Being hit by a spammer!

Wow.... I have had one post being spammed lately! I have deleted at least 10 comments in the last 3 days.

So... the best way to (hopefully) resolve this problem is to set up a comment moderation for any posts older than 5 days.

I hate to do this, but I am getting tired of that one post being spammed. Weird how spammers minds work.

Ha Ha....so much for my blogging more often!

Seriously though... I really meant to, it's just life seems to get in the way!

I have recently acquired a substitute position that could last until the end of the school year. I am very happy about that, but also realize that I will have to become much more organized if I plan to stay within a reasonable grocery budget.

Meaning.... planiing meals in advance, using my slow-cooker more often and NOT relying on frozen pre-cooked meals or even fast food for dinners.

Another expense is lunches for myself. I have so far just fixed a sandwich the same time I fixed them for the kids' lunches, but I will have to look into varying that a bit. I get bored quickly with lunches and would hate to start hitting the snack machine because I was not prepared.

I do look to this as another stage in my life and hope that it leads to a permanent position.

Busy with my own schoolwork...

I know, I am a bad blogger. But I do have an excuse! I have been subbing alot and keeping up with my college classes!

I will truly try and do better. Maybe set up certain days of the week to post, even if it is just an update on us.

I will let you all know. :-)

Another generation to appreciate "Anne of Green Gables"

Okay... so I have made it a habit of getting books on CD from the library. Mainly because there is not alot of good music on the radio today and also because I like to listen to them while I am driving.

The latest that I have been listening to is "Anne of Green Gables." One of my all time favorites. I have read it SO many times over the years.

Guess who now wants her own copy of the book? You guessed it, my 8 year old! Older brother does not want to admit to it, but he is getting into the story also. LOL

Almost a month....

since I posted last. Bad Molly!

Things have been super busy here!

My classes are going smoothly and I am subbing like crazy! Alot more than this time last year! That's okay, I am extremely grateful for the hours!

The garden is winding down. I took a picutre of the yummy watermelon we harvested (yes, it appears we will only get ONE from the three plants I planted! :-( ), but I can not find it..it is on the computer somewhere. LOL

I hope to get some carrots and turnips in the ground to have some for a fall harvest... but we will see what happens.

Here is to hoping everyone is happy and healthy!

Back from vacation!

Had a wonderful week at the beach...and not back to reality! LOL

Tomorrow will be getting back into the swing of a normal routine, well at least for two weeks until school starts again, and then a new, new routine. LOL

Laundry will be first on the list tomorrow, then wiping down bathrooms and checking out what can be done in the garden since we were gone for a week!

Gearing up for the next semester of college!

I currently have two weeks left of this summer class I am taking. Actually only one, since we leave for our vacation next Sunday. :-)

I am taking four classes this Fall.... I am getting so excited! I am starting to look into which school I will transfer into after I get my degree from the community college!

The kiddos are gearing up for the start of school also. It starts August 24th...same day that my college classes start. LOL

I have been canning green beans from the garden. :-) That and dehydrating beans and squash!

I am loving my dehydrator!

The economy....

Like many people we have been efffected by the economy. For us, it was mainly just the increase prices more than anything else, but not anymore.

Starting with the final pay period of this month, DH is "receiving" a pay cut. :-( It is not major, but it will take some adjusting.

We are trying to look on the positive and remind ourselves that a small paycut is much better than a pink slip!

In response to this new pay rate, I will be increasing my efforts in the area of getting the most for my grocery dollar.

Here are my first line of defense:

1. Making a menu and STICKING to it! No more, "I don't feel like ____" and then running to the store for something that does not need to defrost!

2. Making better use of leftovers. This is something I have been bad about lately.

3. Making even MORE things from scratch. (I need to find a sub roll recipe for DH's lunches)

4. I will NOT impulse buy anymore!

There will be more things I will add to my list, plus I will go back and read some of my earlier blog posts when I was alot more strict in the grocery area.

more pics....

Pictures for a friend....

These are from the last couple of months... so pretty recent.





I will post a couple more later.... promise!

Interested in learning about gardening, preserving and other skills from our ancestors?

Then join us here:

OMG I love this tool!

