee candy, brownies, and wacky cake. We also love chocolate chip cookie dough, homemade, with or without the chocolate chips.

Since I have already shared the first 2 recipes, today I’ll share my own personal brownie recipe and my grandma’s Depression era Wacky Cake.

Moist Fudgy Brownies from scratch

3 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts, opt.

Combine eggs, butter, cocoa, sugar and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add flour, salt and walnuts and stir again.

Bake in a buttered 9×13 for 25-30 minutes at 350, just until done in the center. Serve warm.

Grandma’s Wacky Cake (also called Crazy Cake)

A rich, delicious Depression era recipe that contains no eggs, milk or butter. I think everyone’s grandma had a recipe like this.

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
6 Tbs. cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup oil
2 cups water
2 Tbs. vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla

In an ungreased 9×13 pan, combine dry ingredients. Mix with a fork until thoroughly combined. Be sure to get the corners!

Add water, vinegar and vanilla all at once. Mix thoroughly again.

Bake 35 minutes at 350 or just until cake tests done. Don’t ice it, because the soft moist top is the best part! To make it special, dust with powdered sugar.

The other moms are offering serving up sweets too:

Got desserts of your own to share? Share in the comments or link up with us!

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Upcoming topics for 4 Moms:

Nuthin’ here. I admit it. I am a deadbeat. Hit me with a rotten tomato.

Recent topics:

February 2 - 4 Moms share encouraging verses and stories
January 26 - 4 Moms Q&A: Life with littles, dating, happy helpers
January 19 - 4 Moms on buying and storing all those clothes {linky}
January 12 – 4 Moms: snacks and appetizers for a crowd {linky}

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

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, food

Adrenal fatigue: what do you know?

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February 8, 2012 by kimc 48 Comments

I mentioned on Facebook last week that my midwife was testing me for anemia. What?? You don’t follow Life in a Shoe on Facebook? Why not?

Anyway, I was at my midwife’s office last week for a blood draw. This was my idea, not hers, because I am not currently seeing her for any other conditions including pregnancy. That’s mainly because I am not, to the best of my knowledge, pregnant.

More accurately, it was Perry’s idea. He thinks I have been rather more tired than usual over the past few months. I’m not sure that’s true, but I am sure that I have more confidence in his observation than in my own memory or perception, especially if I’m unusually tired.

This was the first time I have EVER been stuck twice for a single draw. I have fabulous veins, and have been told by various people in a non-creepy way that I would make a great drug addict. If I liked needles and had higher blood pressure, I might also make a great blood/plasma donor. As you’ll see, low blood pressure can be a problem when you’re trying to get something out of a vein.

When she stuck the needle right into my clearly exposed bright blue vein, nothing happened in the little vial.

“Hmm,” she said. ”That’s odd. I thought it went right into the vein.” After a little wriggling and jabbing of the needle, we had nothing more than a few pathetic drops. ”I’m so sorry. I’ll have to try again.” Poke. Still very little action in the vial.

I began to think that instead of anemia, she should check me for a pulse. Death causes lethargy, right? I squeezed a squishy ball with my hand repeatedly in an effort to bleed compliantly, but it was slow going. My blood pressure always runs low, but apparently I needed to drink more water that morning. Looking at the thick dark sludge in the vial, I had to wonder if she was going to reconstitute it before sending to the lab.

After a long time, she smiled brightly and told me that the quarter vial she had would be plenty.

A few days later, the results are in: my bloodwork is beautiful. No anemia here. (Does anyone know if mild temporary dehydration could skew the results?)

With anemia ruled out, I need to look at other possibilities.

What do you know about adrenal fatigue? My midwife suggested that as a second possibility. I have enough symptoms to make it a strong possibility, but I also get the impression that doctors don’t necessarily think it’s a real ailment and everyone could have the symptoms on the lists I’m seeing. (Do you crave sweet and/or salty and/or high protein and/or high fat foods? Do you sometimes stay up too late, and have a hard time getting started in the morning? Really? You too? No way!!!)

Of course it could also be the fact that I have been pregnant, nursing, or both for over 19 years without a break.

