tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10788543862624661762012-01-10T18:55:10.505-07:00a homeschooling family of five living in 900 square feet and loving it! Most of the time ;)Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.comBlogger2521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-2592069073772192572012-01-10T09:28:00.003-07:002012-01-10T09:34:12.554-07:00

The last few weeks around here have been heaven! 40 degrees outside and sunny and lovely.  My kids were upset about having a green Christmas, but I was able to work in the yard a lot and finish some things I neglected to do in the fall.  2 days before the new year I used up all the gas in my mower mulching leaves.  Yup, I had the mower out in December!! Then it snowed last week and we were all

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-28658627410622680952011-12-23T23:37:00.000-07:002011-12-23T23:37:27.782-07:00

Call them Santa's helpers, elves, whatever....I prefer angels.  We had some visit us.  And they gave some very generous gifts to us.  I was surprised and overcome and may have teared up a little.  Our family is fine.  We have income, food, clothing and shelter and heck, we even have a working car!!  We are already so blessed!  So at first it was hard to accept the gifts, I kept thinking of people

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-75222581885507630202011-11-23T22:40:00.001-07:002011-11-23T23:11:31.088-07:00

yep.  We're joining the ranks of the gluten free.  Well, Munchkin is.  She's had diarrhea for about a year now.  It just kept becoming more and more often until it was an everyday occurrence.  So a few months ago I weighed her and found she'd only gained a pound the whole year.  Her doc recommended a gastroenterologist and also an allergist.  I cannot believe how many tests they ran and of course

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-30554587168673851292011-11-17T16:23:00.001-07:002011-11-17T16:32:30.980-07:00

I'm irritable today.  I spent the weekend building a chicken tractor-which is a portable coop.  I built it for a few reasons: 1) to let the girls scratch the yard while still being protected, 2) so they can get more sun, 3) the %$#$^ finches are eating all their food in the regular coop!! Chicken wire keeps out quail and cats, but not finches.  Chicken food is fairly cheap -$15 for 50lbs.  But

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-21509097262533204402011-11-15T11:33:00.001-07:002011-11-15T12:02:40.624-07:00

(a little late.  whatever.) For the church party we all dressed as characters from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.  No, my kids haven't seen the movie, but we own the Lego game on XBOX and my son has some of the Lego pieces.  So he was going as Jones and we saw this gorgeous Asian outfit for Munchkin ($5!!) to dress as Willie (the singer) and the rest fell into place. Igloo went as Mola

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-27962537336339174722011-11-05T18:15:00.001-06:002011-11-05T18:15:16.633-06:00

I have a list of excuses for not writing.  The the chickens died and I got really depressed.  Then we got new ones and I was making sure the coop was more predator resistant.  Last week was crazy busy!  Field trip to the zoo, pack meeting, doctor appointment, Jack turned 7(!!!), church Halloween party; this week had Halloween and Discovery Museum, and I've been busy reading and actually making

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-54170791078903053772011-10-18T21:45:00.000-06:002011-10-18T23:55:34.740-06:00

What an emotional weekend.  I was hit (hard) with the stomach flu that is going around Thursday and Sunday morning munchkin threw up (only once) so we stayed home from church and watched movies.  I let the chickens out to graze a little and came inside for a bit figuring I'd put them away soon.  Well, I never did.  My mind wasn't quite back up to snuff after being sick.  And while I was inside

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-10584839132581999192011-10-11T23:13:00.000-06:002011-10-11T23:18:57.438-06:00

God's house truly is a house of order. So a Godly house must needs be an orderly house. Doesn't it feel like this is the carrot and we are the horse forever chasing but never quite reaching it? Lately I at least feel like I've shortened the distance between the carrot and myself.  So I'm hoping (cross fingers!!) to do a series on how we're ordering our house and lives over here.  I can't

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-5834999929595018442011-10-06T22:33:00.000-06:002011-10-06T22:33:21.293-06:00

Life is so much easier with a routine that works.  One of the first things I did in August was develop a schedule for school.  But it kept not working.  I've been playing with it since school started and I think we've finally found what works!  Roughly, we need 5 hours of math, 5 hours of language arts, 2 hours of science, 3 hours of history, 1.5 hours of art, and 1.5 hours of music/week.  So

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-80338654194506145922011-10-02T23:58:00.000-06:002011-10-02T23:58:34.007-06:00

I love hearing the messages of inspiration from the leaders of my church!  But I have to admit that I don't remember a lot of talks because I'm so excited about Provo's new temple!!!!  Squeee!! I went to so many stake conferences and Messiah sing alongs and visits at the old tabernacle.  Beautiful building with the most ridiculously hard seats you ever sat on.  Then this happened last December,

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-2706824127018898802011-09-22T19:55:00.001-06:002011-09-22T20:01:36.298-06:00

You guys, homeschooling is hard.  Not the actual homeschooling itself, mind you, but that it takes over.  My house is NOT up to snuff for this perfectionist.  I have no time for my own projects.  The last time I actually folded AND put away laundry was back in August. oh, and these are MY chickens.  The USB cable has been found. And all of that wears on me.  Because I really DO revel in a

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-9800720968348759882011-09-07T21:24:00.000-06:002011-09-07T21:24:52.898-06:00

