Setting Sail

Paul finally got to test his raft in the water this past week. He's been working on several raft prototypes over the course of the summer. His final version included a couple of empty plastic barrels which served as flotation devices. He's been dying to get the raft in the river, so Daddy came home from work early on Wednesday and took Paul and the other kids (minus Jude) to try out the raft's sea worthiness. The raft had a rather unexceptional performance. It flipped over and spilled its occupants into the water with great ease. Matt said there should have been some gravel in the bottom of each barrel to create some ballast. Anyway, Paul did get one good run on the raft when he was the only rider and he stayed very still. Everyone came home soaking wet, but a good time was had by all.

And Now You're Two

Jude celebrated his second birthday on several occasions over the course of this past week. We had a party with the Macduff side of the family last Saturday (we also celebrated Grandpa Bob's August birthday), we had our own little family celebration on Jude's actual birthday (which included a trip to the county fair) and we had a celebration with my parents on Friday evening, complete with the obligatory chocolate cake and ice cream. It was a busy week for a little boy and he loved every minute of it.

Attitude Adjustment

I've been struggling with a bad attitude lately. I'd like to chalk it up to pregnancy hormones, but I've let an inanimate object steal my joy and there's really no excuse for it. Our van has gone from needing a small band aid to needing major surgery. We won't have our van back for another two weeks and the price tag to get it back won't be pretty.

In the meantime, Matt's brother was gracious enough to let us borrow the Macduff Vintage Van. I was really trying to avoid such a drastic measure, but there are just some times when it's not convenient for us to take two cars to our destination. The Macduff Vintage Van has seen better days. No a/c, the windows don't roll up once they're rolled down, the side doors won't open and the peeling paint--let's just say she's not the loveliest vehicle on the block.
When I drove the kids to church on Sunday (Matt had to be there early, so he left without us), the wind was whipping through the van and messing up the girls' (and my) hair. I'm very distracted by noises when I'm driving, so the outside traffic noise was difficult for me to manage. However, the kids had a blast. I had a poopy attitude, but the kids couldn't have been more thrilled with the novelty of it all.

We had a Dairy Queen gift card with some money still left on it, so we decided to go out for ice cream that night. Boy, did we ever get some looks, climbing out of that van with six kids. The kids didn't notice. They happily went inside and ate their ice cream. When it was time to go home, Paul simply climbed through the rear doors and kicked open the side door from the inside so that the girls and the little boys could get in. "How embarrassing," I thought, but the kids didn't think anything of it. They sang songs all the way home at the top of their lungs so that they could be heard over the whipping wind.

I guess I realized I could take a lesson from my kids and I needed to adjust my attitude. In most countries of the world, the Macduff Vintage Van would be considered a luxury vehicle. Instead of being completely without transportation, I do have a vehicle that gets us around. Thankfully, it hasn't been as hot here as it usually is in summer, so I haven't been completely miserable when driving the Big Beast. Because of Dave Ramsey's advice and the grace of God, we do have enough money saved to pay for our own van's repair. So, I have a lot to be thankful for and nothing to complain about. Attitude adjusted--hopefully--the weather report says that tomorrow it's supposed to be 100 degrees. I think the kids and I will stay home:)

"give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thess. 5:18

Joy Cometh in the Morning

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5b

By God's grace and in His mercy, I am twenty weeks pregnant. The womb is God's workroom and yesterday Matt and I got to peek inside that workroom through the technology of ultrasound. Before she started the ultrasound, the technician said she would be looking for over forty different biological features to see that all was healthy with the baby.
Praise the Lord that his (that's right, another boy!) arteries are crossed as they leave his heart, his heart has four chambers, his stomach has not grown around the umbilical cord, his brain, kidneys, spine, eye orbits and palate all look good. He even has ten fingers and ten toes. God is an awesome Craftsman, and we are fearfully and wonderfully made.We have yet to finalize the first name, but we do know his middle name will be John, meaning "Jehovah is gracious," for He truly is. John is also a family name. The first name of Matt's grandpa was John. The middle name of my grandpa was John. Both were strong men who influenced each of us greatly.

