I found a new blog yesterday and it is right up my alley~~ Lots of home-cooking and home-prep stuff~~its called The Provision Room. And to make it even better they are having a great giveaway Just For Moms. Kelly from Generation Cedar is offering her body scrub and body butter and I have been eyeing it on her blog for quite awhile. Be sure and go check them out if you have some extra time this weekend.

Pantry Update and Giveaway....

Okay, I'm not sure what to say about the pantry challenge. This is much harder than I thought it would be and money-wise, I have failed big time. I still have the rest of the month left to cut $50, but I'm not sure how it is going to happen. On the positive side, I am using up lots of frozen fruit from the freezer and I we are getting a little closer to the bottom. I'm pretty sure I don't have any more meat in there, just lots of tomatoes and fruit. Hmmmm....

I have made more things from scratch these past two weeks and I made up a delicious Cheeseburger Soup using my own ideas and a combination of different recipes based on what I had. The homemade shake and bake pork chops last night were described as "premium" by Tyler. That kid cracks me up.

We have had more than cereal and oatmeal for breakfast lately. Sunday morning I even got up and made hashbrown casserole, biscuits, and bacon. The family was confused to say the least.

Okay, on to the giveaway. A couple of weeks ago I had a giveaway for the lastest copy of Abbie's American Heritage Girls Cookbook. The winner never contacted me so I am re-gifting it to one of you! Just leave me a comment telling me your favorite breakfast food (I always need new ideas) and I'll draw a name on Saturday morning, Feb 11.

Oh, I am also linking up at Hip Homeschool Moms where they have lots of other fun giveaways.

A Real Heads Up....

Oh, another way I buy some of our school books and Christmas presents are through Swagbucks. I can earn three swag bucks a day just by answering a poll question and typing in some letters. I probably earn about 20 swag bucks a week doing normal searches. When you get 450 Swag Bucks you can redeem them for a $5 Amazon gift card. It really doesn't take long to earn those cards. I had about $30 in cards to use for Christmas and when you are buying for four children it all helps.

Just For Fun-A Little Suzanne & A Giveaway....

Ya'll, I love BooMama. I just know if we ever met we would be BFFs and my stomach would always be sore from all the laughter. But, I already have a perfectly wonderful BFF that keeps me laughing, so I'll just admire BooMama from afar. A couple of days ago she posted some old Designing Women youtubes and ya'll, I was crying from laughing. The kids were giving me funny looks. I had forgotten how funny those women were. And since, I'm not having to cook, or really clean too much for that matter, I have had some time in the afternoon to waste watching them. So, without further ado... I present "Suzanne Is Hungry"





And since, we are on the topic of being hungry, I have a little giveaway. Its a copy of Abbie's 2012 American Heritage Girl Troop Cookbook. We did this for a fundraiser this past fall and I have an extra copy to give away. Its 121 pages of real recipes that real people cook. Abbie and I have a couple in there and I have already made the Homemade Beef Straganoff from it. Easy Peasy and good too!

To enter, just leave a comment telling me who your favorite Designing Women was. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about just leave a comment saying "Enter Me."

A couple of hoops if you would like some more entries:
1 extra entry for following me
2 extra entries for posting about this giveaway on your blog. It doesn't have to be a whole post-just a blurb directing people this way will be fine.

Leave a comment for each entry. Giveaway will end Monday, Jan 16th at noon.

Monday Meanderings and A Giveaway...

The winner of the giveaway is Dana Smith!


We made it! Abbie and I made it through the girl's crazy weekend! By 12:00 Sunday I was running on very low fumes, but we did it. And today is going to be a day of a whole bunch of nothing (well, not really, but a mom can dream, right?). Today is going to be recovery day and vacuuming day. Yep, you read right. When you turn 39 you are very excited to receive a new working vacuum for your birthday. And today that baby is going to get tested out on every available surface in my home. It needs it, bad. I'll also give her her name today. Workhorse will be the top choice.




Abbie did wonderful in her two performances. She's the one in the headband. My mommy heart swelled at seeing her up there. My family was there, except Del, who was sick, and it was really special. There were even three little tiny angels and one of their tinsel halos kept falling off and it was precious.

