A New School Year, A New Beginning

**I had this written out about a month ago, but things sure did pick up when my eldest started school this year!**

It has finally arrived...albeit 3 weeks later...a new school year for my eldest. This year she goes to preschool three days a week. It was a little rough for me to get used to waking up early again, but I survived! On top of waking up to take my eldest to school, I also go to the mom's group that I got involved with back in march time frame.

This year we are reading the book Graced and Gifted by Kimberly Hahn. (and yes, she is Scott Hahn's wife!) So far we have only read the first chapter. It's a very easy read, and I really like the way she has the book set up.

The first chapter really got into the priorities of a homemaker. There were seven different ones, each with their own explanation of why they are listed in a particular order, but instead of just the information on them, she correlates a sacrament to them!

One of the questions that was asked in the book is what I would like to get out of studying the book. Just this year, I really started to get into being frugal/thrifty with our house cleaners, and some of our foods. Meaning, trying to do everything homemade with the items I already have on hand. As some of you know by now, I have a page with a list of homemade house cleaners. Most of them I have used and actually work pretty well, others I will have to wait when I run out of the stuff I already bought before I found the recipes, hehe.

Another thing I really got into was sewing and crocheting. For the past several months, I have been busy crocheting christmas gifts for all of our nieces and nephews (some of our little cousins and of course our daughters) on both sides of the family.

In a sense I have really gotten into being a "homemaker." What I hope to get out of the book is to learn even more ways to be frugal/thrifty within the means of our budget as we try to pay our debt off, but also to try and incorporate more prayer within my life.

Prayer has been at the bottom of my list for a good few years, I'm sad to say. I really want to start back up and become closer to Christ Jesus as I once was when I converted to Catholicism in 2007.

I hope by doing these post on my view of the book, that it will inspire you to go and read it yourself. Maybe it will help you out as a stay at home mom, or maybe you have your own tips and tricks, but could use more resources, who knows!

Happy reading!