When we came home from my appointment yesterday, we announced to the kids that God would be giving them another baby brother. We got a few shouts and jumps of joy and a few tears of sadness (a couple of the kids had their hearts set on a girl). After we told the kids the due date for this baby is right at Christmas time, they all decided a baby brother will be a wonderful Christmas present. Lydia even suggested we put him in a pretty wrapped box under the Christmas tree.

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3

The Rest of the Story

As I explained in my previous post, we went to my college roommate's wedding this past weekend. On the way home, we stopped for lunch in a little town called Shaniko, OR. It's literally just a bend in the road. All the cars on the highway were whizzing past it, but we decided to stop. It was like a ghost town. We ate at THE restaurant in town. I bought some candy for the kids at one of the three tiny stores. After lunch, we explored a bit, then we got back in the van to keep heading towards home.



We stopped at Maryhill Museum early in the afternoon to take in some culture and get a break from our long drive. As we pulled into the parking lot, our van stalled. I suggested to Matt that maybe it was just overheated from climbing the huge hill with the AC on. Maybe it would be better when we finished touring the museum, I said. I don't think Matt believed me, since he knows a lot more about cars than I do, but nonetheless, we went inside the museum. When we came back to the van and hour and a half later, it had trouble starting and stalled out completely before we were able to drive out of the parking lot.

Matt called our insurance company to get the van towed. We had hoped we could get it fixed and get on the road again, but since it was late Saturday afternoon, our options were limited. We weren't sure how we were going to get home. The insurance company suggested we ride in the tow truck. When Matt explained that there were eight of us, they offered to send a taxi (or four?). We were trying to find the humor in the situation, but humor was failing us by that point.

I suggested that we call Trevor, Matt's brother, who has seven kids and owns a fifteen passenger van. Even though Trevor was two hours away, we didn't see any other viable alternatives for getting home that night. So Matt called him. Thankfully, Trevor was able to rearrange his schedule to come get us. While we waited, the tow truck came to get our van. It got towed back to OR. Not our first choice, but our choices were dwindling quickly.
The girls and I spread one of our sleeping bags on the ground and lounged while the guys played catch. Then the security guard told us that he needed to lock up the gate and we needed to leave. Matt told him our dilemma, he looked at the two big piles of stuff on the lawn and said, "Is that all yours? I'd better go talk to my boss."

Thank the Lord, while he was gone, Trevor pulled in. He got out of the van and yelled, "Who wants pretzels and licorice?!" The kids went from forlorn to happy really fast. We got our stuff loaded, ate dinner at McDonald's and headed for home. We were all so very grateful to be in our own beds that night. We took both of our Subarus to church yesterday. The van should be fixed by tomorrow. It needs a new mass air flow sensor. Whatever that is. I'll just be glad to have the big van again.

The whole affair could have been much worse than it was. We could have been driving on the highway when the van gave out. Sitting on the side of the road for three hours would not have been fun. Instead, I was grateful to God that we had a safe place to be, shade and even a port-a-potty (yes, for once in my life I was grateful for a port-a-potty--the alternative would have been much worse). We also were grateful that there was a water fountain on the grounds, as we had run out of water. Plus, we were able to get home that night, instead of having to find a hotel in some strange town. God is good all the time.

A Long Awaited Wedding

Our family took a road trip this past weekend to attend the wedding of my college roommate, Keri. She was sweet enough to invite our entire clan, so we all piled into the van and went. I was thrilled to see the Lord's hand in bringing Keri the man with whom she desires to spend the rest of her life.

Keri and I met our freshman year in college through the persistence of my Grandma. Grandma called me regularly at school and told me about how her friend had a granddaughter who lived in the dorm adjacent to mine. I needed to go introduce myself to this girl, my Grandma said. Then she called back every few days to see if I'd followed through on her instructions. I don't know how many phone calls later, I finally decided I'd better meet this girl, just so that I could tell Grandma I did.