It could be because I am quickly creeping up on my 5th decade. Er, that would be the 40′s. Just like the 1900′s were actually the 20th century. I’m not 50, though I like to think I would look great for my age if I were.

It could be the fact that my still-nursing 20mo baby only recently started sleeping through the night, and only in the loosest sense. He still wakes often, and winds up in my bed more than what I would call “occasionally,” but less than “frequently.” Is there a word for that?

It could be because although the baby is finally beginning to sleep a little better at night, the other young children are not. I get at least one or two visitors each night, and on a busy night my bedroom looks more like a fast food drive through:

“I need a drink of water.”

“I need you to turn on the bathroom light.”

“Bethany has my blanket.”

“I’m scared of that little green guy on that cartoon I watched when I was 4.”

“Pant, pant, pant.” Stare… (that’s the dog)

“Parker won’t sleep.”

“I need you to turn on the bathroom light.”

“I can’t sleep.”

“Are you asleep?”

“The dogs pooped all over the living floor and I stepped in it.”

Gee, I don’t know why I’m so tired all the time. Adrenal fatigue, or is it just life? Or are they both the same?

Filed Under: Huh? Category?, mom needs sleep

Comparing online tax preparation companies: H&R Block vs. Turbo Tax

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February 4, 2012 by kimc 20 Comments

I’m getting ready to file my tax return for last year. We think that income tax should be abolished – after all, America grew and prospered all the way into the 20th century without an income tax – but we do the standard American tax ritual.

We have filed our tax return online for many years, and we went back and forth between Turbo Tax and H&R Block. We had no problems with either, and both were very easy to use. Both asked all the relevant questions and walked me through the process online, step by step, allowing me to save my progress and pick up where I left off if I didn’t want to do it all in one sitting.

One year when we had a particularly complicated return – several businesses and an out-of-state rental that we owned – I used both sites to compute our taxes and compared the results before actually filing the return. H&R Block found a deduction that Turbo Tax missed, changing our refund by $300 for the better. Since then, we’ve used H&R Block but I try to compare the 2 regularly and nearly always come up with the same numbers.

I love that both offer free filing, and even if you have too much income to qualify for free filing, each lets you go all the way through the process and only requires payment when it’s time to hit the Submit button.

Here’s my question for you: Do you think people who file online are crazy? Have you used either or both? Which do you prefer? I would love to have your input in the poll below, and I would love to hear more about your opinion and/or experience in the comments! Maybe you can convince me that I don’t need to take time to fill out my tax refund twice, if there is a clear winner.

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The links above are affiliate links, so if you use either company through the link I’ll get a commission. If you want to give them a try but don’t want to use the affiliate links, direct links are below. Don’t worry; I’ll never know the difference. :)

H&R Block

Turbo Tax

Filed Under: blogging & technology, frugal

Homesteading giveaway with 6 prizes!

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February 3, 2012 by kimc 7 Comments

We have 2 new sponsors in our sidebar – one is Living the Answer, which offers an online essay class that 2 of our children are loving. The other is Grandpa Jake’s Campfire Cooker.

Homesteading giveaway with 6 prizes!

Remember when we hosted a giveaway for that amazing handcrafted all-wood drying rack?

Homesteading giveaway with 6 prizes!
There’s a giveaway going on now for not just a Homestead Drying Rack, but 5 other homesteading-related prizes including the campfire cooker! Forgotten Way Farms has passed the drying rack business to another family, but they have some very fun and interesting new items, and the 2 families are celebrating by sponsoring a giveaway with over $300 in gifts!

Go the the Forgotten Way Farms blog to enter the giveaway. Here’s what is up for grabs over there:

Six Prizes – Six chances to win

Grandpa Jakes Campfire Cooker ($139.00 value)
One handcrafted Peddler drying rack (49.00)
Homesteading for Beginners vol. I- II-III ($45.00)
Plunger Washer ($29.00)
Erin’s Super Green Drink Mix 1 lb. ($25.00)
Erin’s Sick Tea ½ lb. ($17.00)

I don’t know about you, but I think Grandpa Jake’s Campfire Cooker looks like a lot of fun. I also think the Plunger Washer looks interesting, but I might have a revolt on my hands if the kids even suspected we were getting rid of the washing machine any time soon. Not that we are thinking of getting rid of the washer [glances furtively about]…

Homesteading giveaway with 6 prizes!