I got chickens!!!  And NO I don't have pictures because I cannot find my blasted usb cable.  So I've been putting off blogging about them for 2 weeks, but I finally decided I give up.  I think Igloo took it work so it may be months before I see it again. Anyway, my lovely ladies are golden sex-linked birds.  That means they are a hybrid (probably rhode island red and rhode island white mix) and

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-52584338727251010752011-08-23T23:38:00.001-06:002011-08-23T23:40:36.339-06:00

Wow!  I really haven't blogged in a month and a half!  Time flies.... So we started officially homeschooling this week.  After trying it out on my own this summer I decided to go with an online K12 program.  It's been good, for the most part.  I earned mother-of-the-year with my patience when I tried to teach Jack how to read an analog clock.  Those hands sure are confusing! But I lost the award

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-41487109234772316542011-07-09T23:04:00.002-06:002011-07-09T23:17:12.490-06:00

I just saw these and had to post this.  Right now.  Because my husband and I watched it with our mouths open and drool collecting on the laptop.  Because they are Just. That. Awesome!  Watch it and squeal with joy like we did (it helps if you pretend you're rich!) I want! I want! I want!  You know they're ridiculously expensive when they don't even list the price on the website.  You have to

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-46500617602229909752011-06-23T09:22:00.002-06:002011-06-23T09:31:08.688-06:00

It's hitting me hard folks. I've never lived anywhere as long as we have lived here.  And just when it feels like things are coming together, I want to go. So does Igloo.  We can't agree where though.  He wants Michigan and I want Arizona. Isn't this view from my house gorgeous though?  Love those mountains!Anyone who has ever lived in Utah will tell you it's hard.  Having spent seven years in

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-77172125160261822512011-06-15T22:07:00.000-06:002011-06-15T22:07:23.376-06:00

It's a small fridge.  Only 13 cu. ft.  I mean how much of my refrigerator is empty space?  Probably not 10 cu. ft., but still....  I just feel like it's a poor design and I like how this is designed.  Smaller often means more efficient. Here's the inside: Not completely sure where the milk would go.  I can remove shelves if I need to though, and I'm loving the idea of freezer drawers!!  This

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-78939825851257109132011-06-10T23:48:00.002-06:002011-06-11T00:01:09.319-06:00

I think sometimes I forget that I have friends and family who actually read this blog and like hearing about what my family is up to.  I just hardly feel like I have time for blogging anymore, and for some reason I try to make more of my posts about small houses than about family and I need to stop that.  I think it's backlash from being so frustrated at the small house movement and the seeming

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-56188348458828605112011-06-08T22:50:00.000-06:002011-06-08T22:50:27.213-06:00

Wow!  Things got busy around here.  We've created new garden beds, redid some landscaping and are building the chicken coop. Over the holiday I also painted the kitchen.  Here's the before:  You can't really tell the color that well.  It looks whitish, but really it's more of a pasty, pinkish, old silly putty color.  I seriously felt ill with it.  I think it's the color of hospital walls.  I

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-87182124860702443832011-05-23T09:01:00.000-06:002011-05-23T09:01:29.091-06:00

I've got kitchen pantries on my mind.  Maybe it's because I don't have one.  I could fit one of these if I had another place to put my table.  Isn't it lovely?  You need 4 feet of wall space on either side to fit 24" cabinets on the sides of it.  When I remodel my kitchen in my head I totally have that. But that involves serious construction.  Possibly the removal of a wall.  A load bearing

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-54221395323420854772011-05-21T21:52:00.000-06:002011-05-21T21:52:48.553-06:00

I'm more than a little depressed about it.  No ice cream.  No whipped cream.  No creamy cream. And heaven help me, no cheese!!! But I'm getting sleep for the first time in over a year.  Take THAT Dr. Jerk who told me she was screaming at night because I spoiled her and to just leave her be.  I actually really like our pediatrician.  But sometimes he's a jerk. ;) I wasn't going to do it.  I had

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-7591455474922005482011-05-18T08:49:00.001-06:002011-05-18T08:53:06.684-06:00

To dig or not to dig?  I've read too many blogs about this subject. Some people say not to; it disrupts the soil structure and makes for less healthy plants. Others argue that by digging heavily or tiling and adding compost/manure/peat/old leaves...whatever... they have better production. I can see a lot of value from the amend from above approach.  Ever moved a compost pile or even a pile of

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-67088295164374018102011-05-16T08:49:00.001-06:002011-05-16T08:54:35.841-06:00

Okay, enough of the crazy spots posts!  Time to get back to business. JOY!  Pure and simple. It refuses to get warm here!  How about you?  The only thing coming up here is potatoes and I'm itching for a break in rain/cold to get some squash plants in the ground! Yesterday my husband met a couple at church who paid off something like $80,000 in debt!  He kept telling me I need to talk to her.  I

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-25095922394906681872011-05-12T11:05:00.000-06:002011-05-13T14:20:23.257-06:00

Tumbleweed's biopsy came back......... POSITIVE!!!! (spots at their worst) Positive is actually good.  Because if I didn't know what was going on with her, I think I'd go crazy.  Well, crazier. She has a condition called urticaria pigmentosa, (here's the wiki) and yeah, it's another "rare disease".  (non-reacting spots) Just like her sister's disease, she'll outgrow it and the blood tests

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-12949823908453903772011-05-11T20:27:00.000-06:002011-05-13T14:20:23.628-06:00

