Little Lunch Bag

This is Little Bit's new lunch box. She didn't really need a new backpack, so I let her pick out a new lunch box...or bag, in this case. She was drawn to the cute little owls immediately. You see, penguins are her favorite animals in the world, but in the absence of them, she is drawn to other birds, esp. owls, which is probably partly my doing, as they are my favorite.

But this entry isn't really about the lunch bag, but more of my feelings as her first day of the next school year looms just around the corner, something this little bag brings to mind as I look at it. Everywhere I go, I hear people talk about how they cannot wait for school to start, that the kids are driving them crazy, and they want to get back to some semblance of normalcy, and get those kids out of the house for a while!

I am not one of those people.

I hate when she has to go back to school. I get giddy over holidays and three day weekends. I love half days, when she comes home early. And more than once have I seriously considered the benefits of home schooling...

Except for one tiny detail. She LOVES school. Loves it the way I did when I was little, loves to learn, loves to explore, loves playing with her friends, and ADORES reading of any kind. (Something this school pushes more than any school I've ever seen in the past...they devote more time to that during the day than all of the other subjects combined.) And so, I smile for her, and tell her I am happy she likes school, that I will miss her, but I am happy for her. And she smiles and hugs me, and tells me she will miss me, too, but she can tell me all about her day when she gets home.

Her first day last year, I cleaned the whole house for being at a loss of what to do with myself. Granted, I got used to it, of course, as we all must, but still... I dread that first day, even as she counts down the days.

We went to orientation, and MY stomach was all in a knot, nearly sick, as I walked into this new, foreign classroom and sat at her little desk to fill out rediculous amounts of paperwork. She went off to explore the room with her brothers, their daddy on their heels to make sure the boys didn't tear the room to pieces. And I sat there and filled out form after form, wondering what this teacher would be like. Would she be kind? Sweet? Or rediculously strict and uncaring. I don't really think the latter. She seemed nice enough, if not a bit rattled by all the parents and kids piling into her room. (It was quite crowded.) Though one or two sentences isn't enough to really know a person or how she will conduct her classroom.

Although, I don't worry of Little Bit's reaction to starting a new year in a classroom with none of her old friends from last year... No, not her. She's the most un-shy person you can imagine. (She makes friends with people in lines at stores...) So bubbly and happy and friendly and smart as a whip, too. She is nice to everyone, says that her whole class are her friends, and that makes me happy, that she will not be the one to judge a person by the color of their hair or style of clothing. If she gets into trouble, it will probably be for talking with a new friend or running because she's so excited, she can't stand it. She wants to explore the world, to learn it all, to see everything. But it's hard for a mother...who has to hear about it later over supper, who used to get to experience everything with her. But I can't go...

And so I can only pack her little lunch bag with a few of her favorite things and hope it brings a smile to her face to know Mama is thinking of her.

And next year, it's the boys' turn. sigh... I think I need a cookie...

Homemade Chicken Stock

I finally got the opportunity to make my own homemade chicken stock. We had purchased a rotisserie chicken from the store the other day, and when everyone had eaten all they wanted, I kept the carcass for myself, threw some water, herbs, veggies, and spices into a pot and made stock. :) Just pour it up through a strainer and WAH-LAH, stock! (I stuck it in the fridge overnight, then pulled off the fat that had settled and cooled on top, then froze it for later use.) :) Makes you feel good to get something for "almost" nothing. (granted, the herbs and spices and carrots and heat from the stove actually DO cost something but not much.) And it made a good bit, is very flavorful and no added preservatives or anything I don't want in there. :) Healthy, handy, and frugal. Awesome!

Easter...late...

Okay, so I've been VERY VERY slow at posting pics of stuff I've made lately. (Sheepish grin) But better late than never, right??? At any rate, this is one of two little airplane/rocket amigurumi I made for the boys to go in their basket. (The other was AWAL at the time of taking this picture...I did later find it, though now have no idea where it is again...such is the life of toys at this house...)

And this is a pic of Little Bit's new owl friend. I got the pattern from Sewing Bits and Pieces: 35 Projects Using Fabric Scraps by Sandi Henderson, an awesome book that I intend to use many more patterns from. (I've also made the pennant banner that now hangs in my daughter's room. VERY cute!) But she loves her, and that's what counts, anyway. Oh, her name is Holly. (Her baby, who I also made from my own pattern, is named Hooey. She's quite creative with her names, what can I say?!)