Abbie and I did the Salvation Army bell-ringing Saturday for two hours and 40 minutes. Not that I was counting every minute or anything. Ya'll, it was cold. Cold to the bone. We were in the shade, not by choice mind you, and the wind was whipping around the stores so much it actually was knocking over the metal bucket stand.

The girls sang and rang the bells and I got to people watch. These were two of my observations: 1) Ladies, leggings are not pants. No matter what your size, leggings are not pants. That's all I will say about that. And 2) Ladies, I know I tend to harp on this, but please, please, put some socks on your babies. My eyes almost popped out of my head when this lady came out of Belk dressed to the nines in boots, and a heavy sweater, and her sweet baby had no socks on. If you need help deciding whether it is cold enough for baby to have socks on just remember this rule-if you are wearing socks YOUR baby needs to be wearing socks.

All of that aside the bell-ringing was nice and it was nice to get to say Merry Christmas to so many people. The moms got to talk and socialize while the girls did their thing.

I was bone-tired and cold to the bone when we got home Saturday night.

Then it was off to the church at 7:30 am Sunday morning. After I got her dropped off I felt like I could take a deep breath and just sit and relax. And then the tiredness and headache hit. I am so glad this past weekend is done and now it should be pretty much smooth-sailing until Christmas Eve. Well, as smooth as it can got here at my house anyway.

Mark held down the house-reins and kept everyone fed and clothed and where they needed to be the whole weekend. Nana and Pawpaw kept James Friday night so Abbie and could march in the Leeds Christmas parade and have her AHG party. I would have really been a crazy woman without them.

Mark surprised me by taking us out to eat after church and then I got a long nap. It took two tylenol and four ibuprofin to get my headache under control though. I don't handle running all over the town very well.

Now, wouldn't you love to have one of these sweet little bunnies under your tree on Christmas morning? Or two, or five? They are ready to go to their new loving homes. They are all well-taken care of, healthy, and well-played with. They are child-friendly and are very used to people. Did you know that rabbits can be litter-boxed trained? They can!

Okay, as a reward for reading through this long post I am having a little giveaway. To celebrate the fact that I am still standing, to celebrate my birthday, to celebrate Christmas, and to celebrate my new vaccuum cleaner - I am giving away a $20 gift card to your choice of stores. Close to me are Target, JC Penny's, Walmart, Chick-Fil-A, Publix, and CVS. You pick the store and I'll get it out to this week. This will be a quick giveaway because I want to get the card to you before Christmas. I'll draw a name Wednesday at 2:00 and then purchase the card that afternoon and then I'll get it in the mail as soon as I get your address.

All you have to do is sign your name in blood saying you will take at least three bunnies off my hands by Friday. Just kidding. If you are interested in a bunny you can email me at clarksrfun @gmail.com though.

Just tell me which card you would like. One entry for entering and you can receive another for following me.

Giveaway ends Wednesday, the 14th at 2:00 !

Welcome Autumn!

Woo-hoo! Today is the first day of autumn and to celebrate I am making my first pot of Sante Fe Soup tonight. With cornbread! I love me some soup. Yummy, easy to make, and easy to clean up!

Today we are celebrating being at home ALL DAY by cleaning up the house that looks like we have been gone ALL WEEK. Which we have. You would think it would perfectly spotless since we have not been here. Totally the opposite. It was also a little wonky in that Mark was home Wednesday. Even though it is nice when he is home I tend to not want to do the "normal" stuff when he is here.

But here is the funny thing-we have gotten so much schoolwork done. I just made school and the necessary errands (orthondonist, doctor, Scouts, etc...) priority. So today school and the house is #1. And the making of soup!

Don't forget to go and enter my three giveaways in the posts below. I will be drawing a winner for the Amish notecards and goat soap later this evening.

Curriculum Cleanout Giveaway #2

Okay, I would say this package would be more for 3rd grade and up. These are extra books I had and are in great condition.

