The Well-Planned Day GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Rebecca Keliher of Home Educating Family has generously offered to send one of my readers a copy of her wonderful homeschool planner called The Well-Planned Day. I can vouch for this $24.95 resource ... I just bought one and love it. It's gorgeous and includes articles about homeschooling. You can check it out here, then come back to leave me a comment, which will enter you into my drawing. If you don't feel comfortable leaving contact information on the comments section, please leave a comment and then email me at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com.

Tell your homeschooling friends! You can also head to http://www.wellplannedday.com/ and sign up for a sample issue of Home Educating Family!

This giveaway ends on the 14th, when I will draw a name and post it here.

Thanks for participating!

LEGO Master Builder Academy Building Challenge!

I love LEGO contests for kids! Just got the new LEGO magazine in the mail yesterday. Well, the boys did, but I think it's cool, too.  I don't see this Building Challenge on their website so if your kid is a LEGO freak and doesn't yet get the magazine, here are the details of the Challenge:

It says to take a look at the sneak peek LEGO Master Builder Technique on a page of the magazine, and they call it "Sideways Building." It's basically just making something cool out of LEGOs that is not going straight up and down!

"We'll pick 10 of our favorite models and give each of their builders a LEGO gift card worth $100.

How to enter:

1. Build a model of an outer space vehicle using pieces from your LEGO brick collection. Make sure it includes Sideways Building!

2. Take a color photograph of your model. Color photos or photo-quality computer print-outs only. No Polaroids, please.

3. Write a description of 150 words or less telling us about your model. Don't forget to say how you used Sideways Building to make it!

4. Mail your photo along with your name, age, address, daytime phone number and the name of your model to:

LEGO MBA Building Challenge
PO Box 1625
Enfield, CT 06083-1625

All entries must be received by September 30, 2011!"

Sidenote: my husband grew up in Enfield, CT!!!

Fourth of July

What is it about lighting a firecracker, throwing it REALLY fast and then hearing it BANG! that is so much fun? Most years I'm inside nursing a baby or being pregnant and hot. I did miss festivities last night due to a baby who likes to fall asleep for a nap/bedtime at 7 p.m. lately, but I did get to blow up some firecrackers yesterday. It's actually illegal in my city/county, so don't tell the fuzz, okay?

So today we went to a parade in Lenexa and got tons of candy. Now we're at my aunt's house in another county so we can LEGALLY blow stuff up. Later we'll go out hunting for a great display ... we haven't seen a real display since like 2001 when Joel was a mere week old and I sat in the truck nursing him while we watched fireworks.

What are your plans? Whatever you do, enjoy your independence and your freedom!

Guest Post: Seed Catalog Curriculum

I'm so glad to have Carol Alexander back as a guest poster, this time about homeschooling! Check out her information below, and be sure to head to her blog!

When I got my first seed catalog in the mail this year I was really excited. Not just because I get anxious to get my hands in the dirt. But because of all the school assignments that come in those catalogs.


What? You’ve never seen all the wonderful school curriculum hiding in your seed catalogs? Well, let me introduce you to a few assignments.


Math:


On the front of my Gurney’s catalog is a giant coupon that reads: “Good for $25.00 worth of products in this Gurney’s catalog when you buy $25.00 or more of additional products at the catalog price.” Have your child go shopping in the catalog. Using the order form found between pages 32 and 33 have him “order” $50 worth of product, figuring the totals, the tax, the discount, and the shipping.


If you get $25 free off of a $50 order, what percentage is that?


One ounce of summer squash seeds contains about 225 seeds and sows a 100 ft. row. If you get 25 seeds in a packet for $3.99 or ½ oz. of seeds for $12.99, which is the better deal? If you want to sow 300 ft. or row, how much will the seeds cost you?


Language:


See the customer reviews in the shaded green boxes on the pages of the catalog? Have your child write his own review of his favorite vegetable.


Have your child write some ad copy describing his favorite fruits, flowers or produce.


Here are some vocabulary words: hybrid, lumina, vigorous, unique, exotic, Latino, resistant. I’m sure you can find a lot more!


Science:


See all the sprout seeds on page 29? Grow sprouts at home. There’s no better way than to learn the science of growing plants.


Assign a paper answering the question: “What is the difference between hybrid, open-pollinated, heirloom, and genetically modified when it pertains to garden seeds?”


Do a research project on Gregor Mendel and his work pertaining to hybrid plants.


Art:


When your garden is in full beauty, sketch plants, flowers, and fruit in your nature journals.


Discuss and approach the challenges of photographing produce in the garden as well as on the table.


Home Economics:


Create three recipes using fresh fruits or vegetables from the homestead.


Learn to cook and eat three new vegetables this summer.


This is just a sampling. You can get more than 50 lesson plans using your seed catalogs from my e-booklet Seed Catalog Curriculum. This e-booklet is full of ideas to use with elementary, middle, and upper-grade children. You can use any catalog. In fact, the more the better. Plus, I give you the names and contact information to order your own...if you don't already receive them in the mail.



Start integrating your homesteading with your homeschooling now. Buy Seed Catalog Curriculum and you will see how easy it really is. It's only $3.99! Just click here for more information.


Blessings,


Carol

Freelance writer and mom of six, Carol J. Alexander writes about homeschooling and homesteading from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Her articles have appeared in BackHome Magazine, Grit, Urban Farm, Home Education Magazine and various Regional Parenting Publications. Visit her blog http://everythinghomewithcarol.blogspot.com/.

Homeschooling: Getting It All Done

Let's jump right in to Homeschooling Month on the blog. I certainly don't mean to alienate those who don't homeschool. My very best friends don't homeschool! But something we have in common is that we want great things for our kids and we want them to love learning. Some of the things I write about this month may definitely be of interest to those who don't homeschool, so don't write me off just yet! Soon I'll be back into writing stories of my bad behavior in public and of the goofy things my kids do. Ah, heck, I may just put a few on here for fun this month.