There are several ways to enter and the giveaway ends soon, so get going! What are you hoping to win?

Filed Under: giveaways & deals

4 Moms share encouraging verses and stories

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February 2, 2012 by kimc 6 Comments

This week the 4 Moms are talking about Scriptures and/or stories we rely on for comfort/encouragement as a homeschooling family. I saw this subject on our collective spreadsheet months ago and again a few weeks ago when I added it to the list of upcoming topics. Nonetheless, right now I’m saying, “Huh? What are we talking about? Whose idea was this?”

One Bible verse that I think of very often is Proverbs 14:23:

In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty

Although we all want to do things “the right way,” it’s generally not necessary to know and practice the very best method so long as we are working steadily toward a goal. God will bless our honest imperfect efforts to serve Him. We can take great comfort in this! This applies in homeschooling as well as other areas of life.

Another passage that helps us keep our focus is known as the schema in Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

⁴Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

⁵And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

⁶And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

⁷And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

⁸And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

⁹And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

This defines our goal and our method. If we are teaching them to evaluate everything they think, do and believe from a Biblical worldview – and giving them the tools to do so – we are succeeding.

I don’t know if this qualifies or not, but I also have a little anecdote I often share with nervous new homeschoolers who wonder if they should be worried when their children are “behind.”

Deanna was an early talker with a huge vocabulary and an amazing memory. At 12 months, she knew and used 150 words. If you doubt me, I can provide the list from her baby book. She didn’t start putting them together until the thoroughly typical age of 18 months, but by then she had a very nice vocabulary to work with and rapidly became thoroughly conversant.

I thought she was brilliant, and she was. However, it slipped my attention that while she was accomplishing milestones with great fanfare and expertise, she was still doing them very much on schedule.

Because she was brilliant, we started working on reading early. I made a set of flashcards, and she learned all the sounds of the letters in 20 quick sessions over the course of 10 days – before she was 20 months old. She was going to read before she was 3. I was sure of it!

But when we moved on to putting the sounds together, she just didn’t get it. She wasn’t ready.

I put the reading supplies away for about 6 months to work on other things, and then we tried again. Still no progress.

We repeated this process many times over the following years. I didn’t try very long or hard each time; I knew there was no concrete rule that a child must read by age 5, and I didn’t want to push too hard. We had other ways to learn. I spent a lot of time reading aloud to Deanna and her sisters. Her vocabulary and communication skills grew. Her memory was stunning. She was highly intelligent, but just couldn’t put the sounds together to read. The point:

She wasn’t ready until she was ready.

The ability to read is closely tied to certain developmental milestones, and she had to reach them before she could really make progress. At 6, it finally clicked. She went from zero to Tolkien in 6 months, and has been a voracious reader ever since.

Sure, the right program and a lot of time and effort on both our parts might have provided the crutch we needed to get her over that hurdle ahead of time, but she was able to cross it with ease when she was ready. I have heard it said about potty training that you can start early and be finished by 24 months, or you can wait til the baby is 2 and do it in a few days. Our experience with reading has been much the same.

There. Are you comforted and/or encouraged?

The other moms are offering encouragement too:

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms:

February 9 - note to self: check the schedule. Oh, er…hello!

Recent topics:

January 12 – 4 Moms: snacks and appetizers for a crowd {linky}
January 7 - 4 Moms: Teaching grammar
December 15 - 4 Moms: Gift shopping for a crowd
December 8 - 4 Moms’ favorite holiday recipes {linky}

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

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, homeschooling

How I chose my new gun

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February 1, 2012 by kimc 86 Comments

I got to choose a new gun for Christmas. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Gun sales reached an all-time high during the 2011 holiday season, so maybe you are the odd one because you didn’t get a gun.