I haven't blogged much because last week we did this.  Putting on the new paper. I let my 6 year old go up with dad.  I must be NUTS!Pretty (and solid!) new roof.  Yay!!! Much thanks to our neighbor who used to be a roofer until his back made him stop.  We are soooooo lucky!!!!!  Also, this is another circumstance where having a small house is nice.  Repairs cost less. In other news it's allergy

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-7669731995548306292011-05-01T14:30:00.000-06:002011-05-01T14:30:59.744-06:00

Jack has stomach flu, Munchkin has allergies, and Tumbleweed has a cold (her red spots have faded into light freckle-like spots) so we have been having a sick day. So I've been looking at some fun things on teh internets. Rethinking the table leaf something potentially more affordable and still pretty cool: Forget Murphy, check out a ceiling bed!  Actually, don't forget Murphy beds.  I'm a

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-87176112454511787942011-04-27T10:59:00.000-06:002011-04-27T10:59:01.979-06:00

We've taken to calling Tumbleweed "Spots". As you can probably imagine, she hasn't been sleeping well.  She's normally not a fantastic sleeper anyway, but Sunday and Monday she had to nurse all night long.  Literally. All.  Night.She's been pretty irritable and fitful.So yesterday I decided to call a few dermatologists in the area and see if anyone would see her.  The third one had an awesome

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-40227356012663882802011-04-25T21:40:00.000-06:002011-04-25T21:40:00.635-06:00

Can I have normal kids?  Ones that don't get weird diseases that doctors just shake their heads at? Here's the latest: Does she make you want to cry?  She makes me want to cry!  Her poor arm! She started with a couple of these on her arm a few months ago.  I figured they were bug bites or body acne and kind of ignored them.  When they got worse I tried some hydrocortisone and they went away.  

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-58678762136753433212011-04-23T17:32:00.000-06:002011-04-23T17:32:49.287-06:00

I have a very dear friend who used to live near me but has since moved across the country to North Carolina.  Luckily we both have free long distance. It's funny because first her oldest sister was my friend and then I became friends with her older brother in high school (I'm still friends with both).  But five or six years ago when my friend got married and soon had her first son we started

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-76054530295932692772011-04-16T21:02:00.001-06:002011-04-16T21:05:32.980-06:00

Amazing! It's so hard to find any of these that actually involve children! So inspiring!My favorite part of the whole video is when she says she doesn't dream of a bigger space. She dreams of having less stuff to put in her space.Can we have lunch?

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-38319589639976926022011-04-06T21:09:00.000-06:002011-04-06T21:09:57.077-06:00

There are many reasons for maintaining a decent looking home. Remember, it's decent, not perfect. One of those reasons is unexpected visitors.Today it was the carpet cleaner.These pictures have nothing to do with anything. She just was so cute playing with her pajama bottoms! (which she pulled from the "folded" bin, of course) :o)In the three years we've lived here we have only cleaned the

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-18599832106168424512011-04-04T19:00:00.001-06:002011-04-05T08:55:12.789-06:00

Here's how I go through my cleaning routine:MORNINGI start in the kitchen. I unload the dishwasher. Then I clear off all the counters and put things away where they go. Wipe all the counters and load the breakfast dishes. Then I sweep the floor.The next room is the living room. I clear off surface clutter on the piano and bookshelf.The bathroom comes next. Clear off the vanity counter and

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-39773022671583757322011-04-04T14:25:00.000-06:002011-04-04T14:26:02.444-06:00

I am a go with the flow kind of gal. I love to just see what the day brings. That's my personality. Apparently that does not work with kids! Especially when you are raising highly emotional kids whose intestines are likely to implode with unpredictability. So I'm changing it. I'm becoming *gasp* responsible. Have you noticed what a four letter word that has become in our society? No one wants

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-8500124765939931832011-03-30T19:00:00.002-06:002011-03-30T20:39:36.047-06:00

(now with pictures!)It's on my mind a lot. Generally I like school. I like the science fairs and the reading contests and that he has to learn large group dynamics. I like volunteering in first grade and I LOVE helping in Gifted and Talented. But the negatives are starting to outweigh the positives.School is just too long. Bottom line. We have an early bedtime and between homework and

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-70526137199789341272011-03-24T13:19:00.002-06:002011-03-24T13:29:11.793-06:00

Has it already been a week since I last blogged?! I'm trying for at least once a week.We're still dealing with sniffles around here. Thanks heavens no one has coughed in days. The toddler has been loving tumbleweed's "nose bubbles" though. It's both gross and cute!It's amazing what happens when you let go of things. You start to forget about them very quickly. Igloo still wants to get a flat

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-43843882637293825412011-03-18T09:04:00.005-06:002011-03-18T09:12:17.622-06:00

Spring is coming!!!!And I am a nerd. An earth nerd. I would rather be outside working in my garden than anything else. I think it's affecting my social life.We have been spending our free time fixing our garden beds. Every year we learn something new to help us create our little urban farm. Last year we went with the square foot gardening/raised beds approach. The only problem being we had a

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-12310105563573579842011-03-15T16:05:00.007-06:002011-03-15T17:54:27.806-06:00

(read pee-fap-uh). Not like Price Pfister.This is where you get to learn about how we're going to handle this weird disease.Today we went to see the immunologist at Primary Children's Riverton hospital. First I was really happy we didn't have to drive all the way to Salt Lake City as originally planned (Thank you!!!!), second, that place is AMAZING! It is so kid friendly, you don't feel at all