Anyway, above is a picture of something I tried that failed. I try lots of things that end up failing and it used to really get me down. Then I realized that if I'm never failing, I'm never trying, right? Anyway, we are always looking for ways to keep our homeschool days on track. I'm not great at schedules since I'm a go-with-the-flow mom with a baby always attached to my boob. Someday I might be able to have a schedule and stick with it, but for now I'm going easy on myself and we are doing the best we can. Amazingly, more gets done than we realize.

So the above is a planner I wrote up for my oldest son, who was only 9 at the time. He wasn't ready for his own planner. Eventually he will be, especially since I NEED HIM TO BE, and especially since he NEEDS TO BE so he can be all self-sufficient at college and in life, right? So for now Mom will keep track of the daily assignments and the kids are free to look ahead and see what's planned.

If you homeschool, I'd love to hear about your successes and failures and when you decided to go easy on yourself as a teacher and as a mom.

My Sixth Child is a Toshiba Laptop

Or, if you count my surrogate daughters Jordan and Reever, this is actually my EIGHTH child. My sixth child is ...

A Toshiba laptop.

Yep, I put birthday money together with some writing money and made the leap. I'm at McDonald's right now eating fries and informing you of this big event in my life.

In case you haven't figured it out by now, no, I am not pregnant.

Thank you to everyone who gave me birthday money to buy this wonderful material item I have been dreaming of for a long time. No longer am I "chained" to my desk at the house. I can work on articles while I homeschool at the dining room table, outside, or even in bed!

Still no Internet access at home, but at least now I'll be taking my very own computer to Starbuck's to post blogs and submit queries and articles. I am grateful and thrilled.

P.S. I had an amazing birthday ... Aron threw a BIG bash complete with DJ, Mexican catered food and 1970s theme ... I have to post photos of THAT because my husband wore tape-on black chest hair and a 'fro AND rented me my dream car ... a red Mustang convertible ... for the weekend! I love you, babe!

My Wife

Guest Post.  Today is Kerrie's 40th birthday.  She is eternally young to me and is so pretty I love her very much.  Her laugh keeps me young and her smile brightens my day.  She is a beautiful mother to our 5 children and a patient, faithful wife.  She is a blessing to me, to our family and to all who know her.  Happy birthday Kerrie, I hope to have many more wonderful birthdays with you.  I love you.

Kerrie McLoughlin Turns 40 Today

Yup, folks, I'm 40 today. It's also Father's Day! I'll be busy hanging out with my dad and Aron's dad and relaxing because it's my birthday. I don't want anything special for my birthday ... just more of the same great life I've been given. I wouldn't turn down some chocolate, coffee or Chapstick, either.

Have a great day!

Potty Pictures

Yes, I know I am strange. But realize that many other mothers are doing the same exact thing right now: taking pictures of their kid on the potty. It's cute! And she's "reading" while she's doing her business. You can't go wrong with a shot of that! The point is that I love taking pictures ... it's just the getting them in the scrapbooks that is the problem lately! Help!

The Negative Mommy Blogs

I'm sick to death of the negative mommy blogs. You know the ones ... the ones who bitch and gripe about being a mom and how hard it is and how they've lost themselves and all that. Admittedly, there are times when I get that way ... when I'm freshly postpartum or super-pregnant, when I'm nursing all night and have not slept, when my husband and I are in a funk, when my kids Won't. Stop. Arguing.

Don't get me wrong ... I don't love the sappy blogs, either. I'm pretty picky that way.

Anyway, I just want to comment on some of these blogs something like, "Dang, why did you procreate? Did you think it would be simple? Next time your parents say they want grandkids just tell them no. Next time your husband bugs you for another baby, just get your tubes tied." Wait, I forgot, that's not cool. It's much better and more 2011 to TELL your man to get a vasectomy.

I like blogs like ScaryMommy.com where she talks about normal mom stuff like ignoring your kids and how that makes them more self-sufficient. I don't even care if you have your kids in daycare and have to or want to work. Just stop griping about it. That's what your best girlfriends are for.

Now I'm going to comb through my last 3 years of blog posts to erase any negative crap I've posted about my kids. Never mind. I don't have time for that.

Kerrie McLoughlin Cub Scout Leader

I kind of fell into the role of Cub Scout Den Co-Leader. I don't know if I expected to sign up my kid for Scouts, drop him off at meetings and then come get him an hour later. I probably figured either Aron or I would hang around at meetings and stuff to help out, see what was being done, etc. But nobody else signed up to lead our den a couple of years ago, and we stepped up. I'm the organizational genius (ha!) behind the true Leader, Aron. He actually leads the meetings with our tiny den. Joel has one more year of Cub Scouts before he becomes a Boy Scout next February (if he chooses to continue to Boy Scouts). Scouts has taught Joel a lot of good things. By the time you read this, he will have gotten back from a week of day camp with his dad.

Kerrie McLoughlin's Kooky Kids

To me, this is what Life is all about. This is all I've ever wanted: marriage and kids. Maybe you think I'm crazy for having so many kids and for enjoying their presence most of the time. Maybe I think you're crazy for drinking yourself to death or for getting your tubes tied or for being a depressed, negative mess. We're all different, right? We all enjoy different things. I am in love with my kids. None of them were "surprises" ... they were all planned and welcomed. (not that surprise babies are any better or worse ... I'm just saying that Aron and I know what we're doing here and dig these kids like crazy!).

Kerrie McLoughlin's Husband

I think these two pictures say a lot about my husband Aron. I have known him for 16 years and have been married to him for almost 13. He puts up with a lot from me! I'm a bit of a firecracker, poor guy! I love how he mows with the baby and doesn't mind having all of us climbing all over him. He is the kind of guy who does things much slower than I do things, but he does them CORRECTLY and he FINISHES them. Opposites attract for sure. He also gets my blog posts by email, so I love you, babe! Have a good day at work!

