Todoodlist

I have been enjoying this a lot. It has helped me not be so dependent on the computer. It is nice to "unplug" a bit. Click on the link to the right for more info...

Thankfulness when something breaks, burns, or spills

Nancy Wilson posted this on her blog today...

Tomorrow is the day of many preparations. As we prepare the meal, the table, the house, and everything else, let’s remember to prepare our hearts to be thankful to God from the moment we rise until we fall back into bed. Thankful as we roll out the dough, peel the potatoes, and iron the napkins, thankful as we prepare those foods everyone has come to expect for Thanksgiving dinner. Thankful if something breaks or spills or burns or is forgotten or unappreciated. Thankful as we wash the dishes. Thankful for leftovers. Always and for everything, giving thanks!

Bishops Speak Up

Here is a post in the Washington Times entitled "Bishops warn Obama about Abortion issue." Amen!

Culteral Kids

Here is the link to our pastor's sermon's online. I want to recommend August 24, 2008, August 31, 2008, and September 7, 2008 in particular. These three are a series about how to raise your kids in the culture. Such wonderful and helpful info.

Just do it.

No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow. It is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasant. Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquility, and hindering our communion with God. If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it.

-Alexander MacLaren (1826–1910), Scottish preacher

I originally saw this here.

Sabbath Feast Tips

Here is a wonderful link filled with shortcuts for a Sabbath Dinner. There are other articles on her blog to explain more about how and why they do their Sabbath Dinners.

Traveling with kids

Here is a great article with tips for traveling with small kids. She even has some really handy packing lists.

Just for fun

Low Tech...

Here is a good article about getting obsessed with being productive. We want software and technology to help us get more done, but maybe we should just pick up a pencil and get on with it...

13 Reasons to Switch Back to Paper Today is just that. Take a look!

Halloween...a little late.

Here are the pictures from our Halloween night. Aiden and Alex staged this fight and wanted me to take a picture...then Riley joined in! In case you can't read my and Jeremy's hat it reads "Zookeeper." That does not need much explanation does it?

If you want to see why we "do" Halloween look at my previous post here.

The Story of Stuff

This is a video called The Story of Stuff. It is about 20 minutes long and totally worth your time. It shows where all our "stuff" comes from and where it goes. It also shows how we as consumers find our identity in our stuff. (If this video is too blurry you can go here to watch the original version on The Story of Stuff website)

I have been thinking about this a great deal in the last months. Consumerism and time on the computer both keep us from real life. They keep us from enjoying solitude, talking with friends, God's creation in nature, and simple pleasures. We can become addicted to e-mail, blogging, or other online things and find our identity there...especially stay at home moms. Do we want to escape to the computer and often tell our kids to "hold on" while we are online? Now, there is nothing wrong with enjoying these things in moderation (I clearly am by writing this blog). I am talking about thinking these things through and purposefully living in the real world with real flesh and blood people that are in your physical presence. I am talking about going outside and just sitting and reading a book. Just sit and stack blocks with the toddler. Go outside for a walk. Meet a friend from church at the park and let the kids play. I have been trying lately to tip the scale in that direction. This video just made me think about these things from another angle. What do you think?

Developing all our second bests...

I originally found this quote here. G.K. Chesterton said this about women...

Woman must be a cook, but not a competitive cook; a school-mistress, but not a competitive school-mistress; a house decorator, but not a competitive house-decorator; a dressmaker, but not a competitive dressmaker. She should have not one trade but twenty hobbies; she, unlike the man, may develop all her second bests. This is what has been really aimed at from the first in what is called the seclusion, or even the oppression, of women. Women were not kept at home in order to keep them narrow; on the contrary, they were kept at home in order to keep them broad. The world outside the home was one mass of narrowness, a maze of cramped paths, a madhouse of monomaniacs. It was only by partly limiting and protecting the woman that she was enabled to play at five or six professions and so come almost as near to God as the child when he plays at a hundred trades. But the woman’s professions, unlike the child’s, were all truly and almost terribly fruitful.

Travel Food the Frugal Way

Here is a link to tons of ideas to use when packing food for a road trip. This is one way to save a good bit when you are traveling.

There are also ideas in the comments of this post.

Just in case you want it

Here is a link to a list of who voted for the bailout and who voted against it. I saw the link on Shannon's blog. She made the point that the public was very vocal about opposing the bailout and many politicians did not represent what the people wanted. If you are one of the people who wanted to be heard, here is the info to tell you if your representatives deserve your vote.

LOTS of freebies for voting

This post lists a TON of places giving you something free if you come in with a sticker that says you voted. Starbucks and Krispy Kreme are on the list!

Room Time...Rest Time

Dolly linked to this great post about "Room Time." We have rest time in the afternoon at our house, but I liked some of the things she suggested in her article. I might tweak our system a bit and see if we like it.

Do what this kid says

A Great Way to Save Money

Here is a great article on Money Saving Mom about saving money by not shopping. I do this too. The less we see the less we want!