Mama says...

Update your Links!

2009-05-14T10:05:00.001-04:00

Don't forget to check out my new site:www.milehimama.comfor my favorite home school links and how to make chocolate cake in the microwave!Update your feed, update your links!

Don't Forget

2009-05-12T17:41:00.001-04:00

...to check out my new post with great deals and freebies on my new site!Update your feeds!www.milehimama.com

New Website Glitch

2009-05-09T20:03:00.001-04:00

I'm trying to make the new site visible in IE, so the site is under construction.Don't forget to change your feed!www.milehimama.comMeanwhile, enjoy this video in honor of my dad - engineer and cat lover.

Bloggy Secret!

2009-05-08T11:15:00.002-04:00

I feel a little sheepish - my bloggy secret from last week isn't that great!I have a new website!www.milehimama.comI've been wanting to get away from Blogger for a while. It just won't do what I want it to, sometimes! Also, I've heard of Google being a little arbitrary about closing down Blogger blogs after people flagged them, and I tend to post unpopular opinions on my sight.I told you I

Frugal Greatest Hits: WFMW

2009-05-06T08:22:00.001-04:00

We Are THAT Family is running a themed Works for Me Wednesday today - the Frugal Edition!I thought I'd just do a link round up of past tips and tricks.8 Ways to Save on ProducePowdered Milk? Yuck!Girl's Birthday Party for Under $40How Much Do You Save By Baking Bread? In my case, almost $10 a week!Holiday Travel with the Dollar StoreSave Money By Eliminating Invisible ClutterDon't forget to

Swine Flu Backtracking

2009-05-05T20:07:00.002-04:00

The CDC recommended schools close if a student tested positive for the H1N1 flu aka Swine Flu.Schools closed. Interestingly, I don't know of a single for profit daycare that closed. And I reallly don't think that every infected student had a SAHM.Not a single US citizen had died from the flu, and it appeared to be a relatively mild strain. The media switched sides and started trumpeting the

Food Stamp Challenge Week 18

2009-05-04T20:16:00.008-04:00

I continued to spend a little more this week to stock up the pantry with a month's worth of basics. My weekly average this year is still well under $140 a week, though.There was a glitch. I bought 2 gallons of milk, but 2 gallons of milk did not get unloaded from the car. So we'll either do without or I'll go back and get some more!I spent: $173.05 (Monday, April 27- Sunday, May 3)Weekly

Swine Flu and Racism

2009-05-03T21:03:00.005-04:00

I commented on Consent of the Governed over the weekend, in regards to the swine flu:I'm not worried about getting sick from the swine flu (and I'm definitely not getting the vaccine whenever it comes out).I'm worried about the mass hysteria/effects of swine flu panic.I'm in Houston - four different school districts have shut down schools for two weeks. Kids out of school = parents not able to

7 Quick Takes 11

2009-05-01T10:44:00.003-04:00

1.I've got a bloggy secret! Find out next week!2.I really like my OB. At this week's appointment, he had some extra time (most patients cancelled due to flooding) and we got to talking. We had an hour long conversation about the causes of skyrocketing STD's in the teen population, air quality on airplanes, Christian witness in a professional setting, and more. It was so much nicer than when

Infanticide isn't Murder?

2009-04-30T14:26:00.003-04:00

Texas Rep. Farrar has introduced legislation, HB 3318, that would make it a non-capital offense for a mother to kill her child before his first birthday.Right now, it's capital murder. Her bill changes that to a state felony. The penalty would be 180 days - 2 years, and a fine not to exceed $10k, if the mother can prove that she killed her kid due to the effects of childbirth or lactation. The

Water Storage for the Average Joe

2009-04-30T07:13:00.003-04:00

The government recommends storing 3 days of water, more if you live in a disaster prone area. As I noted before, the official pandemic flu website recommends 2 weeks worth of water or even more. Certainly, being prepared for an emergency (water main breaks, power outages at the plant, etc.) is a good idea.Practically, though, the idea is a little overwhelming. The experts recommend 1 gallon

Swine Flu Thoughts?

2009-04-29T11:24:00.007-04:00

The first US death from the Swine Flu happened yesterday at a Houston hospital. A family traveled from Mexico through Brownsville to get medical care for their almost 2 year old son, but he didn't make it in time.It's hard to know what to do about this. On the one hand are commentators and officials who say it's not an epidemic yet, people die from the flu all the time. Don't worry. On the

Food Stamp Challenge Week 17

2009-04-28T13:32:00.002-04:00

We ended up having some friends over on Saturday, and the car broke down so I made a quick run to the store and hope it holds out! Also, this meant that I had to do my shopping at the more expensive grocery that is right next to our house.I spent $174.34Average weekly total: $119.00(My weekly goal is $140, but some weeks I spend a lot less and some weeks I spend a lot more. I operate on cash,

