Q and A, Four Moms

 The Four Moms are: 


Kim at Life in a Shoe

Kimberly at Raising Olives

Connie, at Smockity Frocks

And me!!

Q. Somewhere you mentioned that you had a recipe for dish soap but the only one I could find on your blog is the one mentioned in this post. If I've missed it, can you direct me to it?

A. The dishwasher soap recipe is here. Hope you like it!  We've been using it for, oh, almost a full year now, and we still like it.

Q. What kind of blocks are those! I have four boys and I need some!

A. I know, aren't they great?  Unfortunately, I think I bought them on ebay around 9 or 10 years ago, and I've never been able to find them again.They have no identifying marks.I got them during an 'eliminate the plastic junk and replace it with wood 'phase. I love them and wouldn't mind having more.  The boys all love them, too.

Q.About singings: Do you have any good resources to recommend - favorite CD's maybe? Cyberhymnal is wonderful for lyrics but that midi music is awful. What does your list of favorite hymns look like?

Check out youtube and google - what you want to look for is hymns, "church of Christ" or "Primitive Baptist".  For google, add mp3 to that search. Also go to Kleinwood.com and click on annual singings, then scroll down. For my favorite hymns, well, I guess that you could find them by scrolling through my Sunday Hymn Posts

Q. How far apart will the Dread Pirate Grasshopper and his newest sibling be?

A. The new baby is due in September, which is also when the DPG will be 3.

Q. How's your dad?
His blood pressure is back to normal, and he's eating as well as he was eating in the care center. His eyes are open. He argues with my mother and slaps at her hands when she tries to help him. He is rude and grouchy about having to stay in bed.  In short, normal, and he's going back to the Care Center today or tomorrow.

Nobody asked about this, but I wanted to share that Jenny has been saving her money for some now for a trip on her own somewhere.  She had just about decided to go to one of the states and visit her birth-mother when an incredible bargain came up- she's leaving for Germany April 1. We have friends stationed there and she will stay with them. She will be gone for two months!  We will miss her dreadfully, of course, but we're very excited that she is going to be able to have this opportunity.

Q. How's the unemployment front?
A. The HM is still substituting.  He is meeting with the HG person at a factory nearby tomorrow.  We are still eating from the pantry (it was a very well stocked pantry) except for milk, eggs, and some fresh produce, though less fresh produce than I formerly purchased in a week.
We still have not touched the emergency fund, although since cheese is on sale for 1.99 a pound, I will probably stock up on it this week, and that might touch a bit of the Emergency fund.
We are still richly blessed.

Q. Tips?
Really, nothing I haven't shared before. Adjust your attitude and use what you have in your hand. Learn how to stock up and keep a well prepared pantry, even if you care a lot about sound nutrition.
Know how to cook from scratch (see our recipe blog for some outstanding frugal recipes)
Learn to do without.but don't neglect joy.
Learn to make things like laundry soap and dishwasher soap from scratch.
Combine errands so you only take the car out when you need to.
Learn to live within your means, and to set aside something for the emergency fund each pay period.
Pray.
Learn this verse, and mean it.

Learn that sometimes life is a snowglobe, and you are inside it, not in control. Accept this. 

Remember that it's not your stuff anyway.