Kerrie McLoughlin's Dad

This is my dad. He was about 32 days from being 21 when I was born, and I am his only child. He was in the Army and was stationed in Germany. He is adorable and funny and he is my best guy friend after my husband.

Kerrie McLoughlin's Mom

This is my mom with teeny little me. I was born about 23 days after she turned 21. I'm her only child. She's also a Gemini (see yesterday's post) and I am a lot like her. She is beautiful, she is tough and she is my best girlfriend. She delivered me in an Army hospital in Germany, and to me that is very brave.

Kerrie McLoughlin as a Baby

Welcome to June ... my month since my birthday is on the 19th and I turn 40 this year. I'm starting out this month with a picture of me at 5 weeks of age in Frankfurt, Germany, where I was born. I am a Gemini, which explains a lot. My husband thinks astrology is a bunch of hooey. You see, he has an identical twin brother and they are VERY different in my eyes. So I suppose in that case astrology is a little iffy ... they are Scorpios and my husband does not act like the typical Scorpio. But I digress. Just read up on Geminis and you will understand me completely, unfortunately.

DO NOT BUY Target's Create Your Own Wooden Clock

We needed a clock for our wall in our dining room, where we do most of our homeschooling. Instead of spending $3 on a cheap wall clock at Target, I blew $10 on a make-it-yourself one so the kids could create it and be proud of it hanging on the wall. Here is what they created:

Cool, huh? Too bad I had to return it, which broke my heart and upset my kids, as well. The piece that holds the clock arms to the front and the battery compartment to the back (the washer?) was too big and did not screw on. My husband ran all over the place looking for a washer that would fit ... no dice. So I went to Target and opened another box to see if it would work, but NOPE. Aron called the company and they have stopped making this ... no surprise. What is annoying is that they are still on the shelves at Target.

I can't find my piece of paper with the manufacturer information (not a shock since I'm not the most organized person in the world), but when I do I will post it. In the meantime, don't be tempted to pick up this do-hickey!!!

Memorial Day Blue Laws

I'm probably at church right now (if you're reading this at 11 a.m.). Then we won't be heading to the pool because we don't shop or spend money on Sundays so my husband extends that to not going to places where people have to work, which means the flipping pool. Trying to change his mind is like hitting your head against a brick wall, and I'm not patient with mind-changing anyway, so I just sigh and let stuff go sometimes. Pick your battle in marriage, I always say ... yeah, right!

Tomorrow I hope to be at the pool with the kids unless it rains in KC. Then lots of hanging out. How about you?

Hubby didn't want me to mention this, but I think it's a big deal that he went to Joplin, MO for 3 days to help out. I'm pretty much bragging that I have a kind-hearted husband who enjoys helping others. He is certainly too good for me. So we will be enjoying him today and listening to his stories of the town hit so hard by a tornado, only 2 hours from where we live.

MommyKerrie Is Taking a Break This Weekend

I gotta take a bloggy break. I'm getting burned out again. This always happens this time of year, about the time summer comes around and I realize I still have homeschooling to do and I have tons of fun stuff planned for the kids over the summer and tons of other writing projects I want to get to while kids are laying around in a post-pool coma.

And let's face it ... I'm getting my butt kicked trying to keep the house looking decent these days. AND I have all those millions of photos staring at me when I go to the basement to do laundry and they are BEGGING to be put into simple scrapbooks. And you all know how DEMANDING my husband is ... give me a backrub this and rub my feet that and make me some duck a l'orange this and fetch me a martini that. HAHA! Yeah, right!

So leave me a comment and let me know some of your summer plans. I'll still be blogging ... June is the month of ME since I'll be turning 40. Then July is homeschooling month. If you guest post for me that will give you some new fans and me a freaking break!

Frugal Tip: Set Up a Budget

I started using an on-paper budget when I started losing bills and having to pay late fees for bills I had forgotten to pay on time. Some of the more spontaneous people I knew made fun of me ... until they found themselves in credit card debt with a wicked Target credit card bill coming every month.

Setting up a budget (either on a piece of paper or in Excel, which is how I do it because I like the calculations) has helped me to prioritize what I spend money on and we are never late with bill payments now.

It's easy to do.  If you use a piece of paper, make column headings like "Name of Bill", "Total Amount Owed", "Amount Due Now", "Due Date", "Date Paid", "Amount Paid". You decide how you want to set it up.

Down the left side list your bills: rent or mortgage, utility bills, car payments, dance lessons, groceries, gas for your car, everything. Don't forget about those things that come every two or three months, like maybe your trash bill or if you pay your car insurance every 3 or 6 months.

Whip out your calculator because you may have to adjust some of your amounts that you spend on unnecessary stuff like fast food. If you are low on money for a certain paycheck, watch what you spend at the grocery store because that is the easiest place to cut costs. Shop at discount stores and consider some meatless meals like Frito Pie, grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly.

Check back with your budget often to make sure you're on track. It will take some tweaking and a few months to perfect it, but soon you'll be on your way to financial success. Setting up a budget is especially important for couples who maybe aren't on the same page financially ... like one spends a lot and one prefers to save.

I also highly recommend any book by Dave Ramsey, as well as his radio talk show!

Frugality Tip: Take Care of Your Health

Recently a guy was telling me how he spent $14,000 on medical care in 2010 for a family of 3, and that did not include the premiums he was paying through his work. I was shocked and wondered how we had paid way less than that, even the year that Sam was in the NICU for a week, and we have a family more than double the size of his. Here are some factors that will have you paying out the wazoo ...

