Life In a Shoe

We’re raising them to think like entrepreneurs

kimc — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:06:57 +0000

You probably know the story of Rumpelstiltskin. When the neck of the miller's daughter is on the line, he appears out of the woodwork and spins straw into gold for her. The first 2 times, she pays him with jewelry. The third time, she has nothing left so she promises her firstborn child.

I overheard some of my children discussing this story recently. They think the miller's daughter was foolish, naive and maybe even lazy. They think that instead of paying Rumpelstiltskin to do the spinning for her, she should have paid him to teach her to do it.

Good girls. I hope they always think that way.

We have a midwife

kimc — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:35:40 +0000

It's official. Hubby and I visited the office of our new midwife this afternoon and signed her contract. She's closer to our home than any midwife we've ever had - less than half an hour - and we both agree that she is knowledgeable, friendly and easy to talk to.

Curious? Jennifer has a website: http://www.birthexperiencemidwives.com/

No, she doesn't have an ultrasound machine, though some of our girls have asked if they would be allowed to pool their own money and pay for an ultrasound. I don't know how serious they are.

Pregnant pics: 24 weeks

kimc — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:49:23 +0000

Rumor has it my belly has popped out this week and I'm looking kee-yoot-er than ever, so I guess it's time to post more pics.

Did I ever mention how much I hate posing for pictures? Totally awkward. See?

I'd rather just show you my new haircut, but then you can't see the belly at all and that's what everyone is asking about.

I feel a little better if there's a crazy kid nearby to distract me from the camera.

I feel much better if I can hold a baby. Doesn't everyone?

Having another expectant mother in the pic also helps, especially if she kept more weight from her last pregnancy than I did.

Wow. I had no idea she was still so agile. Isn't amazing what us pregos will do for a snack?

Another reason I love Samaritan Ministries

kimc — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:48:59 +0000

I just called my not-health-insurance provider to request a form for submitting my midwife expenses. I'm not due for another 17 weeks, and I haven't even made an official choice of midwives yet, but I want to have the form in hand so I can get it ready asap.

I love Samaritan Ministries, and it's not only because they have such a great referral program. [hint, hint...tell them KimC sent you.]

I love them also because they encourage me to care how much my medical care costs, even when it doesn't come out of my pocket. When I had traditional health insurance my only concern was how much it would cost out of my own pocket. Now my perspective is different.

Many midwives gives a hefty discount if you pay by 36 weeks. I don't want my Christian brothers and sisters to pay more than is necessary for our baby's birth. I want to save them money just as much as I want to save money myself, and so I'll be submitting my need just as soon as we make a choice - with the blessing and permission of Samaritan Ministries - to save us all $400.

curious? here are my past posts about Samaritan Ministries

A brief history of the income tax in America

kimc — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:59:01 +0000

Feb. 3 was hardly a day for celebration, but it's a date we should be familiar with nonetheless.

All of my school-age children will be reading this, and then we will discuss it. The discussion part is for my sake, not theirs. It's the only way I'll remember a bit of it, and it's important stuff.

The Modest Mom shop – review and giveaway

kimc — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:26:30 +0000

Comments closed. Watch for a winner!

This may be my 13th pregnancy, but I've been enjoying my first-ever custom made maternity skirt. I haven't had a denim skirt in years, and when Caroline of The Modest Mom (formerly The Modest Maternity Shop) offered a free item for review, I jumped on the opportunity, choosing the long ruffle maternity skirt in denim.

Caroline was a delight to work with. When I didn't fit neatly into a size category, she further customized her custom skirt for me, using the elastic from one size and the cut from another to give me a little extra space without forcing me to wear an oversized skirt.

Her work is neat, the fabric is durable, and the cut is very comfortable. My new skirt has a nice slimming silhouette but plenty of room to move at the lower hem - not always the case in long skirts! The maternity panel is comfy too, with plenty of soft stretch. It was a bit too loose during my first trimester, but is perfect for the second and I feel confident that it will continue to fit for the rest of the pregnancy.

I should add that my web-designer daughter thoroughly approves of The Modest Mom. She says the site is neat, simple and attractive, and easy to navigate. No, my daughter didn't design the site. She just has a good eye for these things.

Oh, you're waiting to hear the part about the giveaway, aren't you?

Caroline has offered to sponsor a giveaway. The winner may choose any skirt, any style, any size, any fabric in the shop. Not pregnant? Not a problem. That's why it's now The Modest Mom instead of the The Modest Maternity Shop.

To enter, just visit The Modest Mom and browse the skirt choices. Then come back here and leave a comment telling us which one you'll choose if you win.

edit: I forgot to add other ways to enter. Blog about the giveaway, share this post on Facebook, or Tweet it for up to 3 add'l chances to enter the giveaway. Please leave a separate comment to let me know about each way you enter.

We'll take entries until midnight Sunday, Feb. 7 and then we'll announce a winner on Monday. Or Tuesday. Or as soon as we remember to choose one...

