Swagbucks

I have been swagging for a bit now and just wanted to share...I just earned enough to redeem my bucks for a $50 Amazon gift card!!  Now I just have to figure out what to spend it on.  I am going to try to figure out how to link swag bucks referral here for you.....it just might take me some time to actually figure it out.  Until then...do you know what I should spend it on?  Have you scored any great deals on Amazon lately?




Ohhhhh...look I did it!!!! Yeah me!!! Click on it and start earning yourself!!

What's up at our 'new' house?

     Our big project this summer was tackling the foundation which turned out to be no big deal.  With the help of our friend, the mason, we finished the job in a day.  We were planning out a patio but are putting that off until spring.  Our next job is to locate someone who can take our rough cherry and mill it to a standard size.  Then we can begin the long process of building a stair railing.

The latest wrench in our day has been dh's wallet.  It seems to have been misplaced somewhere and the whole fam is searching it out this morning.  It was assumed to be lost in the couch but a thorough search produced nothing....

     The school year is beginning this upcoming week.  This week we spent more time running about and less time actually preparing for school next week than I would have hoped.  The kids earned a screen-free day today.  Hopefully that will go a long way to getting the school stuff organized and ready to go.  I am waiting on several of the kids' schedules for their outside activities before I can really decide on a few of the options that have been presented to us in the last few days.  Decisions. Decisions.  UGhhhh. 


     The canning and preserving continues.  I scored some free apples and so have been making sauce and need to make some pie filling.  Some sauce will continue to simmer away in a crockpot until it becomes apple butter too.  Tomatoes are still a pipe dream although a few calls have come in with hopes of getting some soon.  I could go pick but have not had the time as of late.

   The children are upstairs, and seems to be quietly and peacefully, completing their Thursday chores which include dusting and vacuuming their rooms.  Fall has really moved in, who knows if for good.  Everytime I say lets put away the shorts and get out more long pants the temps zoom into the 80's.  The thermometer is trying to desperately hit 60 today and it is threatening showers.  Forecasts predict maybe 64 by midday.  So it is off to the attic to find those pants!!  And here comes ds #4 with Daddy's wallet announcing, " You should've looked upstairs."  I guess I probably should have.

 

   

Locked out!!

Well, today was supposed to be a typical homeschooling day. I should have known this was not the case when all my lovelies decided they would sleep in. I was not upset. However, I took total advantage and spent some quiet time with me, myself, and my coffee. Fast forward a few hours...all is going well and I accept a short one hour babysitting job. In my frenzy to get as much accomplished before that time, I get kids dressed, switch the laundry, get ds #3 ready, and in a momentary decision on my way down stairs to be frugal I decide to shut all the bedrooms doors. Now, normally i am very careful when I close my bedroom door. You see, the previous owners decided to install a locking handset on the door. Not just a quick get a paperclip normal bedroom door knob. No, this is a "I am an ultra-paranoid- I-need-a-key-to- my-bedroom-'cause-I-don't-trust-my-own-family-handset." This is not the first time we have locked this door, so hence the normal caution. Well today we threw caution to the wind and slammed that sucker shut tight. Then checked the door and realized my mistake.
In times past during the dog days of summer. Getting in was easy. The screen was out in preparation for the air conditioner to go in and the window was open! No such luck this time! It was 29 degrees this am. The windows were shut and locked tight and there was no getting in by way of ladder. Which we tried just in case anyhow. So after a white-knuckled trip up the ladder it was back to the drawing board. I first consulted a locksmith who informed me a simple break-in would cost me $30. Not a frugal option so we tried busting the lock, breaking the lock, picking the lock with everything we had available, every key that would fit, and even thought about using sheer force and muscle and my ds#2's newly acquired board breaking skills (he just got his fancy new embroidered certified black belt two days ago). No success.
Well if you have looked at any of the pics on the blog you will have seen the wonderful hole we discovered when we removed the wall in the kitchen and the closets from the office and dining room. This hole leads from the space above the kitchen ceiling into the access panel located in my bedroom. So I just spent the later of my morning, with the help of my youngest brother removing the drywall that covers the hole and the insulation we installed to block the drafts and hoisted myself into the itchy darkness and banged my way into my bedroom.
I am now freshly showered. The drywall and insulation is back in place. The day is several hours older. And I still have most of a day of schooling to finsih and an extra 2 kids at my house. So much for the saving a few bucks in gas and electric. Next stop is HD or L's to get a normal know for the bedroom that only locks from the inside or is very easy to pick. Becuase, unlike the former occupants, I do trust my family.