1. Do you smoke? Not only are you probably looking old and wrinkly and blackening your lungs (how fun for your kids to have to take care of you when you get emphysema!), but you probably feel like crap, too. How far can you run before you are out of breath? Are you sick often?
2. Do you drink alcohol often? Wine now and then is said to be good for you, but are you throwing back a 12-pack of beer nightly? That's a different story for Mr. Liver, and I hope your kids are available and still in contact with you when it's time for a ride to your AA meeting (since you got that DUI and all that).
3. Do you take too many prescription drugs? Do you need them to help you sleep, wake up, be happy, get over an illness, for pain? Do you need them to live?
4. Do you run your kid to the doctor for a paper cut?
5. Do you head to the ER for a headache?
6. Do you hit the therapist up every time you experience rejection or are having a hard time with someone?
7. Are you on birth control pills? Have you read the warnings on those puppies lately? Breast cancer doesn't sound like a fun way to spend my fifties.
8. Do you over-sterilize everything you or your precious kids touch? Stop that! The less we wash our hands in my house, the healthier we are.

I hope my non-judgmental and amazing health tips will help you to cut your medical costs in the future. You can send some of that extra money my way for my LegoLand 2012 fund. Thank ya.

Guest Post: Behind the Piano

I love this guest post by Carol Alexander ... it shows that you have to think outside the box when it comes to saving money. I am in her position (well, not behind the piano!), and my writing desk is small and is up against a living room wall where I can be near my homeschoolers. I love her tips on saving on office supplies, especially!

By Carol J. Alexander

In twenty-three years as a stay-at-home-mom, I have learned that you make money by saving money. Because most people already own a computer, paper, and pencil, a writing business requires less start-up than the average network marketing scheme. But one step into your local office supply mega-store could undo that in an instant. With so many years’ experience making ends meet by bargain hunting, using what’s on hand, or doing without, it is only natural for me to apply these principles to my business. Let me show you a few ways you, too, can put more of your earnings into your pocket.

I save a tremendous amount of money by buying a year’s worth of office supplies during back-to-school sales. I purchase copy paper for $2.50 instead of $4.50 and spiral notebooks for a dime. Pens, pencils, notebooks, and folders all sell for next to nothing this time of year.

For larger items, I decide ahead of time how much I want to spend and do not buy until I find my price (or better). I also practice delayed gratification by saving cash for the purchase. Then, I track the sales. I use the Internet to compare brands and to search for rebates. I watch the advertisements in the newspaper. Most large-ticket items like computers and electronics go on sale in August and for the holidays. I recently purchased a laptop and printer. I shopped for something that would meet my needs, was a quality product and was within my price range. After the sale prices and rebates I paid less than $400 for the pair.

I have saved my business the most money in the design of my ‘office.’ An article in a recent writers’ newsletter discussed outfitting your office in these slow economic times. Most everything the author suggested I cannot afford to do. Also, in a popular book for writers, the author cautions the reader against starting out too big, too fast. She shares that she only recently graduated from her modest 10’x10’ office in the spare bedroom to something more spacious. Let me assure you, if I had another 10’x10’ room in my house, I would rapidly separate some boys. My money saving office measures precisely 5’3”x3’4”.

You wouldn’t believe what I fit in 17 ½ square feet. I have a comfortable, ergonomically designed office chair my husband picked up at a thrift store for $5 and an old kitchen table that I use as a desk. I also have a bookcase that holds the books I use constantly, an inbox (for putting works in progress), some catalogs and journals. A few flower pots sit on the shelves to hold paperclips, sticky note pads, pencils and a stapler.

On the other side of the piano (Oh, I forgot to mention that my neat little space is behind the piano!) sits a small filing cabinet and on top of that is the printer. And that is all I need…for now. Granted I’ve only been pursuing this writing career for a few years; but I earn money. I am published in national magazines. I am happy with my progress.

So, when can I turn the spare room into an office? I don’t anticipate having a spare room until my now 16-year-old son moves out. So, until then, you can find me behind the piano.

Carol J. Alexander writes from behind the piano in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Her articles have appeared in Urban Farm, BackHome Magazine, Grit, Home Education, The Old Schoolhouse, and several different parenting magazines. She is also the author of two e-books for homeschooling parents: Seed Catalog Curriculum: 50+ Lesson Plans Using Seed Catalogs, and Planning a Homeschool Graduation. You can find Carol, or her books, at her blog EverythingHomeWithCarol.blogspot.com.

Frugality Tip: Save Money on Groceries and Food

I used to have a problem with fast food. More like an addiction. I craved it and when I would get a writing paycheck in the mail I would cash it and spend it on fast food or ice cream or something else food-ish.

Something happened recently that I can't quite explain.

I stopped craving it. I also stopped taking second helpings of every meal at home. I can't tell you the last time I bought myself a fancy coffee. I make coffee at home when I am dying for it and keep a $2.50 bag of M&Ms in my diaper bag for my sweets cravings. That bag lasts me about a week, then I get another.

I lost weight and saved money for LegoLand. I have to give some credit to Geneen Roth and Bethenny Frankel Hoppy ... they say don't deprive yourself, but don't pig food in when you are faced with something you love. Have that chili cheese dog, but only eat half of it now. You will not starve. There will always be more food.

What are your tips for eating less and eating out less?

Frugality Tip: Sell Your Old Junk

Usually I just donate our old stuff since it’s the easiest route, but lately we’re trying to make money for our dream goal of going to LegoLand in California someday, so we are saving every cent we can. Here’s the order of events in getting rid of stuff:

Garage sale. Oh, how I hate having a garage sale, but my kids love it, so I reluctantly do it about once a year. For one thing, we are not early birds. We never end up making money, but this year I decided to advertise it for free on Craigslist and put in the ad that we were only open from 10-4. We made $45, which is like half a ticket to LegoLand.
Consignment shop. We have a kid consignment store down the road, so I took all the toys that did not sell at the garage sale (they’re too picky about clothes) and tried to sell them there. I made another $14.