Besides that fact that I am posting twice in one day....

I just had to tell you all about a garden tool I found out about from a wonderful blogger! The Grocery Cart Challenge

She calls her a "halo hoe," but my local Home Depot calls it an "action hoe." Either way, I consider it a God-send!

I went out and weeded my "trouble" area... the paths between my bean plants! It was a breeze and took just a matter of minutes on a job that usually takes ALOT longer and requires bending over the whole time!

School's out for the summer....

Okay... this is actually the fourth day of their summer vacation, but I am a "bad" blogger... so I am just now getting to it. he he he

Summer plans this year include... visits to Kings Dominion. We get season passes to this amusement park.

Visit my mom a few times, first time will be the 4th of July weekend.

Going to Myrtle Beach in August. Only four of us are going... Donny has to work. Such is the life of a young adult needing money for spending during the sollege semesters....

I have signed the kiddos up for the library's summer reading program..and have a few projects to do with them for fun.

Watching the neighbor boy also... so at least Ian has a playmate. They will have to just get over having to play with a girl. :-)

Ouch...almost a month and a half has gone by...

since I last posted!

Been so busy! College ending for the semester, starting the next semester. Donny coming home and getting resettled.

My mom had her surgery and is recovery very nicely!

Just ALOT going on!

The Sun is Out!

So what am I doing inside at the computer? LOL

Well, I am having my lunch right now... so that is why. hehehe

I have two loads of towels and sheets out on the line, I have a basket of clean clothes waiting to be folded and I have another in the washer.

I love when it is warm and dry, since clothes dried on the line are just so... homey! (Plus the savings on the electric bill are nice also!)

Nisan 14

Tomorrow (April 9th) after sundown will begin the date of Nisan 14. The day that Jesus gave his life so that all of us can have the opportunity to receive everlasting life.

His perfect life in exchange for Adam's sin.

We observe this with a special meeting where we read remember, through scriptures, the events leading up to his sacrifice.

I have always found it rather funny

when people use their blogs to “condemn” other people’s religion.*

Especially when these people have never really looked into what the others believe, but just take whatever their own church’s so-called “expert” says about what the other religion believes.

If you want to know what a person in a certain religion believes…. Ask someone that is currently a member of that religion.

Thank you!


*I might not agree with another religion’s beliefs, but I do not use my blog to condemn any of those religions. I will post what I believe and that is all.

I caught a glimpse of the future yesterday....

We had another pet loss in our family yesterday. It was my son's hamster. He has had this hamster for over two years and was rather attached. It was not uncommon to see his hamster climbing over his shoulders or running around on his bed as he laid there watching. It was not uncommon for my son to ask for a piece of carrot, lettuce or apple as a "treat" for his buddy. Which of course, was always given.

So... in what way did I see the future? When I gave my son the news yesterday after school, he's eyes started to redden, but he shook off any "mothering" I wanted to do at that time. He squared his shoulders and said "okay... we need to bury him."

I got a box for him, we used some cotton batting and some fabric to improvise a hamster coffin. (Unfortunately, I have had practice with this.) We then went out back and got the shovel. At this point he said, "mom, I want to do this myself." I asked again if he was sure, he was positive, he wanted to do this himself. I told him to let me know if he needs help, but okay.

Well, it was not exactly easy for him, but he did it. My almost 10 year old, dug the grave (after having to tell him once that it needed to be deeper) and then put his friend to rest.

His face was wet and smeared with dirt, but he did this himself. He wanted to give this to his friend.

My heart grew warm with my love for my young man, and got a glimpse of the man he will one day be....

Re-homing fee?????

Okay... this is a new one on me!

I am in the process of trying to find a new kitten to add to our family. (Yes, we had a loss, but I am not ready to talk about that)

I have looked at the animal shelters, but in my area they want everything short of a blood sample in order for you to adopt. Don't get me wrong, I believe in making sure an animal is going to a loving home, but one place actually asked for me to state "who" would get the animal in case of divorce! Oh... and they all say they have to come out for a "home visit" before you can adopt an animal. I am sorry, but that is just too much in my book.