Included are:
*We the People Government/Civics book for elementary school-aged children. It has a reference section in the back of the book which includes The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and short bios of important framers of the Constitution. This is a student text with 22 lessons.
*The Day I Lost My Hamster reader, by Scholastic. Included are seven short stories.
*Series of Infortunate Events Puzzle Book. -completely new and unused. (Would make a great stocking stuffer :) )

To enter, just leave a comment telling me your favorite subject in school. Mine was history and literature. I really just wanted to be reading. :)

This giveaway will be open until Thursday, Sept 29. At 6:00 pm I'll draw a winner. US Shipping only.

Be sure and go back and visit Jolanthe for lots of other great giveaways.

Curriculum Cleanout Giveaway #1

Woo-Hoo! I love it when Homeschool Creations has their bi-annual Curriculum Cleanout! Next to winning giveaway I love to host giveaways and Jolanthe has a great place to see lots of good stuff!

The first giveaway I am having is more of a Preschool through 1st grade package. Included are:

*2 Elmo books-they are not new, but they still have a lot of reading left in them!
*My First Picture Dictionary-again, used, but still good
*2 Sets of Rocket Readers-there are five books in each set. They are Bible stories that teach Short Vowels and one teaches Vowel Sounds
*2 File Folder Games to teach letters and sounds
*A Nursery Rhyme Activity Book (the first page is colored, but the rest are fine)

By the way, you do not have to homeschool to get lots of use out of these books. They are just great little preschool books!

All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment telling me one of your favorite books to read as a child. I'll draw a name on Thursday, Sept 29 at 6:00 pm. Please make sure there is a way to contact you. US Shipping only.

Don't forget to go by and visit Jolanthe for lots of other giveaways!

Happenings and A Giveaway....

The persimmons are turning orange.

Okay, it is finally happened. I am so far behind it will now be impossible for me to catch up, much less ever win the race. What race, you say? You name it and I will be behind on it.

Mark and the big boys got the goat fence finished while I was gone on my trip. The gate looks good and we are getting closer to having the goat shed/barn completed. Well, Mark is. My contribution is to go up and look at it. I am so helpful that way. I did stand out in the pasture and measure fence row stuff with him yesterday. I was very helpful as the person who held the end of the measuring tape.

Matt caught this large reptile thing out back. He and James had fun playing around with it. It has been safely released into its natural backyard habitat. My house has all it can hold with unnatural habitats. I officially reached my limit Friday when Matt purchased six fish for his room. No more! cries MamaHen.


Mark had the unfortunate responsiblity of getting rid of four roosters. We had stopped getting eggs and the chickens were beginning to look a little, well, unseemingly. Four roosters are three too many and we just decided to get rid of all of them. The girls must be starting to relax a little bit because this morning we got three huge brown eggs. Its about time because last week I had to buy eggs at the store. I haven't had to do that for a long time.


Now for the little giveaway... I have a package of 12 blank notecards designed by an Amish lady in Lancaster. We stopped at her house where she and her husband have a store behind their house. The cards are so pretty and I really think you will enjoy them. Also included is a bar of Misty Creek Goat Milk Soap. I think I may have a slight obsession with goat soap now. I guess I want to spread the obsession around.

To enter, just leave me a comment telling me a happening that is going on at your house. I 'll draw a winner on Friday!

****Today I am linking up at Raising Homemakers.

The winner of the giveaway is Sarah!

We Made It...

Whew! We made it back! All in one piece. But I am in recovery mode big time. As in its 10:12 am and I am still in my nightgown and that may not change. I was so happy to see my family last night and this morning. Today will be recovery day and then it all starts again tomorrow. I hope to have some pics up later tonight or in the morning. And a little giveaway is coming up too!

Winner....

And the winner is...


Lizzie, from A Dusty Frame! I'll email you Lizzie.

Three Year Giveaway!!!!

Three years ago this summer we finally got an internet connection here at our Little House. I have heard of other people talking about these things called "blogs" and I had come across a couple on my mother-in-law's computer (yes, my 85 year old mother-in-law had internet access before I did, but I'm not bitter or anything...). But they were mostly things about homeschooling and blah, blah, blah, and I just really wasn't interested.

