Friday, October 30, 2015

Frugal Mommas Linkup #10

Frugal Friday linky - home and homeschool

Frugal Friday Linky


Home and Homeschool Link up 10

Welcome to the new Frugal Friday Linky for Home and Homeschool! We are off to a stellar start with this weekly post and share on our group blog. The FM team is Pinning and sharing your links and we are thrilled to get to know you and your blogs better. Don’t blog? You are sure to find a recipe, home project, or homeschool resource that will be just right for your family. If you are looking for great ideas for your home and homeschool, you’ve come to the right place! At Frugal Mommas, we are all about “Abundant Family Living on a Frugal Budget”.


Featured Posts from the Week

You'll want to be sure to check out the new recipe from our busy mom expert ( Lauren of bPatty )
Frugal MOmmas Linky - sweet maple chicken

Featured Picks - We've got some great picks with delicious fall recipes and a fun toddler craft for those cold days!
frugal mommas linky - turkey soup tiny tots shapes- frugal mommas
GF dump recipes - frugal mommas pumpkin cake - frugal momms

If you are one of our featured bloggers from any of the linkups – please feel free to advertise using                                                                                 Frugal Mommas - featured blogger
        our Featured Blogger Button!
 We are pinning & sharing – thank you for participating!


Be Sure to Enter to Win a $25 Gift Certificate HERE


Giveaway includes - SaniTea by Blooming with Joy, and a Homemaking Binder as well to one lucky winner!

Post Your Link Up

We’re so glad to have you joining us. Please be sure to visit at least one or two of the posts you find interesting from fellow bloggers. Share with us your tips, DIY, recipes, how-to’s and any family friendly home or homeschool post. We’ll be Pinning and Sharing!


You will want to be sure to follow the

Frugal Mommas main Pin Board HERE

Get together with us on Facebook HERE

Enter to win our $25 Amazon Gift Card HERE

bandicam 2015-07-30 18-06-27-146

Grab our button and/or link back to FrugalMommas.com (in your post, sidebar, or weekly links page) Link up your favorite posts! It's a great way to promote your new articles or to up-cycle some good older content.

Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to Home to 4 Kiddos by Email and get our posts sent right to your inbox!

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Frugal Mommas Friday Linkup #9


Frugal Friday linky - home and homeschool

Frugal Friday Linky

Home and Homeschool Link up 9

Welcome to the new Frugal Friday Linky for Home and Homeschool! We are off to a stellar start with this weekly post and share on our group blog. The FM team is Pinning and sharing your links and we are thrilled to get to know you and your blogs better. Don’t blog? You are sure to find a recipe, home project, or homeschool resource that will be just right for your family. If you are looking for great ideas for your home and homeschool, you’ve come to the right place! At Frugal Mommas, we are all about “Abundant Family Living on a Frugal Budget”.


Featured Posts from the Week

PK1HomeschoolFun- Pumpkins Jenn's Radom Scraps - Fun Window Frugal Friday Linky - Pumpkin Pack Frugal Friday Linky - fun window

 If you are one of our featured bloggers from any of the linkups – please feel free to advertise using

                                                           Frugal Mommas - featured blogger
our Featured Blogger Button!
 We are pinning & sharing – thank you for participating!

Be Sure to Enter to Win a $25 Gift Certificate HERE

Giveaway includes - SaniTea by Blooming with Joy, and a Homemaking Binder as well to one lucky winner!


Post Your Link Up

We’re so glad to have you joining us. Please be sure to visit at least one or two of the posts you find interesting from fellow bloggers. Share with us your tips, DIY, recipes, how-to’s and any family friendly home or homeschool post. We’ll be Pinning and Sharing!


You will want to be sure to follow the Frugal Mommas main Pin Board HERE

Get together with us on Facebook HERE

Enter to win our $25 Amazon Gift Card & follow our 31 Days of Money Saving HERE

bandicam 2015-07-30 18-06-27-146
Grab our button and/or link back to FrugalMommas.com (in your post, sidebar, or weekly links page)

Link up your favorite posts! It's a great way to promote your new articles or to up-cycle some good older content.


Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to Home to 4 Kiddos by Email and get our posts sent right to your inbox!