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-7468563312581614182011-03-09T14:53:00.002-07:002011-03-09T15:05:28.953-07:00

I updated my sheets during a Christmas Sale. Mine were old and getting that "time to replace" kind of feel to them. Now, there are A LOT of things one can do with sheets. I have made curtains out of them. I have made slings out of them. Tablecloths, pajamas, skirts, you name it.But these were red sheets, faded red sheets (I also have very faded black ones I'm trying to find a purpose for) and I

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-20515047224190194072011-02-28T10:07:00.001-07:002011-02-28T10:12:48.543-07:00

What do you give a little girls who loves to steal her sisters' cloth diapers for her dolls? You make some for her own of course!I made a template from wrapping paper around her doll to get the right fit, cut it out of fleece so I have no edges to finish and sewed some velcro on. THAT'S IT! It seriously took about 30 minutes and she loves them!

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-26585157852507276662011-02-24T12:23:00.004-07:002011-02-24T12:41:19.643-07:00

Hi, my name is Kris and I'm a sugar addict. And now you're all laughing and going, "yep, aren't we all?" But I'm serious. It's manifesting itself in actual physical side effects. I get severe headaches, jitters and this morning I was really dizzy until I had a piece of candy.That is not normal folks.I really overdid it over the holidays and stress has kept me going back to the sweets. This

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-89162421441387855462011-02-23T22:19:00.002-07:002011-02-23T22:16:36.347-07:00

Everyone else did this Monday. But I didn't because I'm a rebel. Better late then never, right? I've been out sick with a nasty cold and my third (yes, third!!) mastitis infection. I swear Tumbleweed did permanent injury with that first one because I've had problems since. But I am not here to write about breasts, I am here to write about something that has been on my mind for over a year, a

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-74720336121087835372011-02-20T10:05:00.005-07:002011-02-20T11:01:43.564-07:00

I am amazed! I love this kid so much! I love her spunk and her energy. I love her confidence and paradoxically her shyness. She pretends to read and cracks me up with her stories and the songs she makes up. She loves to sing! I'm amazed at her artistic ability and love to hear her tell me about her stories. I struggle with munchkin more than any other kid. She's willful and defiant and

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-48598401050082035512011-02-10T06:53:00.001-07:002011-02-10T06:57:44.623-07:00

Someone is thinking about spring. I'll bet you can't guess who. (it's me!!!!)I think one of the signs farming is in your blood is when you feel guilty throwing away apple cores. "This would make great compost!"One of these years I will get a fancy tumbler that will make some black gold in a few weeks, but until then I have 2 big piles in my yard. One is the "heap" where stuff gets thrown and

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-60100808076171867102011-02-06T00:25:00.002-07:002011-02-06T00:37:46.889-07:00

I'm still around. I'm just not on my computer as much anymore. We've had much in the way of sickness here which is why I find myself blogging at 12:30 am. Tumbleweed had a fever so I let her nap longer and of course now she feels fine and guess who gets to be up with her?! Jealous? You should be. She's crying right now because I wont let her unplug my computer. I can hear the phone call for

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-11800264592203747352011-01-24T21:40:00.001-07:002011-01-24T21:47:05.900-07:00

This was a topic in church yesterday. It was apropos because last week was beyond stressful. Igloo and I were asked to speak in church (stress).I'm the new cubmaster and it's my first pack meeting tomorrow. I have no idea what I'm doing. (stress)Tumbleweed has been waking up more and I'm exhausted! I'm worried about my kids. My 2 oldest.Munchkin may have a rare genetic disorder.I'm

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-1286718938338743382011-01-20T09:17:00.005-07:002011-01-20T09:46:31.404-07:00

The snow has been melting here. It's cold still, but it makes me long to put my leather gloves on and grab a shovel. Unfortunately it's supposed to get colder with no snow and that means bad air for us. With 2 asthmatics in the house it's not much fun. So please spring, please come early!I've been putting off blogging because I wanted to post some pictures but I can't find my camera!!!I put

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-69398795485443895072011-01-12T22:38:00.006-07:002011-01-12T23:24:46.453-07:00

I should have made a new years resolution to blog less, ha!!Life is stressful right now. There's no tenants in our rental so we're paying 2 mortgages. But I know we're blessed to even have 2 properties and know plenty of others in worse situations than me, so I try not to complain.I just don't blog :)But I wanted to ask the internet how many pairs of shoes a person needs. I have never

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-27036278186413161242011-01-03T11:33:00.003-07:002011-01-03T12:00:18.770-07:00

Today, my husband had an employee drive him home for lunch (the car died this morning-we're working on getting it resurrected) so that employee could pick up our tv.IT'S GONE! No giant box staring me in the face every time I walk into the living room! I'm not completely anti-tv (just mostly *wink*). I enjoy watching good movies. But I prefer small tv's, usually behind doors. Ours was a 32"

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-73584076380726226112010-12-20T12:12:00.009-07:002010-12-20T13:10:47.082-07:00

Wow! Just look at this!I promise they are the same legs.I did a little happy dance when I saw her legs this morning.Yesterday morning we saw an improvement in Munchkin's legs. They were still red a scaly, but the inflammation had almost disappeared. These are both picture of her right leg (the worst one) taken yesterday morning after a night of nothing but the hazelwood necklace wrapped twice

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-3779392980128222322010-12-18T22:30:00.002-07:002010-12-18T23:07:30.668-07:00

A few weeks ago a friend told me about using hazelwood to help with eczema. Her sister had had great results with it. So I ordered one. I'm desperate!! :)When the necklace arrived no one had any rashes because I had used to prescription steroid. We originally bought it for Jack, but since his was under control we switched it to Munchkin. (I have nicknames! Check the top bar for who is who.