Craigslist. I put an ad on Craigslist advertising a “lot” of toys for one low price. Perfect for a daycare or a new grandma trying to stock up her house. I put special stuff in their own ad (Littlest Pet Shop, Thomas trains, my husbands tools). We were able to quickly unload a tool of my husband's for $15. (I never have buyers come to my home unless my husband is home because I'm a big scaredy cat).

Thrift stores. After about a week, what was left went in the back of my van and to the local thrift store.

Your challenge: to sell some old junk and not spend the money on fast food. Put the money away ... like in a savings account!

Games to Play with Baked Lays on Mother's Day: Go Chip

This here is what you'd call a "break" from Frugality Month. I'm not loving the theme months, but I'm committed (or should be ... ha!), but I can take a break on the even days if I wanna.

On Mother's Day Michael and I were on the deck eating Baked Lays. All of a sudden he put them in his hand all fanned out like they were cards. He said, "Let's play Go Chip."

I didn't miss a beat and put my own chips in my hand and made a discard pile of chips. We started playing, like this:

Michael, "Do you have a .... [pause] chip?"

Me, "No. Go chip." Then he picked from the discard pile. Then I asked, "Do you have a ... chip?"

Michael, "Yes." Then he gives me two chips that are close together in his hand. I eat one and add one to my hand.

We continued on like this for a few minutes until our chips were eaten.

Then I started laughing my butt off at the absurdity that is us! We have a lot of fun around here!

Frugality Tip: Use the Library

You Know You Have a Good Book When …

I love the library. So I sometimes have to wait months to get my hands on the latest bestseller. It’s free!

I used to overuse my PayPal account to buy used books on ebay (imagine if Amazon and Half.com took PayPal!!!). Then I realized I was getting books, reading them and then never looking at them again. So I’d sell them for a fraction of what I paid or just give them away. I know, some people save every book they’ve ever read, and I used to do that. Then I took a look around my 1,327 square foot home and saw the space our homeschooling stuff took up and realized I just can’t save books unless I’m using them for something.

You know you have a good book when …

… you want to stay up late reading it.

… you lock yourself in the bathroom pretending to be having bowel issues.

… you read instead of watching The Real Housewives (or your favorite show).

… you get excited to get back home to dive into it.

… you find your mind wandering in social situations because you’d much rather be with your book friends.

I'm so excited about adding Amazon to my blog ... you can now purchase books directly from this site. Sometimes you check out a book from the library and just HAVE to own it. Or sometimes you hear the title and HAVE to own it (like how I just had to have The Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family, and my friend bought it immediately, as well!).

Frugality Tip: Stop Spending Money on Unnecessaries

Say “no” to every telemarketer who calls, even if they talk about childhood cancer. I like to turn it into sport, like when they call about me paying for life insurance or funeral costs for firefighters and cops. I feel a little bad, but I have to ask, "Um, my husband pays for OUR life insurance, so why aren't THEY paying for their OWN life insurance?" or "How come my tax dollars aren't going to the vets instead of you calling ME personally and asking me for money, 1/2 of which is going into the pocket of your CEO?" The telemarketer gets all flustered and doesn't know what to say, and that's the end of that.

Buy ONE box of Girl Scout cookies every year, not 10.

Spend less at Christmas (we don’t go crazy AT ALL, but I noticed last year the kids were tired of opening presents after about the 4th of 9 … so this year how about 5 gifts per kid and head to Craigslist!)

Spend less on gifts for the endless birthday parties we attend (working on an article on this; remind me to link to it once it’s out)

Check Dave Ramsey’s site and contact an insurance Endorsed Local Provider to see if we can get a better rate on our car and home insurance. Cancel full coverage on our trashed-out minivan, which will save about $30 per month.

If I can’t afford a $5 coffee, then I can’t get it until the next writing check or payday, no matter how badly I may want or need it. I’ll just make coffee at home or else buy a $1 iced tea at McDonald’s or take a B12 with a bunch of water.

Share your ideas with me!

25 Ways to Make Some Extra Money

f you can’t cut your expenses, here are some ways to make extra money as a stay-at-home mom who doesn’t want to put her kids in daycare (I’ve starred the ones I’ve personally done) ... oh, and don't forget your husband can also do some of this stuff if he's only working part-time or something like that:

*Mystery shopping

*Market research

*Babysitting at home

*Babysitting at churches
 Babysitting at health clubs (free membership included usually!)

*Freelance writing (magazines, but also sales letters and marketing manuals, as well as ebooks (GetPublishedParentingMags.com)

*Blogging

*Magazine delivery to businesses

Newspaper delivery

Mowing lawns (good exercise, Mama!)

Dog walking or sitting

House sitting

Anything you were good at in your previous work life that you can turn into money at home (legal advice, PR services, proofreading, doing taxes … sky’s the limit!)

*Sell some crap (books at Half Price Books, garage sale, Craigslist, consignment shops)

I wrote an article once called Moms Making Money and researched some obscure ways to make money at home, which include*:

Audio-to-Text Transcriber (www.TigerFish.com; www.ProductionTranscripts.com)

Direct Seller (www.TiensNA.com for health and wellness products; www.TheTravelingVineyard.com for fine wine)

E-Juror (www.eJury.com; www.TrialPractice.com)

Online User Guide (www.about.com; www.chacha.com; www.JustAnswer.com)

Online Tutor (www.tutor.com)

Professional Blogger (www.BlogHer.com; http://www.blogsvertise.com/)

Sales Call Verifier (http://www.voicelog.com/)

Telemarketer (www.Intrep.com; www.Telereach.com; http://www.west.com/)

Virtual Assistant (www.TeamDoubleClick.com; http://www.virtualassistantjobs.com/)

Virtual Customer Service Agent (www.AlpineAccess.com; http://www.workingsol.com/)

Virtual Publicist (www.OrcaCommunications.com; http://www.wasabipublicity.com/)

*Tory Johnson’s Work-from-Home Tips www.abcnews.go.com/gma/takecontrolofyourlife/story?id=2621388&page=1 (except for Professional Blogger sites)

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Frugality Tip: Save on Baby Gear

Lookie! It's a playpen!