TOS Review- Koru Naturals

Today I am reviewing Skin Clear Cream, Manuka Honey Propolis Soap and the Emu Oil Shampoo and Emu Oil Leave-in Conditioner Set from Koru Naturals.



It was exciting to actually be reviewing a product for me-- and one that involved some pampering, which is a definite rare treat.  I have really tried, over the years, to use as many all-natural products for my family as possible, whether that be in our food or in our toilitries. There are so many dangerous chemicals and additives in shampoos, soaps and other hygiene types of products today, so it was so refreshing to see a company that prides itself on making items that not only are effective, smell wonderful and are all natural to boot.

Let me preface all of this with the fact that I have extremely sensitive skin and do not like smells that are overpowering.  In fact, they bother my allergies.  None of these products bothered my skin or allergies!  I truly believe it is because of the all-natural ingredients.  They were gentle, yet effective and the aromas were extremely pleasant.

As I mentioned above, I received the following:


  • Skin Clear Cream  It comes in a 4 oz. jar and is a very pleasant smelling moisturizing cream.  I have extremely dry skin due to my thyroid.  I applied this two times a day and it has made a definite difference.  The skin on my face feels soft and smooth for a change!  The cream is also effective for those with blemishes or acne-prone skin.  This all-natural product's ingredients include pure steam-distilled Manuka oil, raw, unpasteurized Manuka honey and other botanical ingredients.  It sells for $19,20.  I have used in twice a day for quite a while now and it looks like I haven't used very much at all.  A small dab goes a long way.  This jar will last quite a while.

  •  Manuka Honey Propolis Soap  This bar soap uniquely shaped as a pentagon is 4.93 ounces.  What a delightful product!  It protects the skin while moisturizing.  Its ingredients include Manuka honey and Propolis from bee hives.  What is Propolis?  It is a resinous mixture that bees use to fill unwanted holes in their hives.   Thousands of years ago, ancient civilizations used Propolis for its medicinal properties.  It sells for $7.90

  • Emu Oil Shampoo and Emu Oil Leave-in Conditioner My hair is also damaged due to my thyroid, so these products geared toward hair that needs repair were a welcome addition to my "beauty" routine.  The leave-in conditioner is in a spray bottle.  It cannot get much easier than that.  The ingredients include Keratin from sheep's wool that repairs split ends.  Keratin has been known to help keep hair strong, elastic and healthy.  It needs to stay on the hair in order to have the desired effect, thus why it is a leave-in conditioner.  The shampoo and conditioner ingredients include Australian emu oil.  The natural healing comes from the Emu bird, only found in Australia.  It's natural, non-toxic and gentle on all skin types.  Emu oil has been known to have extraordinary healing properties.  The Aborigines have used it for centuries.  It is extremely healthy for the hair, particularly when it comes to hair loss (I need help in this department due to my nasty thyroid, as well!), but also to strengthen existing hair, remove frizz and promote shine.  These are available for $17.10 for both the 8oz. shampoo and 4oz. conditioner. My hair is definitely softer and shinier and has not been falling out as much.  Wow!


I am so very pleased with these all-natural, effective products.  I know you will be, as well.

To find Koru Naturals on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/korunaturals
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/korunaturals/


Koru Naturals Review


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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- October 20

It is that time of the week again!  Time to share your delicious recipes!  :-)


The most viewed post from last week's hop was:





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Monday, October 19, 2015

My Week in Review #48

It's that time-- to share all about your adventures!

My two-week update is in the first spot below-- cuneiform, Taekwondo, pumpkins, sewing, French, cookies and more!








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My Week in Review/THMJ/Weekly Wrap-up

This is a 2-week update since I was unable to finish this post last week due to our car accident.  Here is what I had for last week:

It has been a fun and busy week here at the Home to 4 Kiddos.

On Monday, Kiddo #4 finished an apron that she has been working on in sewing class.  Isn't it pretty?  I love how it has multiple pockets.



We have continued our geography work in Eastern Europe as well as Ancient Egypt in history.