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-91985485204323751872010-12-14T09:10:00.001-07:002010-12-14T09:13:12.320-07:00

I love these colors! Anyone else think this is a big kitchen? Usually I'm not a fan of HGTV and BHG's idea of a "small kitchen". They look cute, but not livable. But I did like this article called Hidden Spaces in Your Small Kitchen. It actually has useful stuff.My favorite idea was getting cabinet depth appliances. I didn't even know they made those!The best advice I ever got with kitchen

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-12685061963039477372010-12-11T22:18:00.005-07:002010-12-13T09:02:55.478-07:00

ummm, yes please!http://homereserve.com/index.cfmSome time in the next 2 years I am buying a new living room set. I'm going to have a grown up living room!Home Reserve not only has cute, relatively affordable sofas (think $375 shipped) and chairs ($200), but they also come with built-in storage! If one piece gets damaged by, say, young children, you can just replace that one part without having

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-69915162743671621402010-12-09T12:45:00.008-07:002010-12-09T21:37:15.780-07:00

Yesterday was a Bad Day.First thing in the morning my daughter broke her dresser. The only pieces of nice furniture we own are this dresser and my piano. Truth be told, it's a bit of an albatross. We have 2nd hand dressers we got for the kids and this one doesn't really fit in our room so we gave it to her. Now each girl has her own dresser. So it is useful, but sometimes it's hard to own

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-47522938679234839382010-12-09T10:38:00.004-07:002010-12-09T11:26:57.762-07:00

Then you stick it life's exhaust pipe! hahahaha!Okay, seriously though, when life hands you lemons then you think of someone else. Here's someone to think about. His name is JD, but most know him as Deeds. Deeds has Autism, Periventricular Leukomalacia (google it), and mild Cerebral Palsy. His parents are hoping to get a service dog for him. Please visit the link above to learn more about

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-7691983521934933152010-12-06T21:30:00.004-07:002010-12-06T21:48:09.704-07:00

Not divorce (thank heavens!) The other one. depression. (dun dun DUN!!!) Last week a friend asked how I as doing and if I had any baby blues and the tears began to well up.I'm gonna take that as a yes. How annoying! I think the worst part right now is that feeling of knowing what you need to do to get out of it, but feeling too down/tired/lazy to do it.Do you know what I had for breakfast

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-29835563365016129682010-12-01T13:49:00.004-07:002010-12-01T14:42:55.734-07:00

Oh my poor children (and their poor mother)! I married an asthmatic with hay fever and I have food allergies. Not a good combination genetically speaking. My children all have eczema. I was hoping our baby girl would be spared, but she just got her first red patches. My son was born with eczema. He's mostly outgrown it, but when winter comes his hands look like he's been dragging them on

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-13521852683608057742010-11-24T08:31:00.000-07:002010-11-24T09:25:36.508-07:00

I have been struggling with Christmas since last month. Every year the commercialism gets me down and this year I have been down right depressed about it. My husband thinks I need antidepressants. I'm serious. I used to act like a 4 year old about Christmas, getting all giddy and begging to put up the lights and decorations.But this year it just hasn't happened. (all right, I did smile when

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-42772067449818524332010-11-18T09:56:00.003-07:002010-11-18T12:41:25.973-07:00

That was me yesterday. Isn't it weird how you can lift heavy boxes & hoe your garden and feel only slightly sore, but you go to pick up a 15lb munchkin and completely throw your back out?So there I was, basically stuck on the floor until hubby came home and helped me to the shower to help relax my muscles. I was a ridiculous sight, you guys. It took minutes for me to crawl (walking was

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-19180058041727895702010-11-15T23:25:00.000-07:002010-11-15T23:26:27.377-07:00

This baby (I love that smile!!) has informed me in no uncertain terms that she is awake and will be for some time. So I'm blogging to pass the time! I figured it was high time I post about the sling I made last spring. 8 months ago. I may have a procrastination problem....I've tried a few different kinds of baby carriers. I never liked the baby bjorn style. It just never felt right. I

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-86678414380378003092010-11-11T06:00:00.001-07:002010-11-11T06:00:04.015-07:00

Thank you to my brother, my brother-in-law and all the other men and women who have sacrificed to serve our country. I never agreed with the war my brother fought in, but it didn't change how proud of him I was. Seeing these pictures reminds me of that scary time (he was stationed in Falluja) and I'm so eternally grateful he made it home. My heart goes out to the families of those who weren't

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-16524496403898278152010-11-10T20:24:00.003-07:002010-11-10T20:49:15.675-07:00

If you're lucky enough to have a room devoted solely for your baby, move on. This is not the post you are looking for. One of my friends is pregnant with #5 (yay!!!!) and trying to figure out the bedroom situation. I wanted to post about options and see what my creative readers have come up with for their homes.In the beginning my babies sleep with me. Hubby takes the couch so he gets enough

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-30754779165208331052010-11-08T21:32:00.003-07:002010-11-08T21:45:24.416-07:00

