answers to those ever increasing burning questions...we've heard through the years

How much money do you spend every month on groceries? We spend around $1,000 every month. Sometimes more, sometimes less....depends on what I'm making and whether we are stocking up on staples, things like that. Usually if Rich and I go together, he will grab the sales, staple things, cereal and meat. I get everything else we need to make meals. We shop at Sam's Club at least once every couple of months and stock up on bulk items. We don't spend all that money in one trip. It's usually broken down through the month. I go to the store at least once a day for milk and bread, etc.

How long do the groceries last? Well, we usually go through a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread a day. An 18 pack of eggs lasts about a week. The kids will eat a box and a half of cereal in a day. So it really just depends on what we eat for the week and how far I can make things stretch. I double and sometimes triple recipes because my kids are big eaters and sometimes I make extra just to freeze it for another day when I'm working or too busy to cook dinner.

How many loads of laundry do you do in a day? Usually about 4, sometimes more depending on if I'm washing bed linens and whatnots. I have two washers and dryers (although one dryer currently isn't working). On any given day, I usually have about 3 laundry baskets of clothes for the kids to put away when they get home from school. One basket is usually full of nothing but socks.

What kind of chores do the kids do? The older boys take out the trash and do alot of the outside work...like yard work, shoveling snow, etc. They also take care of the dog (walk him, feed him, bring him in when it gets too cold or wet). Amanda does the dishes, helps cook on nights when I work, cleans the cat box and babysits her younger siblings when I run errands after school. Sarah sweeps the kitchen floor and sometimes mops it. Nicholas wipes the table and chairs off after meals. Sarah also straightens the bathrooms on non cleaning days. Zachary helps keep the pantry room and downstairs freezer organized. Nicholas takes the dirty clothes downstairs to the laundry room. Nathan feeds the cat and helps me do things around the house.

Where do you buy the art supplies? The Dollar Tree (the one where everything's a dollar), Target $ bins, and Walmart, mostly.

Where do you get the ideas for the crafts? Various websites. Most of the time I find a project that I like and just do my own thing with it. I try to give credit when I do copy someone else's project. Sometimes I just make stuff up as I go along.

What about activities for the kids? My kids mostly do sports and they are only allowed to do 2 things at a time. I refuse to spend my life in the car driving them from activity to activity. So mainly one activity is a school related one. For example...Amanda and Anthony are both in the Academic League. Anthony also does band. Currently he is also coaching Zach's basketball team as well (that's an exception to the basic rule). Sarah does the Academic League and basketball (it will soon be baseball). Zach does chorus and basketball (and baseball when the time comes). Nicholas is in wrestling (he'll do baseball too). Nathan goes to story hour at the library.


A few more to answer.....

What do you enjoy doing the most with your "me time"? I watch tv, read, piddle on the computer (mostly Facebook)...things like that.

Are there plans for more kids? This baby factory is closed, I had a tubal after Nathan was born. A teeny tiny part of me would love some more children (I know I'm a crazy fool!)....but the realistic part of me is glad to be done with that part of my life. Although Rich and I have discussed fostering kids in the future. You never know what God has in store for you, so who knows.

What kind of car do you drive? I drive a Dodge Caravan, I picked out captain's chairs when we purchased it and then I got pregnant with Nathan and we needed to do something else to haul everyone around. So Rich found a used third row seat from another mini van and we took out the captain's chairs and put in the extra third row seat. Now everyone has a place to sit when we go somewhere as a family.

There you have it........Aren't you glad you asked?