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A link.

Just a link.

Go on now. You won’t be sorry you read it.  It goes perfectly with the GCBC talk this week and embraces every reason why I started this blog in the first place.

(Thank you, Cocoa.)

See? I knew you were smart.  And helpful.  Wow, I got so much advice, I’m going to have to hire someone to help me figure it out.  The fact of the matter is that with grocery prices and gas prices both going up as much as they have (and growing, hungrier children + more carpooling and more gas use = higher needs in both categories), our current household budget is just not cutting it.  So I’m either going to have to rethink what we eat and our driving habits or figure out a way to increase the budget.  I’m assuming the best answer requires a little bit of both.

If you haven’t had chance, go back and read all the comments because there’s a lot of good stuff in there.  Also, Lacy rocked the answers to quick-and-easy-and-cheap Christmas gifts.  You should really check out her blog where she wrote me THREE posts with lists of ideas.  (Seriously? I have the best blog friends ever.)

And, in other news:  My baby is now five. (I realize that this makes my blog title totally outdated, but I don’t know what to do about that. It’s figurative now, I guess.)  I survived the party.  Here is some photographic evidence.

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Since you’re on a roll, I have one more advice question.  I used red hairspray in Natalie’s hair for Halloween (Strawberry Shortcake), but it STILL has not come all the way out. Any ideas?

Sure appreciate ‘ya.  (Said in my best Utah accent.)

I have questions, and you’re smart.

1. My food budget is not working for me right now.  Before every paycheck, we run out of grocery money.  And food.  I’m either a foolish grocery shopper or my food budget is simply not realistic.  Do you mind divulging what amount you budget for food and how many people are in your family?  (For example:  $400 a month for 5 people)

2.  How do you get boogers off the wall without taking off the paint?  As much as I’d like to pretend I wrote this question for comedic effect, I didn’t. *shaking head in disbelief*

3.  Has anyone ever used those silicone muffin tins or bread pans?  Do they work or are they more trouble than help?

4.  Natalie’s having a Rapunzel tea party for her birthday on Thursday.  I’m making these wig things for the girls to wear and they’re going to decorate each other’s braids with little flowers.  Then I was going to show the movie clip from Tangled where she dances at the festival.  I figured they could all dance around for a while.  I’ll have a cake (heaven help me, I’m trying to make a tower out of cupcakes) and “tea” (cream soda), but I don’t have anything else planned.  Anybody out there have any ideas for something really simple I could do to fill up the rest of two hours?  The wigs and tower cake have pretty much maxed out my creative threshold.

5.  I’d love to hear some of your best, inexpensive, and simple ideas for homemade Christmas presents.  Do you have a favorite go-to craft or treat for neighbors, teachers, extended family, etc.? Keywords:  cheap.  And did I already say simple?  Please don’t overestimate me. 

So we all have different strengths and weaknesses, right?  I’m counting on you to fill in the gaping holes where my own talents fall short.  I can teach a mean gospel doctrine lesson, but all this crafty, homemaking stuff is given me a headache.