I know I didn't post yesterday. I never should have mentioned NaBloPoMo but I thought it'd be fun. Really, I just want to be able to blog when I feel like it. Oh well :)It rained all day today. It knocked the leaves from the trees and much of sidewalk was like a golden carpet. It was absolutely lovely. Rain is my favorite weather for so many reasons. I sat and watched it and thought about

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-47350668574966601512010-11-06T08:18:00.005-06:002010-11-06T08:54:29.301-06:00

Last night I was able to attend a lecture about Shakespeare at our local University. I haven't been to lecture in years. I went to a couple after I graduated, but that was basically it. I was really excited and it proved to be filled with some new and fascinating info. I miss school. It was sponsored by the Utah Academy of Arts, Sciences, & Letters and before the lecture they had a bunch of

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-23935418625714831892010-11-05T13:47:00.003-06:002010-11-05T14:06:41.944-06:00

"Good evening, London. Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of every day routine — the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration, whereby those important events of the past, usually associated with someone's death or the end of some awful bloody

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-289285447189077502010-11-04T19:29:00.003-06:002010-11-04T19:37:39.899-06:00

It goes to figure that as soon as I decide to do NaBloPoMo that I then get a crazy day with a needy baby and no time on the computer. BUT I did make calzones tonight because my friend shared this easy and tasty recipe with me (thanks Em!) None of my kids like pizza, but they actually ate this! It's picky eater approved and now I want to share it with you. The Dough:1 pkg active yeast (I

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-83497371006477472022010-11-03T08:38:00.002-06:002010-11-03T11:41:21.725-06:00

It's NaBloPoMo! A post every day and then, World Domination!!!My turn! My turn!How many posts have you seen about not celebrating Halloween this year? Maybe it's just the types of blogs I read, but I have seen A LOT. Like 7. (that's a lot for me)Now, if you had brought up not celebrating Halloween because of it's Pagan origins/promoting selfishness/promoting immodesty/ fill-in-the-blank any

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-23514664285855931572010-11-02T06:30:00.001-06:002010-11-02T07:17:49.511-06:00

I already know I'm going to butcher this so please forgive me in advance.In a management book my husband read, some guy figured out that in most businesses, 80% of their income came from 20% of the clientelle. So logically, the focus should be on meeting the needs of that 20% and not as much on the other 80%.Hubby's adapted that to small space living (and I wish he were the one blogging about

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-12548569461615332932010-11-01T14:41:00.008-06:002010-11-01T17:01:43.213-06:00

First of all, I love everyone who commented or called me. I also love my neighbor for picking up my son on the way to school. I was cold :) I really am doing okay, it's just been stressful lately and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. I don't want to sound whiny, I just want to make sure the internet knows I and my life aren't perfect. My husband might be, though. ;)This morning I was

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-13739285835097139252010-10-31T13:05:00.009-06:002010-10-31T15:40:07.176-06:00

I had a fantastic September, but October was hard. 3 weeks of sick kids & husband, putting on a church party, and a rolling everywhere baby has worn me out.I'm not sure if it's been going on since the first day of kindergarten, but I've noticed ever since my son skipped to first grade I have been super sensitive about other people's opinions. It's made me regress by about 20 years. I suddenly

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-35933333286103271942010-10-26T10:28:00.000-06:002010-10-31T13:05:42.244-06:00

I spent the weekend putting on a church Halloween party. Then I spent the last 2 days recovering. I'm still recovering, I think. Meanwhile, my husband cleaned the house.He not only cleaned, he has been purging as well. Be still my heart! There's nothing sexier than a man who throws things away! Unless they're my things. Things I want to keep. That kind of stuff turn me into the Hulk.He

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-38763843691721384122010-10-22T09:04:00.004-06:002010-10-22T10:56:33.429-06:00

Today is hearing test day at school. As I was in the shower this morning (YES! I got a shower! In the Morning!) my son asked me a question and I answered. "What?!" he yelled? So answered him again. And again. Finally he heard me. And I started thinking, "what if he gets sent home with a note that his hearing needs to be evaluated?" and how awful that would be and what I would do? (anxiety

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-23558140206784434532010-10-21T06:46:00.001-06:002010-10-21T06:46:00.406-06:00

I spent most of the summer mourning because I didn't have a clothesline. Go ahead and laugh. Get it out your system.I picture myself hanging bright white sheets on beautiful sunny day with a nice gentle breeze. And every time I picture that I start singing, "mama makes whites bright like the sunshine..." It's one of those idyllic stay-at-home mom moments I try (unsuccessfully) to create.I

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-80857249498973098802010-10-20T08:59:00.004-06:002010-10-20T11:21:36.194-06:00

After a month of kindergarten we made the decision to skip our son to first grade. AAAH!! Did I just write that?! Part of me is thinking this is awesome because he works so hard at learning and the other wants to bring him back home and never let him leave the house again!I really appreciated all the info I got while making this decision, so I'll write about why we did it in case anyone else

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-25648572617869385482010-10-19T01:19:00.006-06:002010-10-19T01:43:12.659-06:00

Did you try to visit my site tonight? Or last night, I guess. (not that I would ever stay up past 1am fixing my blog. No way!) It didn't work, did it? Because Google was watching out for us. Thanks Google!I was a bit confused because I tried running programs to find this malware it said was on my site and just couldn't figure out what was going on. It was obvious I hadn't been hacked.But

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-3629392734828677302010-10-18T10:06:00.003-06:002010-10-18T10:55:55.777-06:00