Well, I did introduce myself to Keri and lo and behold, we really hit it off. We were both Christians, we were both pretty shy and we both were feeling a little overwhelmed at the big university we attended. We ate many meals together and laughed a lot and, I might add, in some very inappropriate places--like church. (I remember when we left church that day, Keri said, "I hope they thought we were just moved by the Holy Spirit." Not likely. We laughed all the way home.) Two years later, we rented an apartment together where we lived for our junior and senior years of college.
That's when I met Matt. Matt and his roommates lived in an apartment upstairs. We girl roommates and the guy roommates often went out to dinner, concerts and the like together. Keri (unbeknownst to me) kept telling Matt that he should ask me out on a date. Matt finally did ask me on a date and I turned him down. Keri was with me when Matt asked. When we got back to our apartment, I said to Keri, "I think Matt was asking me out on a date." She said, "Yes, he was!" I felt so bad, so I dragged Keri back upstairs (I was too chicken to go by myself) and asked Matt to go to a movie with me. Matt accepted and we went to go see "A Muppet Christmas Carol" (his choice). It was a night at the beginning of February during our senior year and we talked until 4 a.m. That's right, the girl who didn't even pull all-nighters during finals week stayed up all night talking to the guy upstairs--a guy in whom I'd had zero interest until that night. Matt was The One and I knew it by the end of that first date. By spring break, we had announced our engagement.

After graduation, Keri headed to nursing school and I got married. Keri was one of my bridesmaids, almost seventeen years ago. Keri is now a nurse practitioner and I'm a stay-at-home mom. Our lives took different paths, but we're both doing what the Lord has purposed for us to do. As Keri walked down the aisle this past weekend, I couldn't help but think how much she still looked like the girl with whom I graduated almost two decades ago. She was a beautiful bride (Lydia said she looked like a princess). Matt and I couldn't be more tickled for her and her new hubby.

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD. Prov. 18:22

Coupon Stats

This article on current coupon user statistics is an interesting tack on to my previous post.

Extreme Couponing: 1 Year Update

I've been "extreme couponing" for a year now. I thought I'd write a post about what I've earned and what I've learned.

Some people say clipping coupons isn't worth the time. I'd even fallen into that mentality shortly before I began extreme couponing last summer. A few cents here, a few cents there. What does it matter? Truth be told, my old way of clipping coupons wasn't really making much of a difference in our overall budget. I found I was better off  buying loss leaders and store brands. Then I started reading the couponing blogs on the internet and I "got it."

By pairing coupons with sales, promotions and rebates, I began to get products at 60% to 90% off retail (sometimes even for free). Those prices even beat the store brands. I've read that it's like getting paid any where from $60 to $80 per hour, tax free. At first, I spent way too much time trying to put coupon shopping trips together. This was partly because I was a newbie and I was just starting to learn the ropes, but also because I was trying to snag every good deal that came along.

I've gotten wiser. I've learned the tricks of the trade, stopped shopping at some stores altogether (either because of travel distance or constantly changing coupon policies) and I've stopped chasing down every deal out there.

I get six Sunday newspapers, plus I have a few family members and friends who give me their coupon inserts. When a great deal comes along, it's nice to get ten of them, not just one (otherwise known as stockpiling). For months I tried to organize my coupons in a coupon binder, but from the get go I was constantly behind. My coupons were all in a box and I missed out on plenty of deals because I couldn't find the particular coupons I  knew I had.

I recently switched to a coupon box. I bought a small lidded plastic box and filled it with mini file folders from the Dollar Store. This keeps all my loose coupons organized. Generally, though, I don't clip coupons from the newspaper inserts until I need them. I keep all the inserts in a file cabinet and just grab the appropriate insert when I need it.
I don't shop on Sundays, which does put me at a disadvantage, especially when Albertsons releases their "Twice the Value" coupons, which are basically double coupons (the store doubles the value of the coupon you hand them). Early on, the Lord told me I was not to shop on Sundays, so I just accept that I will miss out on a couple of deals, but mostly I still get most everything I'm wanting.

I spend about thirty minutes to an hour on Sunday afternoons clipping coupons and putting together my shopping trips for the week. I shop on Monday afternoons. My trips usually take me between forty five minutes and ninety minutes, including travel time.