Back at the Machine

Well, it seems like forever since I've sewn...things just keep happening to keep me from it, and when I have a free moment, I just haven't felt like it. I have been working on a crochet project, which I will show when finished. Crochet is always so nice to work on while you watch TV or something, and then I can still converse with hubby while doing something physically productive. A good mix. :) Anyway, I made these pj pants for the boys' birthday....I always try to make them new pj's for their birthday. Not sure why, only that it's sort of become a tradition now. Anyway, they're super warm and cuddly, and they like them. I fell in LOVE with the lobster material. Just so odd, I know. But I like odd. :)





And I made this shirt for Little Bit finally...only had it cut out forever. In fact, I kinda' had to sew my seams small just to give her a little more room, as she's grown since I cut it out... But I just haven't had time...or felt like it...or whatever... Life happens. You know how it goes. See above... But I was pleased with how it turned out. Owls and all. I especially like the little cap sleeves. How sweet! And just in time for back to school. I have another one almost finished made mostly like it. I will show it when it's finished, too. But I thought these would be super cute with jeans or a denim skirt and maybe a cardigan thrown over it. :)

Extreme Couponing

Okay, so apparently this new craze of extreme couponing has come upon us. I watched the special on TLC that followed four extreme couponers and have now seen a couple episodes of the regular TV show that came from it. And I have to say that I see several flaws in this idea.

First of all, let me start off by saying that I would LOVE to get, say $600 worth of groceries for $2. Uh. yeah. Who wouldn't? And just to clarify, yes, I am an avid coupon user (I average $25-40 in coupon savings per big grocery trip, which I consider a pretty decent savings), and I think I have only paid full price for maybe two children's clothing items since my daughter was a baby. I love to shop the sale rack, and I'm pretty dang good at catching the sales on kids' clothes, as a matter of fact (as well as my own clothes). I also like to catch good deals at yard sales and of course am in love with thrift stores and the like. This said, so that you know I am not one of these "must pay full price or it's not worth anything" people. I don't even think I know any of those...

Okay...but why I think this extreme couponing thing is not as easy as they make it look...

1. The freebies. Well, they aren't free, actually. Most of these people subscribe to many different newspapers or coupon clipping services, which cost money. And they scout out the sales and wind up going to grocery stores sometimes 3 or 4 different times a week to catch what's on sale where and when. Uh. I don't know about you, but gas is high where I live. That DOES count. And don't forget about the storage. One lady had 4 freezers...that most certainly has to add to her monthly electric bill. Now, while they may still be coming out better than if they had bought them outright, my point is not that it's a bad deal. Only that it is NOT free, and I kinda' get tired of them saying so.

2. Most grocery stores do not double coupons, which is key in extreme couponing. I only know of one around here that does it...I just recently learned this, so I haven't tried it out. And naturally, it's not next to my house. So more gas.

3. The TIME. Now, to those people who say "I don't have time to coupon..." I have to say, uh, yeah, you should. I usually spend about an hour or two (that's including the many interruptions of having children coming and asking me questions or trying to take over the mouse for me. I could get done a lot faster if I was alone.) to get enough coupons online to save me what I mentioned above. Most certainly worth it. But time is worth something, and some of these people on the show spend WAY more time than that scouting coupons. One woman worked 40 hours a week and said she likely spent 30 hours a week couponing. UH...I'm not sure where she figured in time to relax or play with her toddler. A free can of spagetti sauce isn't worth THAT to me. Not even 20 of them. And don't get me started on the dumpster diving...

4. No brand loyalty. You can't POSSIBLY have brand loyalty and extreme coupon. You have to take any coupon you get and double it whenever that brand goes on sale. Now, I, by no means, have to have the most expensive product, nor do I have any problem buying the cheaper store brand ON SOME ITEMS. But there are SOME things that I like MY brand and do not want any other imposter in my home. Like Heinz ketchup, for example. Were I to bring home a store brand, my family (including myself) would revolt! And makeup. Again, I cannot always just buy the cheapest. For example, Maybelline and my face just don't get along so well. And when I do find something I like a lot, I want to buy THAT item, not risk buying up 20 of something I might not like. Also, I worry that manufactuers will stop offering as many coupons with the rise in number of extreme couponers, who have no brand loyalty. shrug. Let's hope not.

5. Storage Space. I am NOT giving up a room or building on an addition to hold my "stash." I do have space in my closet for some overage that I've bought on sale. As I told you, I do shop sales, and I do like coupons, and if it's something I KNOW I use, then sure, I'll buy 3 or so. 3...not 30... Though I do want another freezer for things such as sales and summer produce. I simply have an additional fridge (a must for a family of five who all are in love with milk), and I want an actual freezer, as we pick lots of berries and stuff in the summer, and it's hard to have room for all of that, plus the normal grocery stuff...and homemade ice cream. Yum. :)

6. Does anyone need 300 deodorants? I mean, really. Who sweats THAT much? So many of these people on TV have hundreds of items. (One woman worrying because she had ONLY 10 hand soaps left over...so she bought a HUNDRED. "Why not? It's free.") Uh...how about sharing your wealth, not becoming the next person on the other show, Hoarders. I did finally see one couple who couponed for what they needed and the great excess they had gained, gave to charities and their church. Now, THAT's a reason to get 100 soaps. To help people. One woman in particular, I think would have had a fit had someone taken away ONE of her "free" candy bars. She was even mean to her husband who was helping her! And no one mentions how a lot of this stuff will, indeed, go bad before you can use it, even if you are rotating your stash. Unless you plan on eating noodle meals EVERY day.

