"Works For Me Wednesday"

This is my frugal tip for the week for "works-for-me Wednesday". Hope it can save somebody a little cash! You can read other helpful hints on www.wearethatfamily.com

We homeschool, and I cannot afford to by workbook after workbook, so I tear the pages out of a workbook and use a 3 ring binder with plastic page protectors and insert the workbook pages into them. They use dry erase markers and a paper towel to do each page. This works great for little ones since they can do the same pages over and over and you can pass down the book child to child. This is also a money saver for those who do not homeschool for at home fun. It works great in the car if your children are taught to only write ON THE PAGES, not the car seats! ;)

The joys of the 3rd trimester of pregnancy

I know age makes a difference when carrying a child! When I was 22, pregnant with my first child, NOTHING bothered me. I was as swollen as the Good-year Blimp, had pimples everywhere, my feet grew in width as much as I grew in girth (which was alot, I gained 56lbs with my first), and I was oblivious to it all! I walked around in a cloud with with anticipation for the coming week and just could not wait to see what pregnancy held in store for me! Well, now 15 years later and on my 11th living child, (14th pregnancy however)my ignorance is replaced with wisdom of what is to come. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the joy of carrying a child and helping God with a miracle! I never get over the wonderful feeling of a little one kicking, hiccupping, turning and growing inside of me. Hearing the heartbeat is something that nobody but a mother can exaplain the joy it brings! However, I am now in my 3rd trimester and reality of the coming final weeks has approached me. Hopefully you will find this reality, not a complaint! For now, my feet have not swelled, I have recieved a few pimples off and on, and I am actually losing weight rather than gaining it (the doctor is not alarmed by the way), and now the cloud I walk around in is only filled with anticipation to hold my little one in my arms, not in my aching belly! Here is the problem. I have gotten a TERRIBLE cold in the past week and have coughed so much that I have somehow pulled a muscle, maybe torn it, in my abdomen. It is like a knife slicing me open in one small area to the right of my belly button. The doctor said because of the stage I am in the pregnancy (30 weeks), it will not totally heal until after the baby comes because the baby is only going to get bigger in the coming weeks furthermore,stretching my abdomen muscles that much more. So, the plan of action is no lifting, and no strenuous activivity. Not really an option for a mother of 10 other children! So my pregnancy bliss has some pain involved. I know it is not life or death but 9 weeks of this kind of pain may do me in! I DO know I have a family doctor who can heal me! God! If you could please pray for me this week for my body to be touched and for this pain to subside, I would greatly appreciate it! I have seen others ask for prayer on their blogs, so I thought it might be a good idea for me. I really right now need my cough to go away. And then the muscle to heal. It does not matter what the doctor says on this earth, I know my heavenly doctor can do things I could never imagine. I also know when I hold this little one in my arms, this will all be worth it! I am truly thankful for the gift of being able to carry this sweet child for God. I just am in need of some healing! Thank you for listening to me and lifting me up in your prayers! Also, if you know of anyone else who has had this happen, please let me know. It would be of interest to me know how everything turned out. Have a great day filled with the joy of the Lord! I will keep you posted!