I have been doing a pretty good job of getting back on track recently. Our weekend was very frugal. We got a few grocery items and a bike helmet for James, but other than that, we didn't really spend much. A bike helmet is a frugal purchase anyway since bike riding is otherwise good free fun and head injuries are expensive.

Mondays are my food prep day, so I have two more freezer meals to prep and then I'm done with main dishes for two weeks. Mondays are mostly a work day, except for math and spelling, so the girls and James will help me with the cooking. It's good practical life skills anyway.

I am starting to plan for Christmas, since funds are tight and I need to make some stuff. I am going to talk to Zach about the idea of building a little stage in our family room. It would be cheap to make, I'm sure, some 2x4s and plywood and we'd be in business. I have this idea, since the kids all have such a deep love of dramatic play and exhibition, that it might be fun to build some of that into our curriculum. Once a month we have a Presentation Day, where the kids work on one larger project based on whatever we have been learning, and show it off, usually to Zach and my Dad, but I have some neighbours who have expressed interest in attending Presentation Day too. Anyway, since they are always writing and putting on plays, I think it might be fun to do some of that related to various history topics we are studying or books we are reading. It could even be used for science demonstrations. For Christmas, I think we will give them the stage and I will work with them to thrift and make costumes and props to give to each other as gifts. Isabella, in particular, really wants to learn to sew. I was also thinking that we can take advantage of the Halloween section at the thrift stores this time of year to get some inexpensive stuff, and after-Halloween sales to get some things inexpensively.

Isabella has expressed an interest in learning to quilt. I don't really quilt, but my good friend, who lives in the neighbourhood, has offered to come over and give us all quilting lessons and help us make doll quilts. That should be fun and since we will use crap fabric, it will be free.