I'm feeling like I just can't win. And I suppose I can't. Because I can't live my life to make other people happy.I think that's one of the hardest lessons in life.If I do my best to teach my children and they end up pretty smart, then I come across as stuck up when I try to get their needs met at school. I've seen the eye rolls and heard the jabs. Unless you have a nice average child,

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-58687880331349450662010-10-13T17:09:00.000-06:002010-10-16T02:03:45.259-06:00

I'm going to tell you a story my uncle told me. I really liked it.Once a man walked into a class and told his class he was going to teach them how to raise their kids. The class sighed in relief. FINALLY! Someone was going to give then the unattainable handbook of instructions for offspring!He told those on the front row, "I have a box of doughnuts. You may have a doughnut, but if you do,

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-48461341816608229692010-10-11T00:16:00.002-06:002010-10-11T00:19:20.322-06:00

First it was the 2 year old. The she gave it to the five year old, who gave it to his dad and now the 4 month old has managed to catch it.Maybe if I just keep her in the rocking chair all night she'll stay asleep.You'll notice mom hasn't caught it yet. I'm not allowed to get sick until everyone else is done. It's the rule.

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-60424736006566315182010-10-06T16:43:00.008-06:002010-10-06T18:20:30.610-06:00

all my spicesYesterday, a commenter, Laura, made a good point: spice only lasts for so long before it loses its, um, spiciness. So while part of me really hated to part with poppy and caraway seeds never used, I knew it was past time. Plus the caraway and celery seed had gone rancid.By the way, I had two full poppy seed containers. Ugh!I separated my spices into 4 categories: Never used,

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-18846258866135035432010-10-01T09:38:00.005-06:002010-10-01T18:56:44.955-06:00

We're experiencing an Indian summer here. It's been 90 degrees during the day. Yeesh!last autumnApparently fall didn't get the memo this year. But then I look at my squash and pepper plants and instead I'm grateful for an extended growing season. The tomatoes can die though. I'm fairly sick of tomatoes at this point. My kids wont eat them. They'll pick them - as evidenced by the sun dried

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-55098219614355127292010-09-29T17:25:00.005-06:002010-09-29T17:41:27.237-06:00

my baby in my slingSome women are natural mothers. They're sweet and love babies & children and have really creative ideas for their home and are super patient.I am not one of those women. I never liked holding babies until I had my own.I would make a much better research scientist or college professor. But I value motherhood. I value homemaking. I see many societal & environmental rewards

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-28067287027886077922010-09-27T09:06:00.002-06:002010-09-27T09:20:30.363-06:00

We're busy, but not in a "we HAVE to get this done" kind of way. We've been playing football and frisbee (my 5 year old is getting good!), picking apples, making applesauce, making fruit leather, and then eating it!, sewing (I'm making a tote from old jeans-pics to come when I finish!) and reading a ton! Some days I dream of having a large house so I could have a massive library. And another

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-3247038885715032002010-09-18T21:10:00.002-06:002010-09-18T22:34:43.653-06:00

This is my next book to read:I'm often telling my husband I feel like the last homemaker in our city. It's not true, of course. And I hear more and more about moms & dads who are able to work less & spend more time at home and it gives me hope for families. This book gave me more hope as I read the first sentence on the homepage: “Imagine women with masters degrees and PhDs who choose home

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-20949039784430868342010-09-17T07:50:00.003-06:002010-09-17T08:23:14.911-06:00

This year my son requested we grow purple carrots. We only did 2 squares & they're mixed here with the scarlet nantes, but they're pretty, huh?I cooked some of them earlier with a roast and while they tasted delicious, they also turned black so I recommend keeping them raw for aesthetics.they taste yummy too! We had a salad of carrots, peppers, & tomatoes all from our garden. Yum!!! Nothing

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-75217841970131376552010-09-14T08:15:00.003-06:002010-09-14T08:27:16.961-06:00

Well, after much study and prayer we decided to keep the little guy in Kindergarten. That decision has been reaffirmed as the correct one daily since then. I've also had reconfirmation (is that a word?) that he really was supposed to go to school and not be home schooled just yet.Seriously, how do people raise kids without prayer?! I'm just not a very good decision maker by myself :)I was

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-53132823137402458892010-09-01T09:20:00.006-06:002010-09-04T16:50:34.487-06:00

There's no real way to write this post without sounding braggy so I'll just cut to the chase and say that my son's kindergarten teachers (he has 2 right now) both think he should move to first grade. One of them is my neighbor and she generally does not promote this so it's telling that she's strongly advising it.So next week a first grade teacher they talked with is going to observe him and

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-38811365410901529782010-08-31T12:06:00.001-06:002010-08-31T12:09:14.368-06:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging. My birthday was last week and I've been busy giving away more STUFF. It's such a wonderful feeling! I have a trash bag full of toddler toys/accessories, about 25 books, and 8 bowls. I can't believe I had 8 bowls I never used!I've spent the last couple of days working on this and folks, it is HARD!I own a lot of reference books and those probably take up more

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-80440227684340545712010-08-22T22:40:00.001-06:002010-08-22T22:53:41.595-06:00

If you haven't seen or heard of the book Material World by Peter Menzel you should. It takes a look at the things people own in different parts of the world. Here's another link to whet your appetite. It's humbling and thought provoking to see how little those in second & third world countries live with. I don't aspire to live like that; it's just comforting to see how little we actually need

