Since last summer when I dusted off my old copy of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, I have tried really hard to balance our budget, be more responsible financially, give when I can and move towards the ideal of saving.

I even started writing Frugal Living articles for my new column in the local paper, The Phoenix, as a reminder to myself to live more frugally and responsibly every day. (See HERE and HERE.) Because I am trying to pay down debt and save money, I avoided taking my girls to get their hair cut as long as possible. They don't like getting their hair cut and I hate spending the money. But, last night, it just got to be too much. Since the New Year, I have been on a cleaning spree – attacking closets, shelves and little girl rooms. Being in the get 'er done mood, I finally decided, enough was enough. It would cost a little more than I usually pay but the result was worth the expense.

Booking a 7 PM appointment, I skillfully avoided telling my daughters where we were going. Fortunately, the library is right down the street and we had a few books to return. Checking out a new stack, we headed to the car. I drove the direction of home for about a block and then turned back around.

"Mom, where are we going?"

"Oh, I don't know," I replied as I pulled in front of a large sign proclaiming "Hair, etc."

"Oh, no, oh, no, nuh-huh, we're not going in there, no way!" wailed two little pre-teens.

Promises of "only a trim" convinced the girls to exit the car and head in, despite glum faces.

An hour and TONS of detangling spray and Redkin creme later, my beauties and I emerged, all smiling. My girls really aren't opposed to looking good, they just hate what it takes to get there. I really tried to convince my oldest to get the 6 inches taken off for Locks of Love but she didn't want the shoulder length hair — so only 2 inches came off the long golden mane. My other daughter had about an inch taken off her strawberry blonde head.

I desperately need highlights and a cut now but I'll wait my turn until the budget allows next week. I am definitely getting SOMETHING done before Blissdom '09, the blogging conference for women that promises to be VERY fun and informative. CAN'T WAIT to see you lovely ladies. I've been saving my pennies!

Tonight we had our last party before the New Year. Tomorrow I get to take down the Christmas decorations and wrap them carefully until next year- between cleaning my office, writing a feature story and starting the syllabus for my college seminar starting in two weeks.

Every year my husband's local high school friends reunite to welcome one particular out-of-state friend that moved to Florida with his family after several other moves. Between family gatherings, we plan a night to converge. Tonight was my year to host the shindig. Eight adults, 11 kids, a crock of meatballs,a plate of brownies and four 2-liter bottles of soda later to name a few, everyone parted ways after a lovely evening of catching up and sharing a years' worth of stories. We got on Jo-Lynne's new laptop and added Laurie to the neverending online social network called Facebook so that we can communicate through the internet a little easier.

Jo-Lynne and I are the wives of two of the four high school friends (Paul and Brian or The Handyguys) who went to church and graduated together oh so many years ago. Denise was the only girl in the reunion that grew up with these guys and she came with her husband and two children from about an hour away.

(Glenn, Paul, Denise, Brian)

With kids running in all directions, we thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship of friends. I told them about my writing and the exciting twists and turns of 2008. Denise shared her memory book of the massive 40th birthday party Phil threw her over the Thanksgiving weekend. Laurie shared with us the video of their new home in Florida and Jo-Lynne let us borrow her new Apple laptop which is totally sweet.

A good time was had by all.

The whole week has been quite nice actually. After Christmas, we headed up to Brian's sister's house for a night stay and a country club lunch celebrating the December birthdays of all three adult women (me, his sister Linda and his mom).

Sunday, my sister and her husband, Steve stopped in for pot roast. Michele brought DELISH cheese biscuits made from a Paula Deen mix bought in the Paula Deen restaurant down south. She gave the girls Webkinz which they totally loved, among other things. Brian and I received the amazing gift of tickets to be in the audience of the next Survivor Finale in New York. How fun is that?!

And so we wind down and slide into the New Year, stuffed and ready to destuff. I am ready to clean out, organize and get on with an exciting new position as college professor of journalism, a weekly commitment as a frugal living columnist in the local paper, and many more rewarding opportunities I see coming down the pike. I have a Focus On Prayer Retreat I am planning for our women throughout the presbytery on January 31st. The blogger Blissdom '09 conference is the next weekend in February. March holds a PCA leadership conference and that is just the first quarter of the year. I really do have to get more organized.