When I was pregnant with my first child 10 years ago, we went all out on baby gear. Thankfully, most of it was gifted to us, and much of it has lasted through 5 kids, but there are some things we really could have saved a lot of money on:

1. High chair. Instead of having my dad get us a new $100 high chair, we could have hunted garage sales, thrift stores and craigslist.com and saved up to 75%. Then Dad could have spent the money he saved on a huge chocolate stash for his favorite (only) daughter.
2. Stationary walker. Ditto from above, except insert "my mom".
3. Stroller. Ditto from above, except insert "me" spending $110 on a double stroller. Should've saved the leftover money for nursing bras because those dang things are exPENsive!
4. Car seat. Our first kid's carseat came FREE from the hospital because by law they can't send a baby home NOT in a carseat. I found that out and didn't take one with me, so we got one for free. It was cheesy with no handle and pleather, but it got us around for a while til someone gave us a used one. Yes, I am aware that you aren't supposed to use used carseats, but some truly broke people have no choice but to trust that a seat hasn't been in an accident (and even if it has, they have to take their chances that THEY won't get in an accident, and so on).
5. Cloth diapers. Sounds gross, but you can buy them used and just bleach the heck outta them.
6. Clothing. Garage sales and kid consignment shops save you a ton of cash on baby clothes. Also, taking any handouts from people who have older children is a huge budget saver!
7. A changing table. I've never owned one of these. I prefer to change diapers on the floor or on a bed, where I am FACING my baby and am not at a weird angle to him/her while trying to keep him/her from falling off a high surface!

I'm sure I'll come up with 50 more things I could've bought used. In the meantime, give me YOUR ideas!

Frugal Tip: Cheap or Free Haircuts

Welcome to the kickoff of Frugality Month at The Kerrie Show. By the end of this month you should pretty much figure out that I'm so tight I squeak when I walk. The reason for this is that I do not like to feel out of control as far as money goes. I like to have zero debt and money saved. I do know how to enjoy myself and how to treat my family to some fun, though. Read on ...

Callie after Paul Mitchell cut



Joel is happy to get his Mommy-cut

Why not let the 3-year-old try hair-cutting?

Better yet, let the 1-year-old give it a shot!

We love to do at-home haircuts. We spent about $20 10 years ago on a clipper set and have saved hundreds of dollars. I cut my husband's hair, as well as my two sons' hair. Sam will be next! I do bang trims on myself and my girls. Callie has only had 2 real haircuts in her life, both at Paul Mitchell school for $10 each (sounds expensive!). I get my hair layered MAYBE twice a year at the rate of $13 per cut. No coloring needed for me yet, thankfully (heck, I'll just do it at home out of a bottle anyway!).

Don't forget that lots of places will give you a FREE haircut if you have a bunch of hair to chop off and donate to Locks of Love. I've done this THREE times (not for the free cut but because my hair grows fast and I want to help someone out). Start by contacting Great Clips for this, but some high-end salons will also do this for kid, women and men.

No photo of me to share this time around, folks, because I asked for a shaggy, messy haircut and now look a lot like Jon Bon Jovi's long-lost sister. I'm trying to rock my new style, and thankin' God at the same time that my hair grows 1/2 inch a month. Whew.

It’s no secret that I like to save money on some things so I can spend them on others. That’s why I was THRILLED when we got an electric hair cutting thingie about 8 years ago. Aron guided me through cutting his hair, and it looked pretty good.

In the years since having 2 boys, the hair cutting thing has paid for itself over and over and we’ve saved probably close to $1,000* on haircuts. Pair that with nursing and cloth diapering, and I’ve saved this family thousands of dollars (yes, I’m proud of it). I know someone who has formula-fed and disposable diapered TEN – count ‘em – TEN children. They could own an island by now had they been more awesome like yours truly.

So the thing about giving a haircut is this:

You always have to say, “Oops!” at some point in the haircut. This gets my husband every time. Sometimes it’s a true Oops, but usually I’m just messing with him.

*I estimate I’ve cut Aron’s hair 40 times, Joel’s 20 and Michael’s 12. Let’s say a haircut is 10 bucks even, including tip (I’m probably being cheap, too). That totals $720, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Update as of November 5, 2018 ... I grew out my bangs, which I had been cutting myself anyway, and started cutting all my hair. I toss it up in a ponytail, bend over, and cut away. I end up with a lovely shag that I could never get even when I was begging and explaining and showing pictures and paying $50 ... and I do it myself in about 2 minutes and it's FREE. Do you know how good that feels?!

Naked Toolbench Baby

Sam is such a character. He loves to be naked and he loves his tools. This is the toolbench Santa brought him last Christmas. It sits right next to my writing desk. I love to watch him play, and he always makes me laugh.

The Bucket Kid from Parenthood

Remember that movie Parenthood? Remember that kid who liked to put a bucket on his head and ram into things? That was Eva one day, and I had to get a photo. Parenthood is truly like a roller coaster. This is what I love about having a big family ... life is always fun and challenging and rewarding and crazy and chaotic. I don't think it's for everyone, but it definitely works for us.

Frugality Tip: Do It Yourself

Generally we play it safe around our house because we aren't sure if we'll be moving someday. We love our house but live on a busy corner. So our other rooms are pale green, pale brown, etc. We did get crazy with "the baby's" room in 2001 and made it shocking lime green with a beach mural on one wall painted by my husband. Then the girls' room is a cool turquoise and purple. Anyway, we went nutty and chose the color POINSETTIA for our upstairs hallway. I highly recommend it, even at 3 coats.