Well, Mark got us hooked up and after everyone went to bed I sneaked into our dining-room where the computer was at the time. I slowly pressed this button and that key trying to figure out the whole Internet thing. I went to google and typed in Mom Blogs in Alabama.

And thus began my obsession, um, my hobby of blogging. I stayed up to 2:00 AM that morning reading BooMama and laughing till I cried over her Marti stories. If you are a good Southern girl you need to go and read them to :).

Mark, aka Sweet Hubby, saw how much I enjoyed reading and finding new blogs, and he gave me the ultimate early anniversary gift. He set up my blog for me and got me started. And here I am three years later.

Ladies, there is NO way I could ever tell you how much I have enjoyed getting to know you through this blog and your own blogs. It is good to know there are good people out there.

I will start telling Mark a story about something and say, "My friend so and so..." and he will stop me and say, "Wait, is this a blog friend or a real-life friend?"

For me that's a hard question to answer. Can't a blog friend be a real-life friend too?

To thank all of you for reading and leaving comments, cause after all, what is the point of blogging without the comments, I am having a little giveaway to celebrate my three-year blogaversary!

First of all I have the cutest little clipboard that has a To-Do List attached! Can you hear the excitement in my voice????!!!! I was with Mrs. Jennifer when I came across it and I think she was a little frightened at my level of happiness over this clipboard. But I think she gets a little frightened by a lot of things that happen here at my house so I didn't let it bother me too much. The colors are so pretty and if I was going to keep it myself I would probably just prop it up and look at the pretty colors. And dream of all the things I could write on that To-Do list. Yeah, I'm weird like that.

Also, is one of my favorite scents from Bath and Body Works-Cherry Vanilla. Their body lotion smells so good and I want to share it with you.


Next is a book by one of my favorite authors, Beverly Lewis. It is called The Thorn and even though I have read it myself the book is in great condition.

These last items are the ones I am most excited about. Mark was searching for a way to build our goat milking stall and he came across this blog, Life On A Southern Farm. Of course I had to check it out to and saw that Pam has an shop that sells Goat Milk Soaps. Its called Old Mill Pond Farm Soap and after contacting her she was sweet enough to send me some soap to try for myself and to have some extra to give away on my blog!


You are going to love these soaps. They smell sooo good and they are soooo cute! The are creamy too, which I love in soaps. I have a bar in Fresh Linen (goat milk soap), a bar in a Rosemary/Tea Tree Oil scent (goat butter milk soap), and a Gardenia-scented cocoa-butter moisturizing soap to give away.This last one is not made with goats milk, but is made with raw cocoa butter, shea butter, and rainwater. Even the packaging is wonderful. It has different pictures of her animals and her farm. I would love for you to go to her store, and check out her wonderful selections. Pam was very generous with her soaps and I am so grateful to her.

To enter to win all the items above all you have to do is comment and say "enter me". Abbie will draw a winner on Friday, July 27 at 6:00 pm. I'll contact you by email or by blog if you win. Oh and I can only send to U.S. addresses only. My Sweet Hubby might shut me down if I start trying to send out of the country. He's pretty fond of the three meals a day we have around here :)

Really, thank you so much for reading and keeping up with the Clark Chaos around here. And I am so glad to have you as bloggy friends!

***I am not sure how all this disclosure thing works, but Pam sent me the soaps free of charge for me to try and she did not ask me to review them on my blog. She just wanted to know what I thought of them personally. But I am so happy with them I wanted to share!

Giveaway Winner and Monday Morning Madness

1. The winner of the $30 Jiffy Lube giftcard is wendyworn!. I'll email you to get your address. And you will be happy to know I actually have envelopes AND stamps here at the house so I can mail it to you tomorrow!
2. This morning we will spend some time taming the Monday Morning Madness Beast around here. I haven't said much about it, but I feel like we have been making great strides in keeping up the house around here. But this weekend, whew, it all just fell apart. So recovery this morning, school this afternoon, and then Heritage Girls and Scouts tonight. It is Abbie's last night for AHG until the fall. These years, they keep on passing by...


