Thrift Schooling

Most of us have heard of the story of  Jonah and the Big Fish. It's quite common actually. If I do a post about Jonah I'd probably be preaching to the choir. But honestly when we think of Jonah what are the first things that come to mind? Well, disobedience for one. When faced with a situation that I don't really want to do for the Lord I usually think in the back of my mind, "I don't want to be a Jonah." Really, I don't because through that story we do learn that God will have his way, despite us. God wanted the people of Nineveh to repent. And sure, God himself could simply turn their hearts towards Him, but He chose to use a man. A man who was called. I also think about how crazy it must have been for Jonah to seriously be willing to jump from the boat once he realized the storm was happening because of his disobedience. Rather than allowing all the people of the ship to suffer he was willing to kill himself? I mean in reality that is what was happening...

Purex plus Fabric Softener and Crystals fragrance has the same great quality as other Purex products. The Dirt Lift Action assures you that your clothes will stay bright, white and clean! It's funny because I really am a big fan of making my own laundry soap. It's easy, inexpensive and  a great skill to teach the kids. But even so, there are times when I like to have a bottle on hand of store bought soap. Purex is a perfect fit for us because it is inexpensive compared to other brands yet it works great!  If you are interested in trying it out enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win  3 BOTTLES OF PUREX WITH CRYSTALS! a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer: Purex Provided me with a free sample of Purex with Crystals for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

When I had newborns I would always use the typical hair/body wash when cleaning my kids. It was so much easier than having to use both shampoo AND a body wash. None of my kids had a whole lot of hair anyways, so it just made sense to use one product. Well, when it comes to bath time I am still that way. I tend to lean towards products that are universal. For a while we would use soap for their bodies and shampoo for their hair but it would always irritate their eyes! I was excited to try Dial Kids Body and Hair Wash   with my five and six year old to see how it would work. They loved it! We received the green bottle, the watermelon scent which smelled wonderful! Formulated for ages 6 and up, it provides  them with a sense of responsibility while getting the job done! Whether they use a loofah or washcloth, it suds up great and works well!  Enter HERE for a chance to WIN $1,000!!!            Enter the Raffl...

When I first found out that the opportunity to review  Home School in the Woods was available, I jumped all over the opportunity. A friend of mine began using this curriculum with her multi-aged kids and I was excited to give it a try!  My oldest is only in first grade so the best fit for us was the  Great Empires  activity  study geared towards  elementary aged children.  The Great Empires Study can be purchased either in CD format or download. All materials are printed out (craft and activity supplies are purchased separately).  DOWNLOAD Version: $18.95 CD Version: $19.95 PRINTABLES INCLUDE ~ History Lessons For 14 Great Empires ~ Activity Pages Summarizing All Activities Provided For Each Great Empire ~ Activity Directions Giving Detailed Steps For Each Activity Provided In The Lessons ~ Timeline And Timeline Figures That Tie All 14 Empires Together Throughout History ~ Maps For Each Empire And A World ...

The whole idea of making my own bread used to scare me.  It was that dreaded word. T-I-M-E  I just didn't have it.  And if you want to make your own bread, it is a necessity.  I would think about it. And even tried it once or twice. But never fell in love with the whole idea. I mean. I can just go to the store and buy it myself. But.  It is just.not.the.same! Well, the time came when I had 3 kids, all UNDER the age of 4.  Yeah.  Lots of naps, schedules etc, etc. Which, for me, meant I was home. A lot. This was about the time I took up blogging, since I was home anyways. But I also started experimenting in the kitchen. Making something yummy for my husband to enjoy when the kids were all in bed started to become a fun hobby. At the top of the list, still is homemade pita and hummus.  Yum! Simple and delicious. Yes, you read that right. Simple. As long as the fact that you need about 3 hours f...

Sometimes you need to just go to the beach. Even if it is five hours away. And only for a day!  That is exactly what we did recently. And it was loooong overdue. A family vacation that is. Rather than spending time waiting, and planning, and getting off of work. We took one day, when we had no plans or work, or anything and just drove to the beach. For a day. It was awesome. The kids came back with buckets of seashells, two hermit crabs and a shark egg. My husband and I came back refreshed. I guess it's kind of like the concept of the 20 minute power nap. Even though there are those days you wish you could get a good two hour nap in, sometimes all you need is that perfect power nap and you are good to go! So do it, rather than waiting around for that "perfect" opportunity, just go make something happen and you might be surprised at the results!