We save a lot of money by doing our own house projects. Don't forget May is Frugality Month ... coming up!

We Love Jordan

One night I went to a baby shower. Eva got sleepy early, so Jordan held her while she fell asleep.

Jordan loves Sam in onesies and convinced me to buy him a few at $1.50 each at a used kid clothes store. This one is like a nametag that says his name is Mr. Adorable.

Jordan always has fun with the kids, and we love her so much! Sam likes her piggyback rides!

Matchy Matchy

Eva, me and Callie, with Sam's head poking out.

Callie and Mommy ... lately she wants to try to dress like me.

Kids and Toy Guns Yes or No?

Sammy is all boy, that's for sure. He loves stealing his brother's Nerf gun. My husband (who has 3 brothers) wasn't allowed to play with guns when he was growing up. He just used sticks instead. What do you think about kids and toy guns? And if you love this picture, you'll really dig this guest post by Sam himself, around age 2.

Dino Bowling

Michael strikes again (get it?!) ... dino bowling.

I Hate Clothes Shopping

I know, my son tells me most girls like to shop. I, however, would rather get a root canal or clean the bathroom toilet with my own toothbrush. And then brush my teeth with it.

When I grocery shop, I know I will come out of the store with what I went in for. Same at the homeschool store.

Clothes shopping is not a sure thing. First you have to find something you like. Then you have to find it in a size that fits. Spending quality time in a dressing room is not my idea of fun. Wait, there’s a step for me that comes BEFORE first. That step is called: Secure a person at home to watch the other kids while you go shopping for the kid in question or for yourself.

Don’t get me started on bathing suit shopping, which is something I need to do since I’m not pregnant this year and won’t need a nursing suit because I’m hoping Sam can get through a couple of hours at the pool without nursing. Or maybe I should look at tankinis? Flowy ones. Maybe I’ll hunt down a maternity nursing suit. What a mess.

My dream closet at this point in my life would consist of 7 T-shirts in the same size in different colors that show off my waist and minimize my tummy and chest. Then throw in 7 of those in long-sleeved, plus some jeans and shorts and you’ve got a deal.

Thank you Jesus for hand-me-downs (clothes, shoes, bathing suits for the kids plus all the clothes for me personally) from my friends. Without them my husband would not have a boat, for sure. So if you’ve ever given us your kids’ old clothes, you may call my husband for a ride in his fishing boat.

Starbuck’s Via Instant Coffee

I’m not normally a fan of instant coffee, but a friend who works at Starbuck’s gave me some of the “markout” (meaning past or almost past the expiration date; Starbuck’s are sticklers for freshness) Via instant coffee packets. My friend cringed when I told her how I make my Via because apparently microwaving kills something in the milk and I should STEAM it (yeah, right), but here’s my “recipe” anyway:

Pour 1 cup milk and 1 cup water into a 2 cup container.

Microwave until smokin’ hot (which is like 3 minutes on my microwave since it’s literally from 1990).

Pour Via packet into milk/water mixture and stir.

Add cream and sugar to taste (for me, it’s about a cup of sugar and 19 tablespoons of powdered creamer) and stir.

Pour into a coffee mug and enjoy. Nuke the rest later and pour it into your mug, as well.

*This recipe is for coffee lightweights like myself who have never had a cup of black coffee.

Undie Hats

Poor Sam. He is Child #5. And as such he has to wear Hannah Montana underwear on his head like a little French beret. And then he is made to say "Cheese" or fromage or queso or whatever. Such a good sport.

I Don’t Own a Crib

Don’t freak out on me here. Stay with me. Hear me out.

The year was 2000, and my boss gave me a sweet bonus for Christmas. Seeing as how I was a whopping 2 months pregnant, I knew it was time to go baby shopping. But what to get? There was so much out there. I decided on a $100 double stroller which I still have (duct taped on the storage basket underneath, of course, because that’s just how I roll … cheap) and a crib.

I got a $400 crib and a $100 mattress. My kid would have to have the best, hardest, safest mattress and the prettiest crib. Dark wood with a storage drawer underneath.

Fast forward to our first night with a new baby at home. We tried, like normal people, to lay him in the crib once I nursed him to sleep. Lucky for me, I got me a husband who could not stand to hear our baby cry, and not just because he wanted some sleep. I nursed baby Joel in bed and we fell asleep and never looked back.

After that, the crib was kept for sentimental purposes and because we were maybe hoping to have a baby who would at least NAP in the darn thing, but crazy me always wanted to hold my babies for naps, so the crib sat all lonely.

When I was pregnant with my third, I tried to sell the crib. A first-time preggie came by with her husband wondering why I was selling it and I told her we sleep with our kids and they looked at me like I told her I’m a polygamist. They did not buy the crib.

A family friend ended up trading us the crib for a cool couch for our living room. This is the same couch on which Sam was almost born.

To answer your question in advance: no, we don’t sleep with all 5 of our kids. The oldest boys sleep in bunk beds in their own room and have for about 4 years. Callie just moved in to her own room after Aron got it all painted and pretty for her. Eva sleeps in her own twin bed pushed up to our bed. Sam snuggles with us every night and sleeps on me every day while I read to the kids, watch some TV, return phone calls, homeschool or whatever.

Thanks for listening. I'm not so crazy after all, am I? Don't answer that.

Kids and Chores

Heck, yeah, we start 'em early at my house. The 1.5 year old can certainly earn his keep by vacuuming, am I wrong?

*Just kidding, sheesh!

Baby Junk You Don’t Need

Some of my biggest goals in life currently are to save money and to save space in my 1,327 square foot (gross living area) home. Here’s some stuff I don’t have or store most of the time or just never needed.