3. This is in honor of my BFF Rebekah. And yes, we are working on the BF Forever thing right now. We plan on marrying off a couple of our children to each other and then it will be very convenient for them to put us in the same nursing home. We will finally get to live close to each other! :)

I don't consider myself to have a large family, but evidently some do. Just yesterday a lady sitting behind us in church leaned over after the service and said "We had four children too. You are going to need lots of prayer." In church! I tried my best to be gracious and reply in a nice way, "We sure do love having four children and we would never send any of them back." And when people tell me in the stores I have my hands full I just say, "Yes, but if I'm going to have my hands full, I want them to be full of children." But sometimes I want to say,

"You're kidding right? I have friends that have 9, 10 children. It's not a contest though. Did someone tell you bearing children is a contest? Is there money involved? Cause I can rush right home to my hubby right now. Can you watch the kids for me?"

By the way, you should head over to Rebekah's blog. She's got some exciting news!

And just for fun, go and read this:
Snappy Comebacks to Stupid Questions About Large Families

My favorite~~~ "If you think TV is better than s*x then you are doing it wrong."

Thanks, Amy's Humble Musings

4. We had a rainy Friday here. It was a gentle rainfall that lasted long enough to give the garden a good drink. And James and Abbie had fun too.

5. I found this fun giveaway this morning over at Heritage Acres Homestead. I would love to win the Home Dairy book as we are about to get a dairy goat. And I need to know what to do! I have to admit I am excited and scared all at the same time.

Friday Givewaway

Let's just say that I won a $30 Jiffy Lube giftcard. And let's say I was all excited cause I'm saving the family some mullah. And let's say it was promptly mailed to me. And then when I looked up the closest Jiffy Lube location so I can get my oil changed let's just say it was a complete shock to me to realize there are NO Jiffy Lubes in Alabama. I know there USED to be, but I could not find any.

So, boo for me, but yeah! for you.

I am going to have a re-gifting giveaway and gift someone who does NOT live in Alabama this $30 Jiffy Lube Giftcard.

Just leave me a comment telling me what wonderful state you live in (if you don't want to give that out just say hi!) and you will be entered.

Giveaway will close Monday, May 16 at 7:00 AM.

Tornado Relief...

Just wanted to let you know Pioneer Woman is having a unique giveaway to help with relief efforts here in the South.

Yesterday I saw an ariel view of the afternoon tornado and it was overwhelming, to say the least.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...

This giveaway has closed. The winners are:
#1-Lisa at The Pennington Point
#2-Steph@Monkaboodle
#3-pw2005


For Homeschool Moms, that is.

Homeschool Creations is having their Big Curriculum Clean-Out!

I have three different giveaways and I am going to list them all in this post.

It's easy to enter! Just pick the giveaway that interests you the most and leave a comment. That's all!

Giveaway #1

1. My Side of the Mountain Unit Study (written my real life friend Rhondi Kirby). This is a great study for around 4th grade and up.

2. Secret of the Shark Pit, by Lee Roddy. A good reader for older elementary students.

3. Design Your Own Coat of Arms-your student can learn how to study their family and design your family's arms. My kids really had fun with this.



Giveaway #2





1. An The Old Schoolhouse Magazine (Fall 2007) And oldie, but goodie.
2. Usborne First Encyclopedia of History (this has some slight water damage, but is very usable.
3. The 50 States-Level 3 Reader
4. Magic School House Chapter Book-Insect Invaders.




Giveaway #3

1. An Old Schoolhouse Magazine (Fall 2008)-it has some wear and tear, but still it is very good reading
2. Caps For Sale-Teacher Created Resource Guide for this great children's book. 47 pages of reproducible activities for grade school students.
3. Encyclopedia Brown Carries On, by Donald Sobel.-61 page chapter book for early readers.

Be sure and go and check out all of the giveaways at Homeschool Creations. Thanks Jolenthe for hosting this!

I will draw a winner on Friday, April 29, at 6:00 pm. US shipping only.