On Friday, Kiddo #4 had a ceramics class and she made a beautiful fall dish with a leaf impression in it.  I can't wait to see how it turns out.  After the class, we were told that we could visit the many apple trees on the property and help ourselves to some apples.  Wow!  You know I will be posting some apple recipes and soon.  :-)



Friday evening was our Welcome Back party with our 4-H club.  The kids played flashlight tag (too dark for pictures, unfortunately), painted pumpkins, enjoyed pizza and played bingo.  It was a fun evening for all.


And here is what I have for this past week, Kiddos 3 and 4 tested for their brown belts in Taekwondo.  We are SO proud of them!  





Kiddo #2 is enjoying French this year.  He had taken ASL up to this point, but the teacher, due to other commitments, was not teaching the class this year, so he decided on French instead.



To culminate our studies on ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, the kiddos made their own cuneiform tablets.  The boys did their initials.  Kiddo #4 made the symbols for fish.  :-)


My posts the past two weeks:
Frugal Mommas Friday Linkup #7 (always great posts to read!)
Try a New Recipe Tuesday- October 13th (almost 4 dozen recipes to check out!)
Frugal Mommas Friday Linkup #8 (some good Fall themed ideas!)

Hope you have had a wonderful weekend!  God bless!  :-)











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Friday, October 16, 2015

TOS Review- Faith of our Fathers

Today I am reviewing Faith of our Fathers from FishFlix.com

FishFlix.com Review no 2


I was so grateful to be able to review this film.  I was drawn to it because as many of you know, my husband spent 25+ years in the Army and fought in 2 wars.  I felt like in many ways, the film told some of my story.  You see, I was a pregnant mama saying goodbye to my husband for a deployment 12 years ago.  I yearned for those letters that would come in the mail.  I would look out the window every day and when I did not see the black car pull up, I would look up, offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God and try my best to go on with my day for my young children.  There are many, tragically, who do see that car and their lives are changed forever by that horrible reality.  They draw strength, as I did during that year, from their faith, family and friends.


FishFlix.com Review no 2

This beautiful family film brought to us from the same studio that made "God is Not Dead" (another of my absolute favorites!) weaves together two storylines-- one of two young men fighting in Vietnam and one of their grown sons many years later back at home.  The human element of war is presented in a way that is real and touching.  War involves human beings, many times young human beings who have fear, develop strong bonds with their fellow soldiers and turn to God for strength.

The sons of the soldiers meet many years later while at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.  Through letters and then meeting each other, the young men learn about their dads, who they were and how much they were truly loved by their fathers.  One never met his dad (his mom was pregnant during the war) and he learns through letters written from his dad to his mom about how excited he was about the baby and how he was hoping he was a boy.  The other young man has letters from his dad.  Though they seem very different from one another, these sons have a bond and a commonality between them that can never be broken.

My husband and I watched the movie one night after the kids were all in bed.  It has some war action (thus the PG-13 rating), but no real blood or violence.  There was no strong language either, which I much appreciated.  We will be watching this again soon with our entire family.  We really want to share this with them.  The message and lessons are so very important and something that we want our kids to learn and appreciate-- the themes of friendship, loyalty, love, devotion and faith.  Not just as military kids, but for all American children.  You will not regret sharing this quality film with your family.

This movie had me laughing one moment and crying the next.  What a date night movie!  Seriously, for this Christian, military family.  It is the best kind.

Here is a trailer of this wonderful film:



To find FishFlix.com online:
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/fishflix
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/christiandvd
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/fishflix
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Fishflix/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/familychristianmovie




FishFlix.com Review No 2

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Frugal Mommas Friday Linkup #8


frugal mommas friday

Frugal Mommas Friday

Home and Homeschool Link up 8

Welcome to the new Frugal Friday Home and Homeschool link up! We are off to a stellar start with this weekly post and share on our group blog. The FM team is Pinning and sharing your links and we are thrilled to get to know you and your blogs better. Don’t blog? You are sure to find a recipe, home project, or homeschool resource that will be just right for your family. If you are looking for great ideas for your home and homeschool, you’ve come to the right place! At Frugal Mommas, we are all about “Abundant Family Living on a Frugal Budget”.