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-74435265290731925782010-08-22T18:34:00.001-06:002010-08-22T18:42:33.366-06:00

I've posted this on my facebook page and got talked into posting it on you tube for the whole world to see. It's pretty funny and I'm curious to see how many views it can get. MAKE IT POPULAR PEOPLE!!! :)

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-34512806000606451002010-08-21T13:33:00.006-06:002010-08-21T14:31:47.267-06:00

I've been in a foul mood for a week now. The mastitis really took it out of me, followed by a family reunion 2 hours away. (so that's 4 hrs of driving!) By Sunday I was stressed and exhausted and happy to seek refuge in church. Alas, refuge eluded me. I was informed that for the next...however long...I needed to sit with my oldest son during his classes. Apparently he's been talking back to

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-16774889895856462392010-08-12T12:43:00.002-06:002010-08-12T12:58:29.716-06:00

Fever of 104. Aches & pains like the worst flu. All because my little one yanked herself off from feeding.Life is officially put on hold.

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-76954902981870618212010-08-09T18:10:00.005-06:002010-08-09T18:35:04.670-06:00

picture creditI loooooove books. I love reading them and holding them and yes, even smelling them. But I have too many. I really do. I even just put 2 book shelves in the shed to sell on craigslist. But I still have double shelved books. I was a book hoarder for so many years - up until Mr. SH and I decided to minimize our possessions last year. I still have far too many books and I really do

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-47288761348209136912010-08-05T13:57:00.006-06:002010-08-05T20:23:09.324-06:00

"We open and close headgates in effort to channel the child’s progression down a path that we know will bring good results."This is a small ebook by Brian and Keri Tibbets that has been circling the web for a few months on the homeschooling blogs. I first read it in May and let it soak in and I think I'm finally ready to write my thoughts and feelings.I think I understood headgates better after I

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-79887440295022941432010-08-03T13:33:00.003-06:002010-08-03T14:38:51.344-06:00

This past weekend we had 45 people at our house. 45. I have to admit, I wanted a bigger house that day. Luckily we set up some outside seating so not everyone was in the living room. Still, it was cozy. See how I make it positive? It wasn't cramped, it was cozy!Because of this get together we took the table out of the kitchen and have since left it in the shed. I love the space! We still

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-88321156522672131242010-07-12T09:46:00.001-06:002010-07-14T12:18:26.953-06:00

Our kitchen does not have a pantry. I wish we had a pantry. Some day when I remodel this entire house, I'm adding one. Until then, I need a place to store my food. I think kitchens are the worst rooms for small house owners. How do you make a small kitchen work for a family?We have a cabinet we bought from IKEA that we use as an island for frequently used items like cereal and baking powder and

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-42057085534283115882010-07-09T09:10:00.001-06:002010-07-09T09:21:43.000-06:00

One of the things I have been busy with (besides my kids and garden) is repurposing fabric. I had/have a lot of projects I was meaning to start and never did. First I made some toddler sundresses out of 2 old sweaters that don't fit anymore.I cut the sleeves off previously to make some pants. I would have liked to make longies for her cloth diapers, but this is an acrylic sweater, so pants it is!

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-19347985741768222032010-07-04T05:26:00.001-06:002010-07-04T05:26:00.182-06:00

When was the last time you really read this?IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of AmericaWhen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-1212846924524271052010-07-01T23:03:00.003-06:002010-07-06T12:29:10.382-06:00

Blogging has been low on the priority totem pole. I'm hoping to have a least one a week in July. Meanwhile, here's what we've been up to:Plenty of swinging Lots of playing in dirt! It's mostly been the grownups, but kids don't get a pile like this very often and have taken full advantage of it. Millions of baby kissesGiving buffalo tongue stew a try at the Mountain Man Rendezvous. That's a once

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-20921894661095050682010-06-11T13:39:00.003-06:002010-06-11T22:54:17.611-06:00

My family has an heirloom that has been passed down for generations. It was brought over from Europe, probably. It is the ancient and well practiced art of yelling at your children. As much as I hate breaking with tradition, (anyone else have Tevya in their heads now?) I'd like to leave this one behind and not pass it down to my own kids. I was terrible while pregnant (can I just blame it on

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-50482895583367302142010-06-11T13:26:00.004-06:002010-06-11T13:29:34.082-06:00

Blogger has a new feature called template designer. Things may look a little wacky here for a bit as I play with this new feature. My house may not stay clean today....

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-41745914302347356002010-06-09T09:48:00.003-06:002010-06-09T10:03:24.393-06:00

Don't hate me, but I'm doing really well with three kids. Obviously I have little to no time for the computer, but I manage a shower at least every other day and my house is clean and I don't feel overwhelmed. No one believes me. They think I'm in denial. I was thinking about that this morning and I realized the reason why: there isn't a bunch of crap to clean up. We held a yard sale last

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1078854386262466176.post-67620732868034127782010-05-26T17:14:00.009-06:002010-05-27T19:24:52.227-06:00

I know I didn't blog all month, but you have to forgive me - being 9 months pregnant and hating everything and all ;) It'll probably be a while before I really get back into blogging anyway. Three kids take up a lot of time! :)My new little girl was born three days ago and I can't stop thinking about how lucky we were.I had been having false labor for about a week. Nothing makes you crankier than

Mrs. Small Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02682127260608971252noreply@blogger.com3