Some of this stuff costs a lot of money, and it floors me when broke people go further into debt (in addition to their freaking welfare and food stamps) to purchase stupid baby equipment at full price. As if the baby will care! Trust me, your kid cares a lot more that you were AROUND and that you were, I don’t know, maybe, LOVING and nurturing and caring.

High chair takes up too much space in my house, even if it folds up. I used one religiously for my first 4 kids as a feeding space AND as a place to park the baby. But Sam wasn’t havin’ it, so we put it back in the basement. We fed him on our laps or he stood in a chair (supervised, of course). Recently I got him a baby seat that straps onto a chair for $5 at a thrift store.

Boppy … unless you get this as a gift, just use pillows. I loved it with my first 3 kids until my first two pulled it apart tug-of-war style. I was too cheap and lazy to buy another so I just used pillows and built up my arm muscles or rested my arm on my Yoga-posed leg (just kidding!) when pillows weren’t available.

Playpen. My mom always says I needed one of these, and Lord knows enough people gave me their used “play yards.” But I was always holding my babies or else parking them in a stationary walker (is that an oxymoron or what?!) or in the bouncy seat. If they were on the floor, I was watching closely and yelling at my other kids to NOT STEP ON THE BABY OR I WILL STEP ON YOU.

Wipes warmer. Use the body heat on your hand, moron. My kids will probably not bring up in therapy that I wiped their butts with cold wipes in the middle of winter.

Shoes. Please don’t get me started. Moms, you know these are only for decoration and serve no purpose, kinda like a spleen or appendix.

A crib. We’ll visit this one in the next post.

Sibling Torture

I'm sure when my child therapist friend brought over this tub full o' goodies she never thought the kids would use it to trap their baby brother.

Wood Project: See-Through Birdhouse (Plans to Come!)

My husband strikes again: spending quality time with his son making a gorgeous birdhouse. Once again, my goal is to make millions as a writer so he can stay home doing woodworking.

UPDATED 12/20/13: Mr. Kerrie says he will work on plans for this birdhouse so he can get them to all you guys who have been pinning this photo! Stay tuned to my blog for updates and plans!

“Her Fearful Symmetry” Book Review

Her Fearful Symmetry is by Audrey Niffenegger, the author of The Time Traveler’s Wife. The Time Traveler’s Wife was a great book.

Her Fearful Symmetry is a creepy, long book, but it’s good.

You should get it at the library and read it.

I know. I totally have a career as a book reviewer ahead of me. I’m very thorough and helpful.

Big Sisters

Eva, clad in wedding dress, feeds Sam M&Ms by spoon at a little desk.

Do We Homeschool in the Summer?

Yep.

I don’t want them to forget everything they learned all year, so we keep up a light schedule in the summer. What else are we doing on summer mornings anyway? The pool doesn’t open til noon!

There’s no reason they can’t do a couple of pages of English and a couple of pages of Math every day with other subjects thrown in every now and then.

Also, summer is a great time for tons of field trips to nature centers, natural history museums, zoos, pet stores, children’s museums, parks and so much more. Kansas City is an amazing place to homeschool.

Regular school suggests kids do a workbook over the summer to keep up their skills, but how many people do you know who actually do that, especially if the kids are in day camp, daycare, at the sitter, etc.?

Shoveling Snow as Men’s Work?!

Who said shoveling snow was men’s work?

I love to shovel snow in my butt-kicking Land’s End boots, red coat, gloves and earmuffs.

I just can’t get away from Sam for more than a few minutes to do it. When he realizes I’m outside he starts to cry.

I love the exercise. I love helping my husband. I’m 5 years younger and not with a bad back, after all. I love the solitude.

But you don’t see too many women out shoveling snow. How come?

I also love to mow the lawn. With my youngest in a sling. With headphones on and music blasting, my tennis shoes turning green.

But ask my parents … I didn’t always love to do these things. When I was a teenager it was probably pretty hard to get me to get up and do much of anything. Hey, I was a teenager. I was using my energy to grow, right?

As for Aron ... it’s like you wind him up and he won’t stop shoveling. Then his back is killing him for days.

Resentment Toward Your Spouse

I’d been feeling a little resentful toward Aron. It seemed like the more kids we had, the less he helped out with the boring stuff like laundry and dishes.

Sure, he does outside stuff and takes care of the cars and fixes things as they break (which is quite the job, let me tell you).

But I was feeling ungrateful and like I was doing more than my share with cooking, cleaning, homeschooling, errands, and so on.

Then I started typing up old DayRunner pages from before we were even married and from when we were first married. I want to have everything in one place as far as journaling goes for when I start scrapbooking, plus then I recycle the pages, so that’s less junk in my house!

Anyway, DANG! I sure took a lot of naps in those days before I had kids (it’s a wonder he’d want to marry such a sloth!).

And Aron cooked for me all the time.

And he was there for me when my parents were divorcing (that was a lot of tears on my part).

And he never complained about my dad hanging out with us all the time (he actually enjoyed it, as did I).

And he called my mom on her birthday and helped my dad paint his house.

And he was supportive about me finishing my little ole 2-year juco degree.

And when he was laid off from his job, he went on unemployment for a while, but he worked as a cook to supplement and did not take the full unemployment payment. (who does that these days?!)

And he saved his travel food allowance so he could buy me an engagement/wedding ring.

And he doesn’t say one word about the fact that my fingers are currently too thick to wear that ring. That is priceless to me.

When things are so different and always changing after 15 plus years with someone, it’s nice to be reminded of why you are with someone in the first place.

Now I think I’ll go do something I’ve NEVER done … I’ll bunch his socks together in sets so it’s easier for him to get ready for work and I’ll maybe even go crazy and fold his underwear.