7. Nutrition. Anyone looking at what those people are buying? Candy bars, Cokes, noodle meals, fatty frozen dinners...I did see some spagetti sauce, which could be considered healthy. But really... Notice, if you will, MOST of these extreme couponers they've shown are quite overweight. (No, not all, but many.) Convenience food should be a sometimes thing, not a daily meal. It's just not good for you. I am reminded of the show Heavy and how the nutritionist said you should stick to the outside aisles...nothing canned or processed. Hmm...a good thing to think about...

There are, of course, SOME good things.
No impulse buys, for instance, which can kill anyone's shopping budget. And teaching your kids about money and budgeting, which is always good. And having a small stash is certainly not a bad thing to have on hand. One never knows when something like bad weather (think hurricanes or tornados) can hinder simple things like getting groceries. Or just a month that has too many unexpected expenses. Gotta' fix the truck? Okay, well, we'll use our stash and back off on the shopping this month. But I don't think it should take over your life or house like it has obviously done in these people's lives.

That said, to each their own. I suppose it doesn't hurt me at all if someone wants to spend every waking moment clipping coupons and organizing spagetti sauce. :)

Clothesline Apron

I love to hang up my clothes to dry outside on the clothesline. Let's just ignore for a moment the green-ness of it, of the energy we're saving or the money we save by not using the dryer so much. It's also very relaxing, very calm, and extremely satisfying. I feel much more like I've accomplished something than I do when I load up my dryer. And usually the kids play in the sandbox while I work, so it's a win-win fun situation for all. :) (Though I have been known to get busy and forget to bring them in before the dew sets in, completely negating all the work I did...shrug. Well organized and completely on task, I am not, nor will I ever be. Let's just be honest here.)

But anyway, to my point...I've been carrying around my clothespins in the plastic bag they came in. Not very attractive or even very practical. It's a small, narrow ziploc-type bag, and so hard to reload with pins as you pull clothes off the line. Often I just chunk them in the basket with the clothes and run the risk of them falling through the holes onto the ground (and either getting found by my children-- who have been known to smoosh fingers in them--or by the lawnmower, and we know how that would go...) I kept saying...I need to make a bag to hold them, but we all know how THAT goes. I've been saying that since last year...

So, recently, I purchased this book One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, and lo and behold, it had a clothesline apron in there, all pretty and polished, and I knew I had to make it.

And so I did. Yesterday.




My only complaint, really, was it's a bit too small. Once I've put all my clothespins in there, it looks very misshapen and overstuffed...because it is. shrug. We'll see how it holds up. At any rate, it's very cute, and now I want to make a new apron for the kitchen. Hmm...which pattern to choose?

Pink

Anyone that knows my daughter knows that nowhere in the words to describe her do the words DAINTY, GENTLE or CAREFUL appear. Seriously, the girl is "rough as the cobb," as my mother would say. She is so tough on shoes and pants, that I'm doing good for either pair to last a month without a hole. I mean, really, how many kids tear up a new pair of shoes from the INSIDE out??? (And how do you do that anyway???) The state of her torn jeans is such that I'm beginning to wonder if they have her playing tackle football at recess...and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if she was. She is equally rough on toys...she even broke the handle of a tupperware teacup I bought her for her toy kitchen. Tupperware. (me shaking my head). And my old talking Bugs Bunny doll that somehow managed to survive years of my own childhood abuse, and many more years in storage in an attic I'm pretty sure gets hot enough to bake cakes...she had it beheaded within five minutes. Not on purpose, mind you. But still.

But even though she is more likely to be seen playing football than dolls, that she is in no way a prissy, girly-girl...still, we have entered the PINK stage.

sigh. She's driving me nuts. Pink PINK PINK....oh, and purple. Purple is okay.

I am NOT a pink kind of person, usually. Not that it's an evil color or anything, only, well, orange is my favorite, and I don't wear a lot of pink, either. When Little Bit was born, I even scoured the stores to find her a nice little coming home dress that was NOT pink!!! (Finally found a cute one that was mint green with tiny little pink ribbon roses at the yoke) And I dressed her in a lot of NOT pink when she was little, though I did not shy away from pink entirely. I'm not, like, insane about it or anything. I just don't really like pink that much.

But now I have to practically argue with her to get her to wear any other color. sigh. Here we go...

Of course, having thought back onto my own childhood, I, too, was pretty much a tomboy. I never wore dresses or my hair down unless we were going to church, and I could often be found outside digging for worms. And even I had a pink and purple stage--I remember it, actually. Though I favored purple, which Little Bit used to. shrug. Maybe she's just up for a change. Of course...once I got a little older, I threw off anything pink...or lacy...or ruffled... Yeah, probably just a phase. :)

Let's hope so...I don't have a lot of pink fabric in my stash. LOL