Summer is right around the corner so why not celebrate now by giving your laundry a fun and exciting tropical scent! When I first poured the Tropical Splash Purex detergent into my washer I was impressed with both the neon-looking color and the tropical smell! This detergent is part of the Purex Brand Natural Elements line! This particular fragrance is scented with exotic fruits like pineapple and coconut! It can deliver bright, white and clean laundry with the power of naturally sourced ingredients! The detergent works in all types of washers including High Efficiency.  What You'll Love  About Purex Natural Elements Hypoallergenic Dye Free Formulated For Sensitive Skin Nature Inspired Fragrance Dirt Lift Action Available in 50 oz 75oz and 100oz  Enter To Win!  Enter the Rafflecopter Below to WIN your own 3 Bottles of Purex Natural Elements!!!! a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer: Purex Brand Provided me with a samp...

I enjoy the layout of the Sale Camel deal site. On the right is a list of your daily deals with items ranging from stylish cell phone cases to men's wetsuits. Popular items are on the top of the page with fun accessories such as beanies and trendy sunglasses. My favorite feature is their LOCAL DEALS section. What I like about this is that I actually found a deal for my obscure tiny city. Usually with local deal sites it takes me to the closest large city in my search. I was able to find a local restaurant with a deal for $6 off of a $15 meal! Other features include internet coupons and links to their latest blog posts which includes freebies and giveaway posts! FREE SIGN-UP at  SaleCamel.com . This is a paid post through Pay-Per-Post and Sale Camel All opinions expressed are my own.

  ABeCeDarian Company provided me with a wonderful package of materials to help get my five year on track with reading!   I've tried three other programs this past school year and none of them really seemed to go at the pace that he needed. I primarily used  Student Workbook A1  and the accompanying Teacher Workbook . This program is geared for Kindergarden and First Grade. My son is a tactile learner and was itching for a curriculum that keeps him active. This program does exactly that! Each lesson allows for interaction between the student and the teacher  providing simple yet effective activities to help the student learn, while having fun. You can begin your lessons according to the level where you child is at by taking a placement test . I chose to start my son right at the beginning with lesson plan A1. Even though my son knows how to write most of his letters, his main focus has been on uppercase letters. The beginning of lesson ...

Altrient C and Altrient ME are dietary supplements that you add to a cool drink such as water or juice. I personally enjoy it with orange juice. It is a liquid supplement that comes in a foil pouch that is to be mixed in with a drink and consumed on an empty stomach at least 15 minutes before eating. Altrient ME This formula consists of B vitamins with traces of minerals and cinnamon extract to help your body burn fuel more effiently. It claims to unleash energy from the foods you eat giving you more energy. Altrient C Provides you with 1,000 mg of vitamin C to help boost your immune system. My Experience You know how when you go to the doctor or fill out a form of the medical variety they always ask, "are you allergic to any medications?" Well, for me, the answer was always no. But then again if I think about it, another word for medication is drug. The definition of drug is, "a substance that had a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise int...

One day I was craving some Buffalo chicken dip and still needed a plan for dinner that night. I looked at the ingredients I had on hand and found a delicious recipe for a casserole with similar ingredients to the dip! I made this for some visiting relatives over the weekend and they devoured it. No leftovers in this house!  The recipe below serves 8-10 people so for a smaller family just cut the recipe in half Ingredients ~ 4 Large Boneless Chicken Breast ~ 1/2 Bottle Ranch Dressing (10.5 oz) ~ 1/2 Bottle Franks Red Hot Sauce (add more to your liking) ~ 10 Ounces Mozzarella Cheese (shredded) ~ 6 Ounces Colby Cheese (shredded) ~ One Cup White Rice (cooked) ~ One Cup Broccoli (can be frozen ~ One Cup Corn (can be frozen) ~ 2 Packs Cream Cheese (8 oz) (softened) Directions Fill large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium high. Boil 20 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Drain and wait until cool. Shred chicken and...

Our Two New Babies!! Mike and Sweetie born here on the homestead!!!