Frugal Friends: The Library

Our local public library is one of my favorite sources of free entertainment. They have so many resources from DVD's, music, magazines, games, story time, and quiet resting places.

Oh yeah, they have books too!

On the first day of school to help distract my 2 year old from his new lonely existence, we headed off to the library to pick up some books. I had placed a book on hold and it had finally come in and he was looking forward to playing on the little people chairs.

While he was looking through the board books I quickly scanned and grabbed four picture books for us to read this week. I didn't have a list of ones we wanted to read I just grabbed anything that looked interesting. (A 2 year old's attention can shift quickly after all and I needed to keep my eye on him in those chairs.)

Well, I struck gold.

Gobble-Gobble Crash, A Barnyard Counting Bash

by Julie Stiegemeyer

Yes, I've read it every day since then.

10 times

I keep asking "what should we read today" and I keep hearing "dobble, dobble, trash!"

Guess what's going on my books-to-buy list.

Four wild turkey's invade a quiet night-time farmyard. My boy happily counts the 1 lonely mare, 2 baby cows, 3 fuzzy kittens and so on as they are each disturbed by those crazy turkeys. Once the farmer is woken and threatens to "make a feast" of those pesky birds all the animals join together to hide the turkeys "Gobble, Gobble, sshhh!" Then he counts down the now fake sleeping animals: 10 baby robins, 9 baby pigs all the way back to 1 lonely mare.

He's learning his numbers and one-to-one correspondence. We're enjoying the lovely rhythmic couplets and beautiful artwork. But most of all we're cuddled up together reading a book he enjoys.

I don't know about you, but every time I buy my kids books we haven't read yet it seems like they hate them. In the store they seem so great to me and I think my littles will love them and learn great lessons from them.

Nope, they generally get read once and that's it.

Thank goodness for the Library. Now I will only buy books I know they will love. It's like a try before you buy thing. That's one of reasons the Library is my Frugal Friend.

Frugal Friends: Napkins

Several months ago I came across these lovely cloth napkins on clearance at Kohl's for $.39 ea. I bought all they had. We now use them for dinner almost every night.

My oldest daughter takes it upon herself to fold them as crazy as possible. There have been bunnies, triangles, circles, spears and boxes. A nicely set table always brings a smile to my face.

Our girls have also learned napkin etiquette. They place them on their laps when they sit down to dinner. And, if someone needs to leave the table for some reason, the girls prompt us to place the napkin on our chair so nobody will think we're done eating.

These little cloth napkins are also saving me money. I haven't had to buy the paper disposable napkins. I don't have to wash our napkins every night because they mostly stay on our laps. The occasional spill or face wipe sends the napkin into the dirty clothes hamper to be washed with the rest of the towels. Daughter number 2 has the chore of folding them nicely and putting them in the kitchen drawer.

My loaves of bread are also the perfect size to raise under one of these napkins. I'm also pretty sure the napkins have spent time as doll blankets and dresses.

I consider the $.39 I spent to be well worth the joy and use we get out of these little pieces of cloth and I'll be on the lookout for more to add to our collection.

It's just something that Works for Us.

For more ideas check out the master Works For Me Wednesday Round-up at We Are THAT Family.