In the past year, I've gotten multiples (and all name brand) of the following for free: shampoo, conditioner, hair stylers, body wash and lotion, bar soap, razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, deodorant, sunscreen, lip balm, feminine products, cold medications, cough drops, spray cleaners, sponges, paper plates, candles, diapers, wipes, pens, mechanical pencils, light bulbs and dish washing soap. I even got a free cookware set and a couple of pairs of kid's sunglasses.

In the food category I've gotten all of these for free: candy bars, gum, spices, fruit snacks, granola bars, juice boxes, pretzels, crackers, bagged shredded cheese, yogurt, cereal, tortillas, salad dressing, BBQ sauce, noodles (including whole wheat) and Crystal Light drink mix.

Several people I've told about my freebies have said, "That must be illegal." No it's not. The store gets reimbursed the full value of the coupon, as well as a couple of cents extra. In the case of Albertsons "Twice the Value" coupons, the store takes the hit on the cost of the coupon, knowing that consumers will likely also buy milk, produce and other items while shopping there (which I do).

I'm very honest with my coupons. I don't use expired coupons. I always make sure the product I'm buying matches the product on the coupon. I don't fill out more than one rebate form (some couponers fill out more than one rebate form and have the rebates sent to their relatives' homes, etc.). I'm also a courteous couponer. I don't clear shelves--I leave something for the next person. If someone behind me at the check out counter only has a few items, I always offer to let that person go ahead of me.

I used to pay 21 cents per diaper at Costco. Now I pay between 9 and 12 cents per diaper. I never pay full price for yogurt anymore. I never pay more than about 75 cents for a box of cereal (although I will pay up to $1.50 for Kashi cereal). I consistently get Matt's Prilosec for nearly half the price of the store brand. I pay super cheap prices for peanut butter, cream soups, toilet paper (Cottenelle), facial moisturizers and so much more. I no longer regularly spend $200 per trip at Walmart and Costco. My shopping lists for those stores have gotten a lot shorter.

All of this has given us enough cushion in our budget to allow us to pay someone to do some of the regular maintenance that needs to happen around the house, maintenance for which Matt, in this season in his life, does not have time. It's also afforded me the ability to help others by giving them some of the excess toiletries and food I have on hand.

Another benefit of the couponing--Elizabeth and I get some great bonding time. She's good with numbers and she loves saving money. She's my coupon buddy. She helps me scan the ads, clip and organize coupons and she almost always goes with me on my shopping trips. Elizabeth likes to know the bottom line--just how much money I saved and how I saved it, whether it was with coupons, catalinas or rebates, or a combination of those things. Finally, someone who actually enjoys listening to me talk about all my great deals--and in my own family no less! God is good.

Another One of Those Things the Mice Do While the Cats Are Away

(Photos & text by Grace)


Suckin' down milk with straw glasses.

Jude finally got the hang of it after he spilled his milk all over the floor.

The Cats left for a three week vacation to Hawaii. Just kidding. They went on a date.

Translation = they went shopping. How romantic. - Grace

Paul's First Drive

Grace turns fifteen in less than a month. She's excited to get her driver's permit (although she's waiting for her parents' approval as to the timing). When we were on vacation at my aunt and uncle's farm, my uncle gave each of the three older kids a chance to drive in the fields. Here's Paul's drive:

Rawhide, Homeschooling & Big Families

This past weekend was busy, but fun. Friday night we had my parents here for dinner. It was good to see my mom "back in the saddle" again after a long recovery. She even donned Joel's cowboy hat and sang her theme song, "Rawhide." It was really great to see mom laughing and up to her old goofy self again.