This wasn’t my first gun. When I was 15, my dad bought me a Smith & Wesson model 19 .357 Combat Magnum with a nickel finish and a 2.5″ barrel. I loved it then, and I still love it just as much. I was annoyed at the time when he handed it to me then immediately announced that I was required to buy new grips to replace the cheap wood ones out of my own very limited funds, but when I complied I found that I loved the gun twice as much. As usual, Dad was right. My Hogue Monogrip made it feel and sound and shoot like an entirely different weapon, and it was beautiful.

My old gun has a big frame which makes it very comfortable to shoot. The weight helps absorb the recoil, unlike the smaller lightweight guns designed for carrying and concealing. There’s a downside to a big gun, though. Although I usually wear it around the house, it’s heavy and very tricky to conceal in normal clothing.

I recently visited some gun shows looking for a holster that would allow me to conceal my gun. Responses ranged from raised eyebrows to, “Honey, you’ve got a hand cannon. You’re not going to hide that!”

I got my concealed carry license over a year ago, and I was thrilled at the prospect of having a gun I could actually conceal, so I wasted no time in choosing my new gun. First I had to decide whether I would get a semi-automatic or another revolver. Although I’m becoming more comfortable and familiar with semi-automatics, I’ve always believed that revolvers are the way to go when it comes to self-defense, at least for me.

I assume that if I ever have to use a gun in a situation like that, I’m very likely to be in a big hurry and great danger. I don’t want to have to chamber a round and fumble for the safety before I can fire. I don’t want the possibility of a jam in the back of my mind. I know that familiarity makes all of that much faster and many people carry semi-automatics with a round already in the chamber, but I love the simplicity of point-and-shoot. No chance that it’s going to jam. No need to remember if the safety is on or off. And many people believe that the curves of a revolver make them easier to conceal on a woman’s curvy body.

After talking to Perry and doing a little research, I knew that I wanted a .38 special. It provided enough stopping power to satisfy Perry but was light and compact enough that I was confident I could conceal it effectively. With a model rated for higher powered +P ammunition, a .38 special has almost the same power as a 9mm.

{The belt is for my .357 on the back of my hip. I don’t normally wear 2 guns, but I put the other on for these pics. Can you see the concealed .38 special? I thought not.}

{Now you can see the .357, but the .38 is still well-hidden, especially if you don’t know that I have it in the first place.}

I looked at and handled the revolvers in Academy Sports, Bass Pro Shop, and several other stores and learned that I loved the shrouded hammer feature found in certain models. It was one less thing to snag when the gun is being worn or drawn, making for faster draws and less chance of accidental fire.

I started my online research by looking at endless reviews. I learned that a review alone is nearly meaningless, since the gun is usually provided free of charge to writers. They want to keep ‘em coming, so reviews on any model are positive almost without exception. That’s not to say that they aren’t honest opinions; maybe reviewers decline to write about the ones they can’t recommend enthusiastically. I do the same on my blog when I review items that I received free.

However, these reviews were limited in how much they could help with my decision. Of course gun lovers are going to love nearly every gun, but which gun was the best choice for me?

Instead, I searched for comparisons between the models I was considering. Now I could see how they stacked up against one another. I could begin to see who loved particular models over others, and why. I could see where each model really stood out, and where it was not quite the best.

Finally, I was ready to make my choice. I wanted a Ruger LCR. It was lightweight, compact, rated for +P loads, and was supposed to have the best trigger on the market. Not a short or light trigger, which could make accidental discharge a concern, but a long smooth pull on the trigger that would make a high level of accuracy possible. I liked the night sights, but Perry encouraged me to spring for the laser sight in spite of the steep premium. With a small gun like this, a red dot shining on the bad guy can increase the psychological impact, giving a potential victim more time to act while also improving her accuracy in a panic situation.

Thanks to Google Shopping, I found that online prices were far lower than local. I was able to buy my gun online and have it shipped to a local dealer, who charged $25 for his service as a mediator. My gun arrived in a few days, and my background check was consisted of a brief phone call when I went to pick it up. I was able to go home that day with my new baby.