Worst Reading List Ever

2009-04-27T19:08:00.004-04:00

Amy Welborn is asking for reader's worst required reading book, and I thought that would be an interesting meme!Here's mine- I was in honors/AP English for freshman through junior years. I don't remember any real duds, and I do remember several shorts that I liked. (OK, I did totally fake reading the Leatherstocking Tales by looking for keywords and skimming skimming skimming.)My senior year

Pray for Faith

2009-04-27T11:23:00.002-04:00

I told you about baby Faith Hope a few weeks ago. She has anencephaly, but her mother Myah chose to give her as much life as she could. Baby Faith is 9 weeks old now! She's so beautiful.Myah and Faith are under attack. She is experiencing the evil side of the internet, and was getting such horrible messages that she had to delete her email account, then delete her Facebook account. I can't

Frustrated By Congress

2009-04-23T20:00:00.000-04:00

I always heard politics was a dirty business, but I am admittedly ignorant as to how things work. However, I'm learning.A couple of thoughts on things political...1.HR 1207 was introduced by Ron Paul, and requires that the Federal Reserve be audited and a report made public. Remember, they're the ones printing money, manipulating interest rates, and in charge of all that TARP and stimulus

Every Day is Earth Day!

2009-04-23T10:51:00.007-04:00

Life in a big family means that we look out for the earth everyday. The fact that it's good for the pocket book might also have something to do with it.Here's how Mama's family saves the earth, one day at a time:Reduce: We limit a lot of things. TVs - We have one. Can you imagine if we let the kids have a TV in their room? Who needs 5 TVs? Other electronics - Same goes for gaming systems, we

More Grotesque Politics

2009-04-22T09:49:00.004-04:00

I will endeavor to get all my irritation, anger, and nitpicking at our current government out all at once. I will also try to use some nifty adjectives that are too often neglected.Obama answered a reporter's questions yesterday, saying:"This has been a difficult chapter in our history... the memos that were released reflected us losing our moral bearings."Wow, he dug deep and found some moral

Car Trouble

2009-04-21T08:07:00.001-04:00

Our car is messed up, in the weirdest possible way, and we have no idea what's wrong. Two mechanics (okay, they're relatives consulted by phone) were mystified.We have a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan. It's very, very well used. A couple of years ago, we had some problems with the turn signals - I'd flip it to blink on the right, and the left blinker would come on, or the hazard lights would blink,

Food Stamp Challenge, week 16

2009-04-20T10:23:00.006-04:00

My goal? Feed my family of 10 for $2, per person, per day ($140 a week).I spent $121.29Weekly average this year: $115.54I'm adding in our "planned snacks" - usually fruit, and in paranthesis I'll not *my* planned snacks (I am on a diabetic diet)I got:3 pack celery hearts, 12# green apples, 2# fresh green beans, 3.4# bananas, 2# strawberries, 1 pt. blackberries, 25 kiwis, 2 lemons, 5# yellow

7 Quick Takes 10

2009-04-17T08:31:00.001-04:00

1.Archaeologists think they found the Garden of Eden! Or at least, a temple that is 11,000 years old.Schmidt points to the great stone rings, one of them 65 feet across. "This is the first human-built holy place," he says...Prehistoric people would have gazed upon herds of gazelle and other wild animals; gently flowing rivers, which attracted migrating geese and ducks; fruit and nut trees; and

Secede?

2009-04-16T10:08:00.003-04:00

Recently, TX Gov. Rick Perry made some remarks supporting TX HCR 50, a bipartisan resolution asserting state sovereignty under the 10th Amendment.Yes, he's one of those potential terrorists who favors state government over federal government.The left leaning bloggers have their knickers in a twist, now. But why? As Cornell professor William A. Jacobson points out, Huffington Post, The

The X Man Speaketh

2009-04-15T11:05:00.000-04:00

In April, the ECI specialist has arranged for a SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) to come evaluate Mr X (yeah, he's Mr X, not Baby X now. Sigh.)She wants me to keep a record of sounds and words he says, and so here it is! I'm less likely to lose it if it's kept in cyberspace. I'll be updating it, so I apologize if it keeps annoying you in your blog reader!Sounds:/s/sh/l//oo//v//b/rah rah (dog

Food Stamp Challenge, week 15

2009-04-14T10:30:00.002-04:00

My goal? Feed my family of 10 for $2 per person per day (Spend $140 on food). We have 2 adults, 7 children age 2-10, and a baby on the way. We follow a Feingold diet for one child and a diabetic diet for mama. I spent: $182.65 on food (husband bought dessert, spent $17 and lost the receipt)Average spent per week this year: $114.03I stocked up on dairy this week - butter, cream cheese, and

Border Violence Rumors...

2009-04-13T11:02:00.000-04:00

Obama has promised to send some more ATF agents to the border to combat violence. Things I'm hearing locally:The number of guns in Mexico that were purchased illegally in the US is 23%, not 90% as reported.The ATF agents are going to be cracking down on gun dealers as their preferred method of enforcement. In TX, you can buy a gun with a TX driver's license. The gun dealers are protesting