Saturday, Matt's parents watched the kids all day so that Matt and I could have our annual homeschool planning day. We made final decisions on curriculum for this year, ordered what we still needed (I LOVE online ordering) and talked about scheduling, character issues and tweaking family worship time. We'll see how the new year goes. Grace's Algebra should be arriving within the next day or two. She's going to be sooo excited.
Sunday we went to church. Joel actually made it through the service without having to be taken out and disciplined for bad behavior. He got a prize when he got home. Yes, I do resort to bribing my kids at times. It's a nice little weapon to have in my parenting arsenal. Joel has also decided he's done with diapers and he's been doing a phenomenal job keeping his big boy pants clean, probably because I give him a Hershey's kiss every time he successfully uses the potty. I'm telling you, bribery works.

Sunday night we traveled out of town for the monthly family worship we've been attending. This time one of the families hosted the event at their farm. It was a gorgeous setting, worshipping God smack dab in the middle of His amazing creation. Afterwards, the parents mingled while the kids played. The farm was a kid's dream--tire swing, huge tree house and plenty of kids to play with (most, but not all of the families have a lot of kids). When we got in the van to go home, Lydia said, "That was fun and yummy!" (we always have snacks during the fellowship time). We traveled home listening to hymns and watching the fiery red sunset the Lord provided for our enjoyment.

Hard Lessons V

Something I've observed since my miscarriage in December is the different ways that people respond to someone who is grieving. I've had people offer me unhelpful comments like, "It was God's will, " or "Be happy with what you have," or "You may not be able to have another child." Others would say nothing, not acknowledging my pain in any way, which was equally unhelpful.

The most helpful things people said were simple things like, "I'm sorry," or "How are you doing?" I ran into a good friend in a parking lot one night shortly after the miscarriage. As we shivered in the dark and snow, I told her what had happened. She said, "Boy, you sure are going to have a glorious Home-going, aren't you?" She instantly focused my mind and heart on the eternal. Now that was helpful.

It was also helpful for me to recall what my dear friend Jenny (now in Heaven) said to me after my first miscarriage several years ago. She said, "Melissa, that baby was tucked up under your heartbeat and then went straight to the arms of Jesus." I knew that if she was still here on earth she would have had the same encouraging words for me this time, too.

I had another friend who called regularly to check on me. She listened to me pour out my emotions over the phone. I'm sure it was difficult for her, but she persevered and walked the road of grief with me for months. She helped me.

Others gave me a loving word of rebuke when I was on the pity pot and I needed to refocus my mind on the abundant blessings the Lord has given me. Still others just gave me the space and time that I needed.

I've just recently finished a book that has been very helpful to me. It's called I Will Carry You by Angie Smith. Angie is the wife of Todd Smith of the Christian singing group, Selah. She found out when she was eighteen weeks pregnant with their fourth child that she was carrying a baby that was "incompatible with life." Instead of aborting that baby, she chose to carry her. After their baby girl was born, Angie and the family held and cuddled her for two hours in the hospital before she went to be with Jesus. I can't imagine going through what this family went through. Angie gives all the glory to God in her book.

One bit of advice Angie gives to those who are trying to help someone who is grieving is this, "Grief is a winding, nasty road that has no predictable course, and the best thing you can do as a friend is to show up for the ride. You cannot rush grief."

"You cannot rush grief." How true. There were so many times after the miscarriage when I got so frustrated with myself for not "getting over it." I felt like my family had taken my roller coaster of emotions long enough and I just needed to "get it together," but I couldn't. Grief is a process and it's not a linear one. Two steps forward, three steps back. My Jesus and my husband could not have been more patient with me. I needed grace and I got it. Praise be to God.

Even though there were many times in the months and weeks following the miscarriage that I didn't feel like reading my daily Bible passages (I use the Oswald Chambers one year devotional Bible), I made myself do it. In times of grief, it's not only helpful, but vital to replace the world's wisdom and satan's lies with God's truth. God is good, all the time. That is truth.

Music also ministered to me during the grieving process. Specific songs that helped me were: Randy Travis' Oh Death, Through the Fire and We Fall Down (here is another version, I prefer Randy Travis' version). Selah's You Are My Hiding Place, Before the Throne of God Above, I Have Decided, Press On and I Will Carry You (Audrey's Song).

