Saving money

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I'm all in favor of saving money especially since we will be paying for a new roof out of our own pockets.  I have tried cutting down on our food budget and have whittled away everything and everything that wasn't absolutely necessary.  Making food from scratch, having a meal plan, sticking to that meal plan, planning a left-over night, and even planning for when you will eat out during the week.

The Left-over night has had a name change thanks to my good friend, Dorothy, and is now called Encore Night!  I love it!  It makes left-overs feel a little more special.  :)

Another way I have been saving money is making my own laundry soap and household cleanser.  I have been making the laundry soap for a while now but didn't realize how much it was saving us until I strolled down the detergent isle and noticed the prices.  Yikes!  I can buy all the ingredients for laundry soap for just around $8, and I can make many batches from each ingredient.  And it goes a long way.  I only use a fraction of what I would use from a store bought detergent!

The household cleanser is great too.  I just use baking soda and an essential oil in a favorite scent and there it is.  It is super cheap and works like a charm.  When I run out, I just have to get under the sink and bring out the box of baking soda...

easey peasey lemon squeezey!!

I have definitely noticed the grocery budget getting smaller and smaller as I don't have to buy these items.  I also think these are a better options because they don't have all the fillers and chemicals. 

As soon as I figure out some more ways to save money on the home front, I'll let you know!  Do you have any tips to share?  Any ways to help a girl out?  Let me know, pretty please? 

Love Language

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Do you know your Love Language?  In years past it was the 'in' thing to know but somehow it has gone out of style.  We have moved on to newer and better tools for self-help I guess.  But I think that knowing your Love Language is very helpful. 


Gary Chapman wrote the book The 5 Love Languages and in that book he describes the different ways in which people accept and give love.  The 5 languages as listed on their website are:

• Words of Affirmation

  Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.

• Quality Time

  In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.

• Receiving Gifts

  Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures.

• Acts of Service

  Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.

• Physical Touch

  This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.

Think you know what your Love Language is?  Why not take the Assessment and find out?  I have taken it several times over the years and it seems that my Languages are changing.  Here are my most current scores.

9	Words of Affirmation
6	Quality Time
3	Receiving Gifts
2	Acts of Service
10	Physical Touch

You can also take a test to help find out your children's love languages which can be helpful in making sure you relate to them in ways that are meaningful to them. 

I strongly suggest everyone knowing their Love Language so that you can understand why something bothers you or why you feel upset by certain things others are doing.  Take the Assessment and have your spouse take it then talk about the results.  You would be surprised by how much you thought you knew and how much you didn't.

For the love of the library

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Let me just say up front that we love the library.  I don't mean just a casual fondness, I mean a bone fide certified L.O.V.E!!

I think we could go there everyday and still be satisfied with it.  We could spend hours and hours there just looking and reading and looking. 

And dreaming.

Books can take you places that no movie can.  In books you find your imagination can soar as you imagine what the author is describing.  Being able to visualize a story from a book is such a valuable gift that I want to instill it in each of my kids.

Even the ones that don't enjoy reading as much as I do.

There is just something peaceful and almost reverent about a library.  Teaching my girls to whisper in the library was like a rite of passage.  And seeing them with stacks of books to check out brought a rousing rendition of the Hallelujah chorus!!

I love to fill our home with books of every kind and let the kids go to town reading them.  Can anything be more satisfying than finishing a good book?  (things apart from the Bible, Jesus, and God of course!) heehee  Thankfully our library is a great one and has most of the books we need for school and almost all of the ones we want for pleasure reading.  We are also members of our library and have an extension on return dates and late fees.  It is well worth the $25 a year when you check out 30-40 books every couple of weeks.  Fees can add up quickly that way! lol

Today we went to the library twice!  Many of the books we needed for the next few weeks were in and I just had to have them.  Really.  But then a little later in the day more came in and I couldn't resist going back for the rest.  They were just waiting there for me with my name on them and they were lonely, I just know they were! 

Now, we are all safe at home watching the snow fall surrounded by books!


Have you read any good books lately?

Simple Pleasures

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I know I'm tired when the kids' shows make me laugh hysterically!  Life today has consisted of too much computer work for me and not enough school work for them.  Well, okay they did more than I thought they had since Mondays are usually our homeschool group days. 

Math, Language, Science, Planning...that's not too bad is it?

Me?  I requested books from the library, found resources online, researched more resources, played around with facebook, and sent our youngest off on an overnight stay with her Grandpa. 

That's a pretty busy day, isn't it?  heehee 

Tonight is going to be rounded up by looking for costumes for our homeschool groups' play and eating homemade chipotle burritos.  I''ll have to post pics and a recipe later(or tomorrow!)

I say that's a pretty good day!

NEW!! The Christian Home Blogazine/magazine!

My blog is being scraped again.  If you are reading this on a website other than www.crazyhomedaze.blogspot.com you are reading a stolen copy of my content. 


Mrs. White over at The Legacy of Home has started an online magazine to encourage and exhort us on our journeys.  This is a wonderful opportunity to be encouraged as well as encourage others.  Mrs. White is asking for contributions, just check out the end of the post for the guidelines.

Also, look for familiar names-you just might recognize a few!



Head on over to this amazing blog and be refreshed and encouraged.

Another Year? Really?

I can not believe that another year has passed and that our youngest is SIX YEARS OLD!  This year I will have a 13yo, a 12yo, a 9yo, and a 6yo.  Wow!  That is crazy.

The year has gone by so quickly.  I remember Bean asking the day after her 5th bday how many days until she turned 6.  I thought it was going to be a long year!  I was so wrong.

When I went to write her bday post I was sure that I had just done so a few days ago.  Nope.  It was last year.  Here is the story, or at least part of it, if you want to read it.  She is such a wonderful addition to our family and we can't imagine life without her.  She makes us laugh everyday and encourages us constantly.  I hope she never loses the sweet and simple gift of encouragement that she has. 

And I know the check out woman at Wal-mart doesn't want her to lose it.  When we were there last, Bean told the woman she was pretty and did a good job!  Sometimes it's the simple things that matter. 

Bean sees everything, she takes it all in.  Not much gets by her even when we want it to!

Hug your kids.  Love on 'em.  Spend some time getting to know them.  Play with them.  Life is too short to regret not spending enough time with them while they still want us to.  ;-D