Featured Posts from Last Week

Morsels of Life-Ginger Glazed Mahi Tiny Tots Adventure-Pumpkin Fun frugal mommas friday - ginger glazed mahi 20 pumpkin activities - frugal mommas linky Embark on the Journey - Pumpkins Family Faith & Fridays - Breakfast! Life Cycle of a Pumpkin - Embark on the Journey Breakfast time - frugal mommas friday Decor by Seashore-Framed Monogram bPatty - 8 house cleaning hacks Decor by the Seashore - Frugal Mommas Friday 8 cleaning hacks - frugal mommas friday We are pinning & sharing – thank you for participating!

Be Sure to Enter to Win a $25 Gift Certificate HERE

Giveaway includes - SaniTea by Blooming with Joy, and a Homemaking Binder as well to one lucky winner!

Post Your Link Up

We’re so glad to have you joining us. Please be sure to visit at least one or two of the posts you find interesting from fellow bloggers. Share with us your tips, DIY, recipes, how-to’s and any family friendly home or homeschool post. We’ll be Pinning and Sharing!

You will want to be sure to follow the Frugal Mommas main Pin Board HERE

Get together with us on Facebook HERE

Enter to win our $25 Amazon Gift Card & follow our 31 Days of Money Saving HERE

Grab our button and/or link back to FrugalMommas.com (in your post, sidebar, or weekly links page) If you are one of our featured bloggers from any of the linkups – please feel free to advertise using our Featured Blogger Button! Frugal Mommas - featured blogger bandicam 2015-07-30 18-06-27-146 Link up your favorite posts! It's a great way to promote your new articles or to up-cycle some good older content.

Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to Home to 4 Kiddos by Email and get our posts sent right to your inbox!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

TOS Review- Progeny Press

Today I am reviewing the Study Guide for Sarah, Plain and Tall by Progeny Press.


Progeny Press Review

This is such a delightful classic that I was excited to read with my daughter.  To have the Study Guide to accompany our reading was a wonderful asset.

Progeny Press Review


If you are not familiar with the Progeny Press Study Guides, they are comprised of 8 parts that include:

  • Synopsis
  • About the Author
  • Background Information
  • Before You Read Activities
  • As You Read Assignment
  • Chapter Assignments (Vocabulary and Short Answer Questions)
  • After Your Read Activities
  • Additional Resources

The Study Guide was interactive and had many opportunities for my daughter to really think about the various themes in the novel.  It goes way past basic comprehension questions, which is quite important.  Students who develop higher-order thinking skills become life-long learners--capable of analyzing new situations, relating new information to what they already know and thinking critically and creatively to solve problems, improve processes and understand their world.

Higher level thinking is thinking on a level that is higher than memorizing facts or telling something back to someone exactly the way it was told to you.  When a person memorizes and gives back the information without having to think about it, that is rote memory.  That is because it is much like a robot; it does what it is programmed to do, but it does not think for itself.

Progeny's Study Guide ($17.99) takes thinking to higher levels than restating the facts.  The student understands them, infers from them, connects them to other facts and concepts categorizes them; manipulates them and puts them together in new or novel ways, and applies them as they seek new solutions and ideas.

In addition to these higher-level thinking skills, there are fun, hands-on activities such as a variety of puzzles and a recipe from the era that Sarah would have made.  My daughter loved trying it out!

For those of you that have not read "Sarah, Plain and Tall," it is a heartwarming story told by Anna, a young girl in 1910 Kansas who had recently lost her mom.  Her dad is having a hard time raising his children and running his farm without the help of a wife.  He puts an ad in the paper for a bride to help him and gets a response from a woman named Sarah.



This sweet, historical novel about loneliness and family, about the relationship between Anna, her brother Caleb and their dad, and eventually with Sarah, teaches much about love, resilience and redemption.

Progeny Press' mission statement reads "To teach our children to think clearly, to understand literature and to rely on the Scripture for Truth and values and enjoy themselves while they do it!"  It is no wonder that they selected a story like 'Sarah'-- and why you and your family will be delighted by both the novel and the guide.

To find Progeny Press online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProgenyPress
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/progenypress
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/progenypress



Progeny Press Review




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Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- 10/13

It is that time of the week-- to share your delicious recipes and see this week's feature!  :-)



The most viewed post from last week's hop was:






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