So... I look to craigslist and the local papers. Found some kittens, but each ad stated that there was a small "re-homing" fee for the kittens! I decided to call and find out about one.... and guess what! The "small" fee was $50! I was told this was to cover the cost of a vet visit and food. Okay... I could see the vet part, but when I asked for proof, I was told they did not have any??? Excuse me?! You want me to pay you that much money and I will have no proof that the kitten was even taken to a vet, much less proof that it had its first shots. I don't think so!

What happen to the days when people truly wanted to find homes for the kittens? If they do not want the trouble, then make sure YOUR cat gets fixed before she can get out and get herself in a "family way!"

Okay.... off to look for any more ads....

Ever get upset/irritated by something a person posts on their blog?

Well, I try not to let it get to me, especially since it is a view that I pretty much knew the person held, but seeing it posted really got my ire up this morning!

I am not going to get into what it was about, but I think I am just going to let it go and pray about it.

I know that nothing I would post would change thier viewpoint, even though they are WRONG, so why waste my time.

And I do not feel this post is a waste of time and energy, because it is a vent, and I will feel better after I post! :-)

Okay, other than that... life is going along nicely. Classes are pretty much the same, sick kids are seem to be finally over the crud they had and we are having some nice warm days!

I NEED spring! LOL

Things are holding steady....

School is progressing; kids were sick, but now recovering; still hoping to get hired with the school system.

Not much to report at the moment.

"The righteous themselves will possess the earth,
And they will reside forever upon it." Psalms 37:29.

2 Timothy 3:16,17

All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.

Message board update..

Well... I pared them down! I now only have 12 on my list. 2-3 I only look at maybe once a week.. so those I will keep as "read only" ones for now. I own one, so that is a keeper. LOL One, I am only staying on there until I save some more information from there that I want to keep, and then I am deleting my account. That is more because anything I post where I defend my beliefs, the post gets deleted. But the other post that is posting falsehoods is left. Yeah, I see a pattern there. (And I want to point out that I am only defending my beliefs) I don't need that kind of treatment!

The others are ones that I love and don't ever plan to leave! (I hope I never have a reason to leave!)

Needing to pare down my message boards..

Okay, I have come to the conclusion that I need to lessen the number of message boards that I visit. The only problem with that is that I now have to DECIDE which ones that will be.

Checking out the current USDA..

monthly food cost quide. The most recent the site says is available is December, 2008, but I could not get that one to work, so I looked up Novembers. USDA

Since Donny is only here for summers and college breaks, I am calculating our costs on a family of 4. Their "thrifty" plan has me spending $604.90 a month! On my goodness......

My personal goal (and I usually make it) is to spend on $300.00 a month on food and $50.00 on non-food items.

And we live less than an hour from D.C., so our cost of living is not exactly cheap!

What is your family's costs compared to what the .gov thinks you are spending?

What I am currently reading, for pleasure...

The is where I wanted to put a picture, but I could not get things to cooperate!

Duggars: 20 and Counting.

I am only about 1/2 way through it....but it is really nice and informative.

Going down memory's lane....

I just finished reading a blog of a friend of mine (do I say former? I would rather not, but it has been too long since we have talked)...

For awhile I could not access her blog, since it is a part of her board and I am not a member there.

Reading it was bittersweet. It reminded me of all the good times I had there. Don't get me wrong, I still stand by my reasons for leaving, but it does not change the fact that I miss what had been. (Does that make sense?) There will never be another place like that one and I hope that whatever "growing pains" it went through, it came out the better for it.

If you are reading this... I think you will know who I am thinking of.....

Still trudging along....

Classes are going great so far... will start my fourth one on the 2nd of February! It is my Art class, really looking forward to what that one will entail!

Been subbing alot at the school and praying that I get an interview for a teaching assistant position. I will hopefully hear soon about it.

Feeling as if I caught a cold...so taking it a bit easy so it does not become something else!

I got my books today!

I am so excited! Okay, alittle scared too, but a good kind. he he he

I am done!

Okay... I mean that I am officially done with the Fall Semester!

Now I can just relax a bit until Monday, when the Spring semester begins. LOL

Here's to a great new year everyone!