The Lord has been faithful to me during this trial, as He has been during all the trials of my life thus far. He will continue to be faithful to me in the inevitable trials that lie ahead for me. Here ends this series on "Hard Lessons." Let me be clear--I'm not saying, "I've arrived and I've got it all figured out." (In fact, just yesterday I burst into tears at the thought that had I not miscarried, I'd be holding a newborn by now.) Nor am I judging others, I'm simply relaying my own experience and trying to bring glory to Jesus in the process. Soli Deo gloria (glory be to God alone).

(To see the other posts in this series, click here, here, here and here.)

Summer Vacation 2010

We just returned from a wonderful family vacation. Per our kids' request, we went to visit my Uncle Keith and Aunt Leanna for five days and five nights. Actually, the kids wanted to stay a full week, but I think we sufficiently tired out our hosts in five days.

Great Uncle Keith treated the kids to games on his Ipad, first driving lessons, combine rides, bee collecting adventures (he has an alfalfa field), fishing, and plenty of yummy drinks from the little coffee shop in town. The kids thoroughly enjoyed playing at the "best playground ever," swimming at the community pool, playing with (or torturing?) the family dogs, Ari and Libby, watching crop dusting planes and seeing the trains and trucks blast through town (small town excitement at its best).

We watched a couple of Ma and Pa Kettle movies from Netflix and ate way too much Schwan's ice cream. We attended a small town blue grass festival (featuring a local girl and her siblings) and also got to see Grand Coulee Dam. Grace rode shotgun in a wheat truck driven by a nineteen year old girl who was homeschooled. They became fast friends. We stopped to see my grandparents' grave and the kids climbed onto the old tank at the cemetery. Paul was disappointed that he couldn't get the hatch open. Lydia wore (clean) underwear on her head at night so that she could cover her eyes and not wake up too early in the morning, which was a problem the first couple of mornings of our vacation.










We also visited two small town museums during our stay. We got personally guided tours at each one (since we were the only ones there). Elizabeth spotted a very old bedspread at one of the museums. It was made of two thousand fabric yo-yos that were stitched together entirely by hand. Liz got excited thinking about all the possibilities with yo-yos, so Aunt Leanna showed her how to make her own.

God treated us to an awesome display of his majesty one night when several thunder and lightening storms traveled right over us. Amazingly, Jude was the only one of our children who was awakened by the loud peals of thunder. He lifted his head off the pillow, looked out the window, saw a huge lightening streak flash across the sky and said, "Whoa!"

Matt was tickled pink to finally purchase an accordion. He's been looking on Craigslist for months, trying to find an accordion for Elizabeth to play. Saturday morning we stumbled upon a yard sale put on by a former accordion instructor and Matt thought he'd died and gone to Heaven. Aunt Leanna dug through the basement and found her accordion and she and Matt played a couple of accordion duets together. Then Jude got up to the piano and did his best Ray Charles rendition (head movements and all) to add to the impromptu jam session. A grand time was had by all. Aunt Leanna is letting us borrow her accordion, so we'll have to start a family polka band or something.


We went to church on Sunday morning. Matt asked an old woman whether anyone ever sat in the pew that is second from the front. She replied with a good Lutheran answer, "No one ever sits that far up." We did. The neglected pew finally got a good work out. Our family almost doubled the number of congregants that morning. Just kidding, but only slightly.

We arrived home to "the house with the white bricks," last night. While on vacation, we stayed at the little red brick house next door to my aunt and uncle's house. They purchased it a couple of years ago and use it as a guest house. Near the end of our time there, Joel kept saying, "Mama, me want to go home to da house with da white bricks." I guess he thought we'd left our own home for good. He and Jude were so excited when we pulled into our driveway yesterday evening. Jude was reunited with his beloved yellow rubber boots and Joel was so happy to have his own bed to sleep in once again.

For my part, I couldn't have been happier that we returned home with only one small bag of laundry due to the fact that the Uncle Keith and Aunt Leanna's guest house has a washer and dryer. Our chickens fared well while we were away and so did our garden. The kids harvested almost a dozen gargantuan zucchini squash today. Hats off to Uncle Keith and Aunt Leanna for providing our family with a terrific vacation.