The blessing of having one income...

We have had one income our whole married life. My husband has worked 1, 2 and sometimes 3 jobs at a time so that I could stay home and raise and homeschool our 5 children. And now that the kids are grown and I am more grateful than ever that we were able to live on one income.

Let me say, for the record, that I did work from home at various things during the years; sometimes because we needed a bit more money, sometimes for fulfillment and for a bit more money, but I never had to work away from home.

College graduation carrying Cris

When we were first married I was 19 [gasp] and had just finished my freshman year at Michigan State University. Bob worked and put me through college. I did not have a job--I went to school at a quick pace and we pitched in together to make supper, do the laundry and so on. I graduated from college in 3 years and 1/4 quarter [back in the days before MSU had semesters].

I finished my last class 4 weeks before our first son Cris was born. When I graduated it was like getting a raise, because we didn't have to pay for tuition or books anymore. I stayed home with Cris. It was really God's provision, I think, that I didn't have a job first because I am pretty sure it would have been hard to live on one income if we had been living on two.

Through the years I have babysat at various times and when we lived in Florida I did licensed home daycare to supplement our income. It was hard, and some days were long, but I was able to stay home with our children and I really did love the children that came to my home day after day.

Daughter Kari [L] and daycare best buddy Arden

Later, in Kentucky I baked bread for 5 years to earn a bit of money and to also teach the kids a bit about business. They all pitched in and helped.

Baking Hot Cross Buns to sell at Easter time

By this time we were homeschooling and I found that I could represent our homeschool curriculum as a Sonlight Consultant and make a bit of commission. That was in 1999 and I am still working part time in that capacity. I love the interaction with the parents I meet at the conventions and I count it a privilege to be able to encourage homeschool moms and dads.

My team in Indianapolis in 2009.

When Scotty graduated I said to Bob, "You weren't thinking I was going to get a job now, were you?" He said he wasn't I said, "Good. I wasn't either."

But, you would think I would be bored or unfulfilled. I'm not. I continue to encourage homeschool parents and I also have a nice little soap business that fulfills my creative needs and supports my soap-making habit. I have so many things I am interested in and even without homeschooling full time, I still don't think I will be able to live long enough to do everything I am interested in.

Soap on shelves

And now, with two grandbabies, I am very thankful that I am not working outside of our home. I get to babysit them a few hours a few days a week. How awesome is that? What a joy to be able to love and care for the next generation.

I think if I would have had a job it would have been hard to quit, but because I have been at home the whole time grandmothering is just an extension of what I have been doing all along.

Granddaughters Elinor and Allison

If you are living on one income [or mostly one income] so that you can stay home with your children. If you have to watch what you spend and sometimes wonder if being full time mom is worth the sacrifice, I have to say, "There is nothing better-your sacrifice is worth it!"

Take Care,
Jill

Simple Things and the Whingdingdilly

Today I have been very busy doing simple things. I made a bunch of batches of soap a couple of weeks ago, so I was wrapping them in fabric and putting them on my inventory shelves.

I cut up some fresh juicy strawberries for a snack and even I, the chocoholic of chocoholics, had to admit they rivaled chocolate for tantalizing my taste buds. Of course, chocolate covered strawberries can be considered a food of the gods- but plain strawberries are fantastic. I also made a great big batch of granola-see recipe at the end of this post.

I was thinking about soap and berries and even tho much has changed through the years, really, no one has really come up with something better than soap to get you clean or something better than strawberries for a healthy snack.

So, why do the educators think they have to keep coming up with new ideas to teach kids all the time?

I mean, a combination of books, writing and ciphering have passed the test of time. Throughout the centuries, the three R's have formed the foundation of what an educated person needs to know. Once you can read and communicate, then there is nothing you can't learn, nothing you can't try. It is time tested and really very simple.

I think back to when my kids were little-I did then what I preach now-read, read, read. Read to your littles, read to your olders--read, read, read. When our three older boys were pre-schoolers it became the custom for each child to pick out a book for me to read to all of them. Whoever's book it was, that child sat on my lap. It worked great. The other two sat on either side of me and we enjoyed adventures with Dr. Seuss, Harold and his crayon, the Berenstain Bears and so many others. We found new authors and devoured books by them.

One of the gold nuggets we mined was the author Bill Peet. Once the head animator for Disney Studios, Peet wrote the most engaging picture books. I think perhaps The Whingdingdilly was our favorite, but later when I read Capyboppy to the kids, we loved that too. And, when the kids were much older I read them the autobiography of Peet, to everyone's delight.

Books stand the test of time-whether reading to our kids or reading to ourselves, they are simple things, but oh so enriching-just like soap and strawberries! Pretty simple stuff, but they can't be improved upon.

Jill's Famous Granola
[well maybe not famous, but Bob eats it every morning for breakfast]


Mix together in a big bowl:
6 Cups of old fashioned rolled oats
6 Cups of rolled 7 grain or more rolled oats if you can't get the rolled 7 grain
3-4 Cups of nuts, seeds, coconut, any combination. I like to put in at least 1 C of raw sunflower seeds and 1-2 cups of unsweetened coconut. Then I add slivered almonds, chopped/broken pecans and or walnuts.
1T ground cinnamon

Mix together in another bowl or large measuring cup:
1 Cup oil [not olive, it is strong, I like organic virgin coconut oil, but canola or corn is fine. It should be liquid, so if it is semi-solid, heat it up]
1 Cup honey or maple syrup
1 T vanilla

Pour honey/oil mix over rolled oats mixture and stir well.
I put a large piece of parchment paper in a huge pan, but you could use two 13x9" pans. Line with parchment paper if you want a quick clean up. Pour in granola. Bake at about 300 degrees for 30-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. I put my big wooden spoon in the oven door, so it is open a little bit. This lets the moisture escape, making a nice crunchy granola.

When lightly brown, remove from oven and let cool a bit. At this time you can add dried cherries or raisins. I usually grind up 1/2 cup of flax seed and stir this into the hot granola.

Store in a air tight container after it has cooled. It will keep for a really long time, but Bob always eats it pretty quickly, so I really can't judge how long it will really keep.

Enjoy,

Jill