I have looked over at Jo-Lynne at many events lately and said, "2008 was a REALLY FUN year."

She looks at me and says,"And 2009 is going to be even better!"

Praise the Lord!

(Laurie, Jo-Lynne, me, Denise)

Lindsey finished her first ever school play tonight! She was sooo excited she said that it was the most fun thing she had ever done. It certainly does my heart proud to see her so happy. On the way home, we talked about the VLOG (or video log) of her performance.

"So, the whole world can see me performing?"
"Yes, does that make you nervous?"
"Yes"
"Well, don't worry, Lindsey, I don't have TOO many readers."
"I know. You don't have anything but laundry to blog about anyway."
"Gee, thanks."

BUT, on a non-laundry note,  I would love to show you everything I got from the awesome New York trip last week when I was able to escape the laundry piles for a few hours — but NOT HERE! Come on over to Genesis Moments Reviews for a special thank you to Team Mom and all the wonderful vendors that gave us some really cool stuff afterward.

And in between laundry stacks, I had time to write THIS POST on Diversity at Philly Mom Blogs.

There is so much going on around bloggy land! Giveaways, gift guide and greener pastures galore. There is so much to see and read. I would love to give you some of my favorites but maybe tomorrow. My eyes are shutting tonight. Time to give the blogosphere a rest.

Today, I having been hearing rumblings about BlogHer in Chicago next summer. Oh, what to do?! What to do?! If you are a blogger and reading this, are you going?

Today is officially SHOVEL OUT day! My daughter dumped my three baskets of unfolded laundry on my floor to find one thing. Bills have piled up and promised posts are waiting to be written. Items for review sit in my office corner and I am feeling a little overwhelmed.

My husband said to me, "Okay you had your fun yesterday, can you get a few things done today?"

This last week has been so crazy. Last week, the Phillies won the World Series so our city was totally hyped; then the last push for literature drops before the election came; then I was called to a commercial film shoot for Carnival Cruise Lines and then my friend Jo-Lynne and I went to New York to a blogging event. THEN, I had an important training meeting for Pampered Chef followed by spending all day at the polls on Tuesday( — with much sorrow ending the day). THEN came student-teacher conferences, girls out of school, a vendor fair at a local church Fri-Sat, daughters to various sleep-overs and another call back to the BIG pinata commercial on Sunday. In the middle of that, I am putting the finishing touch on two Story of My Life stories today and getting ready to submit those.

Why am I telling you all of this? I don't know. Perhaps to explain the departure from blogging for the last week. I did actually post over at Chic-Critique about coffee-chocolate body butter and scrub!

I am hoping sometime today to send a post over to Blissfully Domestic about maintaining your kitchen tools under Frugal Living and to Philly Mom Blogs about the giant pinata but here's to hoping. The laundry still needs my attention, as does the entire house.

And, I MIGHT be going back to New York with Jo-Lynne tomorrow for another blogging event if I can get my volunteering at the pregnancy center covered and my crafts planned for the last session of Y craft classes this week on Wed. and Thurs. Oh, Yikes. When does the insanity end? Maybe when I learn to say NO!

What are you doing these days to get organized? Any suggestions?

One exciting note that happened this week was the offer by our presbytery to send myself and three other women to the annual women's leadership conference at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA in March. I was really praying that the cost would be covered. Now, I just need to figure out babysitting for a conference in the middle of the week! And even more patience from my husband! I think I am already stretching him to the max.

Praise the Lord for His strength and comfort in these crazy times!

Oh, and go check out my new review site called GenMom Reviews!

On September 20th, I had the pleasure of hearing Sue Jakes from CEP in Atlanta share at a Pastors' Wives seminar on the topic of raising kids in today's culture. We were truly blessed with her love of Jesus and the joy in her heart as she gave us her testimony and lots of great information for raising covenant children.

"Fruit Salad, Yummy, Yummy"
"Fruit Salad, Yummy, Yummy"

and so the incessant Wiggles chant droaned on in the back seat of my SUV, passing back and forth between my children like a magically cursed beachball that would never land. Imagining that a bee-bee shot into my ear and rattling around in my brain might be more pleasant, the volcano began to rumble.