I really want to win this...

I found this great giveaway site and I bet lots of you moms would love it too. It is called Minnesota Moms Must-Haves. And even though I don't live anywhere near Minnesota, I would love to have the Family Farm Quiet Book. This would be perfect to have for James for church or doctor's visits, etc...

You can choose between a quiet book (they have a big selection) or a felt playset (the girl's dress-up one is shown below).

Well, I am supposed to show the girl's felt playset below, but my computer is still doing crazy things. But it's really cute and if you go to the link you can see it!

***See, even the linky thing is all catawonky. Sorry. But the link does work.***

Giveaway Winners

The winners are:

Amish Peace-Mary
The Secret- From Snowflakes to Hotcakes
Keepers At Home Magazines-Kimberly and Kathy W.
These Strange Ashes-Ticia
Little House Unit Study-Michelle S.

I have emailed everyone and I will get them out to you when I get your addresses. Cindy-yours is in my purse to be mailed. Lisa-its sitting on my dresser. Rachel-the baby present is sitting on my dresser also. I will get them out this week. Promise, well, better not promise, I have to take James to the doc this morning and now Tyler is running a fever. I will do my best.

Friday Givewaway

Ya'll, I am sick. Bad. I am not sure what is going on with my family. We have NEVER been sick like this. One person will get well and then another drops. It might have something to do with the fact we are all stuck INSIDE together because my Sweet Home Alabama is acting like Freezing Cold Alaska and it won't stop with the cold, sleet, and ice.

I did want to get this giveaway up because its a good one, if I do say so myself. And I'll say so cause I helped put it together. :)

Today I am giving away a Visual Unit Study that corresponds with the book, Little House on the Prairie. It is designed for elementary students Grades 1-6. The sixth grader should be able to finish this study on their own, but the 1st or 2cd grader will probably need some help from mom.

My friend Rhondi Kirby writes unit studies and sells them on CurrClick. If you haven't gone there you are missing out. They have lots of freebies and so many great items-whether you homeschool or not. Rhondi and I decided to put this one together and I had so much fun doing it.


It is 31 pages, with black & white and color photos. Each chapter is broken down with vocabulary, copywork, Bible work, reading comprehension questions, artwork, recipes, and lots more! At the end are ideas on how you can have your very own Pioneer Party.
Also included with this giveaway is the February 2011 copy of Victoria magazine.

There are four ways to enter:
1) Leave a comment saying you want to win.
2) Follow my blog.
3) Tell me your favorite Little House book or if you don't like Little House, something you are reading right now.
4) Write a small blurb on your blog linking back to this giveaway.

You can go here and see more of Rhondi's unit studies. She is pretty amazing!

**And right now the Little House unit study is on sale if you would like to purchase!

This giveaway will end February 6 and Abbie will draw a name. I'll get it out to you next week.

Now, back to the couch.

Thursday Giveaway

I realized as I was taking the picture for this giveaway last night you all are going to think I have gone Amish/Mennonite. Now...sometimes I wish I was. But when it is 95 in July I am so happy I am a Presbyterian. I love me some air conditioning.

A couple of years ago I came across this magazine, "Keepers At Home" which is produced by a group of Mennonite women. I was so excited when I received it in the mail because it encouraged me in my role as wife and homemaker. And mom and teacher, and candlestick maker.

I have shared these with some of my friends and they have been returned and have been sitting on my shelf encouraging no one. I do take them to my swing occasionally and re-read them, but not enough to warrant not sharing them. So....

I am giving away six copies of "Keepers At Home" to two winners. Each winner will receive three magazines. They have been read and passed around so they are not in new condition, but I really think you will enjoy them. And then maybe you can share them with others also.

Just leave me a comment telling me you want to enter! Giveaway ends February 6 and Abbie will draw two names out of the old hat.

If you follow me or sign up to follow me-add an extra entry

If you write a small blurb on your blog about this giveaway-add an extra entry

Leave a comment telling me something really good you are reading-add an extra entry

Please don't forget to check out my other book giveaways earlier this week!