Too sweet not to share

kimc — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:14:26 +0000

Some things are too sweet to share, like the can of Almond Roca that my hunney brought back for me from Tennessee. Others are too sweet not to share, like these adorable dancing children, hardly older than toddlers. The video is aptly named Music Box Dancers. I can't believe what they can do! I can't seem to embed the video here, but trust me: it's worth clicking over.

ht to The Common Room

Ideas. I’ve got ideas.

kimc — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:11:41 +0000

You may not be able to tell from the level of activity on our blog lately, but I've got a lot of posts floating around in my head. The problem is, it takes time, motivation, and other similarly scarce and valuable resources to get them out of my head and onto my blog. Therein lies the problem.

Maybe today's post will be a list. A list of posts that may or may not materialize in the near future. Is there anything on the list that would earn your undying gratitude?

A video tutorial on making kefir. In spite of the fact that certain children compared it at first to...er..."rotten puke," we're really loving our kefir, and it's far easier than I expected. I stir in just a little honey after I strain a quart, and it's gone every morning when I strain the next batch. Even with our lowly store-bought pasteurized milk, my kefir grains have been so happy and fruitful I've been able to share with 3 other families so far.
A post asking for your help naming our upcoming e-cookbook. It's a cheeky collection of over 50 of our favorite, fast and frugal recipes, each rated for difficulty so you'll know whether to set your kids loose in the kitchen. And a poll asking whether you think photos are necessary in a e-cookbook. Does it really add to the perception of quality or does it just slow the download?
A post announcing the release of our other upcoming e-book. That would be really, really great because it would mean we finally decided on a cover. I think that's our primary hold up now. Who thinks we should just close our eyes and pick one? Or (gasp!) let the kids vote?
A pregnancy update telling you about my new midwife. Which, again, would be really great because it would mean we made a decision. I visited a second prospective new midwife, but hubby wants to meet her too before we make a decision. It would be nice to have that little detail nailed down before I enter my third trimester, in less weeks than I care to recall. 3? Am I ready for labor again? ugh. Let's move on.
A post announcing Andrea's new e-book that she wrote for us. It will be free for our readers, and anyone who is interested in earning money (or increasing their earnings) as a Vision Forum affiliate should find it very helpful. This has already been our biggest source of blog income, but I'm looking forward to using some of Andrea's ideas myself to improve it. In fact, we already had an idea cooking that ties in neatly with what she suggests. That is probably a ways off, though, considering all the other projects we have lined up, like:
Bunkbeds. I'd really, really like to get moving on those. But we agreed to finish 2 other projects (#2 and #3 above) before we start the beds. So please, people, give us a nudge. Don't YOU want to see us finish our crazy and wonderful bunkbeds? I'm sure the 4 children currently sleeping on the sofas would be equally excited.
I've been working on Frugal Hacks lately. OK, I'm not exactly sure why I mentioned that since I don't really intend to post about it here, but I've been spending a fair amount of time adding new blogroll members, revamping the advertising section both out front and behind-the-scenes, simply posting more often, etc. If you're an FH reader, I'd love your ideas on how the site could be improved.

Cloth diaper giveaway!

kimc — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:00:11 +0000

Thanks Mama is giving away 3 Kissaluv cloth diapering items on their blog! There are 10 ways to enter so do as many as possible to really increase your odds of winning.

They're also having a great sale on Thirsties, and shipping is always free on orders over $60.

I couldn't help but notice that they also carry my favorite-ever baby carrier, the Ergo, at a competitive price. It's not cheap, but so worth it! I love mine, and it's so ergonomically well-designed that my skinny 8yo can adjust it to fit herself in seconds, and can carry the 35 lb. boy in it with ease. It's truly amazing!

Too many temptations? Use the code below to save 5% on your order and remember that orders over $60 get free shipping. Be sure to tell them KimC sent you.

5% off promo code: mama

Do deer knock on your front door?

kimc — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:29:38 +0000

Early this morning, I heard a conversation that included several different children - older children - saying things like this:

"Of course deer come up on our deck! We hear them tap-tapping around on the deck. Last night one was bumping on the door."

"Mom, you knew that. I told you I saw one last year!"

"So did I! You weren't surprised when I told you."

I'm not sure what to think. Our deck is completely railed, and 12-14' off the ground. It is accessed only by a single staircase. Wouldn't that smell like a trap to any self-respecting deer?

Of course, the deer around here are rather tame. Some of the neighbors feed them, so they are used to human presence. They do come into the front yard and watch us. Sometimes they wave and say hi. I've seen them in the chicken house, helping themselves to the laying mash. They're really not concerned about us unless we head straight toward them.

My mom even has an adopted orphan buck. He shed his baby spots long ago but still sneaks into her house at every chance, not convinced that his bottle-fed days are over. He also plays with the highly territorial family dog, and chews on bones. Deer bones. Rupert is not your average buckling.

But does that mean that the unnamed whitetails around our property are bold enough to wander the deck at night, peeking in the windows and knocking on the front door, asking to use our restroom? And exercising the courtesy to abstain from our 40 lb. box of apples that was out there last night? Do deer do these things?

I'm not sure about this. Would you buy the story?