"NO MORE FRUIT SALAD!" screams the human flaming torch of hot air behind the driver's seat. Disembodied from my mouth, my exploding brain matter already regrets raining down  terror so fiercely on my innocent, unsuspecting singing brood.

The tempest settles and momentarily silence heals the space between us. Quietly, a new tune is picked up and tossed into the air to test its merit and Mommy's patience.

"No mo-orre fruit salad."
"No mo-orre fruit salad."

UNTIL . . . "PLEASE NO MORE NO MORE FRUIT SALAD".

Healing fits of giggles fill the air and while everyone is smiling now, I believe I have made it clear that I don't want this tune stuck in the inner recesses of my brain all day, despite loving fruit salad and wishing my children would eat more of it.

The dust settles, notes stilling hanging thickly in the space between one child and another.

I start in on the LIST of things we need to do at home and I hear it again.

"Clean the how-ouse."
"Clean the how-ouse."
"Take our stuff in."
"Take our stuff in."

"COME ONNNNNN." More fits of giggles as I breath a sigh of relief. I see the how-ouse, my santuary. I drive a Suburban for Pete's Sake and still the room is not enough for my children's imaginations and my concentrated focus all in the span of two seats.

And so, I haul in my grapes, bananas, apples and other produce. As I put away the groceries, I start to hum. . .Fruit salad, yummy, yummy . . . . UGGGHHH! GIRLLSSSS. Now the giggles are coming from somewhere in the house. Who knows where. They have already moved on.

UPDATE: Right ready to post this to Wordless Wednesday, I noticed that 5 Minutes for Mom is also having a Summer Fun Picture Post contest that is finished TODAY. Whew -just in time. Here's some shots of my kids having fun at our campground.

Here are some pictures of what our kids found to do during a sometimes busy, sometimes not-so-busy campmeeting week:

Cake Decorating Contest: (Lindsey and Noelle won the appearance category.)

Lots of fun with friends. Girls attend a rustic tea party.

  Little ladies are learning etiquette and manners.

The girls catch a box turtle but we let it go, being endangered and all.

Yes, we are nerds all dressed alike but my dear husband agreed to help a very friendly and nice man with his campaign by having us all dress in the same shirts. Go Steve!

And here is my little family having some summer fun in the park and doing our political duty for the night.

What a crazy summer! It gets nuts without the set schedule of school.

Today, go check out where the creative juices have been flowing. I am blogging at Chic Critique about the ultimate pedicure (see our related family picture below – three little girls in a row.).

AND, my interview with Kenyatta Berry (slave genealogist) just posted to Story of My Life. It is written is a first person a narrative and begins:

"As I prepared for that day, my name, my heritage, my calling swirled around and through my head like the dust on a dry African road. Kenyatta. . . . Kenyatta Berry . . . .Jomo Kenyatta."

Kenyatta is a fascinating person with lots of dreams and goals. I enjoyed "meeting" her over the phone.

Do you have somewhere else you are pouring your creative juices that just doesn't make it to the blog? I would love to hear about it! I just tried to make bread this week. Killed the yeast twice before getting it right. I'll have to add that to some recipe post somewhere. Any bread tips? The kneading is great arm exercise. And I want to grow raspberries. Any thoughts?

AND, thanks  to From Dates to Diapers for the cool prize. Okay, my husband was laughing when he saw a toilet brush come in the mail but I think its great. (He wanted to know if it came with directions.) Thanks Christine.

NOW here are the girlies getting a polish:

Sunday, my little family loaded up in the big black Suburban and headed an hour to see my sister and her husband and her pool who says Hi!

I forgot my camera so I thought, "Hmmmm. What a great time to share how excited my sister and I are when we get together." Here we are in high school. Possibly doing a cheer for my grandmother?

Now, I won't vouch for the hairdo's or why we were jumping in the air  but I can share another flashback from highschool that shows my lovely androgynous feathered haircut. Oh, you know you had one too. Come on.

And, let's go back a little to the perm days (me, my sister, my brother and our dog Bonnie Brae Fluffy):
And now you know the lengths we go for our blog fodder.