Tuesday, February 6, 2018

My Thrifty Week - Post #9


Good morning, Sweet Ladies! 🙋 Welcome to 'My Thrifty Week' - Post #9! 

I'm so excited to be getting back to these posts and into thrifty-thinking mode again! With the final push towards debt-freedom, it's becoming a game to see where and when we can cut and it feels super good when we overcome and conquer in any given area, no matter how big or how small it might be!

Here are some of the things that happened this week that contributed to 'my thrifty week'...

- I was given a big bottle of Oil of Olay body wash by a friend. She had received it as a gift for Christmas and was unable to use it, so she decided to pass it on...which was great!!! I was nearly out of body wash and it was on my shopping list for the next trip out. Thankfully, I was able to cross that item off my list and save a few bucks! 

- Another friend occasionally passes on extra vegetables that she receives in her weekly organic meal shipments. Last week she gave me a half-head of cauliflower, a green pepper, and a package of celery. I used the cauliflower, green pepper, and half of the celery in a pan of roasted vegetables, to which I added carrots, an onion, and a half a can of baby corn that I had in the freezer. I drizzled the whole thing with olive oil and baked in a 450 degree oven until the vegetables were tender and slightly caramelized. Delicious!

Vegetable Cut Up, Drizzled with Olive Oil,
 and Ready to be Roasted
- We had almost a full half-gallon of milk left over (we don't buy regular milk, as a rule, so I'm not used to having it on hand, but we had bought this a while back to use in a specific recipe) and it was about to expire, so I used it and the other half of the package of celery and, adding a few carrots, an onion, and a box of instant potatoes that had been sitting on the shelf for a while, used them to make a pot of potato soup. It turned out well!

- My husband loves having vegetable broth on hand to use in soups, pasta, and other dishes that he prepares and we've been buying it regularly at Aldi's. I finally made a point to start saving my vegetable ends again and have just been popping them in a bag in the freezer. Once the bag is full, I will boil them altogether, strain the broth, put into containers, and freeze. There will no longer be a need to buy vegetable broth.

Vegetable Ends Saved For Broth

- When I got done cleaning the vegetables for roasted vegetables and saving the ends to freeze for broth, this is all the waste that remained to be disposed of...

Onion Skins - The Only Thing Not Saved For Broth

- One other thing that I did this week was make a double batch of one of my husband's favorite snacks...Protein Snack Balls. I still had a bag of sunflower seeds and a bag of chia seeds in the cabinet that really needed used up. We had cocoa powder and most of the other ingredients on hand. The only thing that we were out of was honey and chocolate chips, so I picked those up on our last trip to town and viola! Protein Snack Balls (most of which are in the freezer)! 😄 Here's the recipe for anyone that might be interested in making them...

PROTEIN SNACK BALLS

1/2 c. raw honey
1 c. natural peanut butter
1/2 c. melted coconut oil
3 1/2 c. regular oats
1/4 c. cocoa
1/2 c. chia seeds
1/2 c. unsalted, roasted, sunflower kernels
1/2 c. raisins, chocolate chips, coconut, or chopped nuts

Mix ingredients together, shape into 1-inch balls, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Delicious!


Well, Ladies, that's it for now. You all have a great day and feel free to inspire and encourage others by sharing your thrifty finds in the comment section below.

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Happy Homemaking Monday - February 5, 2018




Monday, February 5, 2018

Happy Homemaking Monday - February 5, 2018

Today I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
and all the sweet ladies of 
Happy Homemaking Monday!

Good Morning, Sweet Ladies! Happy First Monday in February! 💗 

Can you believe that January is over and that we're 1/12 of the way through another year already?!?!? Wow! 😲

How was your weekend? Ours was good here. I had to work Friday and Saturday; then, we had a quiet Sunday. I'm glad that it's Monday now because I'm chomping at the bit to get on with my day and get things done. 

Let's get right to it, shall we? 😊

Right now I am...

I'm finishing up my breakfast and enjoying a steaming cup of hot tea while I work on this post. 

On the breakfast plate...

THM pancakes with blueberries and Triple 0 vanilla yogurt and hot tea

The weather...

Right now it is very cold...8 degrees, but the sun is shining and it's supposed to get up to 43 degrees today. We'll see if it makes it. We've got snow on the ground right now (got about three-inches yesterday afternoon) and we're supposed to, maybe, get another three-inches tomorrow, along with the possibility of sleet and freezing rain, but, we'll see! After all...this IS Missouri and the forecast could change! ⛄⛈🌞

On my reading pile...
Power Up! by Kenneth W. Hagin Live Long, Finish Strong by Gloria Copeland
Life in the Spirit Study Bible - King James Version
In addition to daily Scripture reading, I am reading Power Up! by Kenneth W. Hagin and Live Long, Finish Strong by Gloria Copeland. 

On the menu this week...

Monday - Breakfast - THM pancakes with blueberries and Triple 0 yogurt
               Lunch - potato soup and light wasa crackers with LC cheese
               Supper - bison burgers with oven roasted vegetables 

Tuesday - Breakfast - THM pancakes with blueberries and Triple 0 yogurt
               Lunch - potato soup and light wasa crackers with LC cheese
               Supper - roasted chicken, baked potatoes, and asparagus 

Wednesday - Breakfast - apple cinnamon swirl muffins
                    Lunch - out
                    Supper - spaghetti, sauce, meatballs, and salad

Thursday - Breakfast - egg, sliced turkey, LC cheese, and toast (sandwich)
                 Lunch - leftover meatloaf, brown rice, and roasted vegetables
                 Supper - broiled salmon, baked sweet potato, and brussel sprouts

Friday - Breakfast - apple cinnamon swirl muffins
            Lunch - sweet potato and oat soup with light wasa crackers and LC cheese
            Supper - stuffed pepper casserole and roasted vegetables

Saturday - Breakfast - egg, sliced turkey, LC cheese, and toast (sandwich)
                Lunch - sweet potato and oat soup with light wasa crackers and LC cheese
                Supper - leftover homemade pizza (from the freezer)

Sunday - Breakfast - cottage cheese on sprouted toast
              Lunch - butter and garlic zucchini pasta, peas, and bread
              Supper - leftovers

Snacks throughout the week may include fresh fruit, THM cheesecake, peach smoothies, sugar-free pudding, or light wasa crackers spread with Laughing Cow cheese

On my 'to do' list...

- Monday - Plan the week ahead, weekly "home blessing", laundry, fill the bird feeders, water the plants
- Tuesday - Get together with my friend, Carla
- Wednesday - Stock up on spices and grains at the Amish store
- Thursday - Work
- Friday - Enjoy a Friday off (that NEVER happens!); celebrate grandson's birthday
- Saturday - Work (conduct 'Winter Wildflowers' program)
- Sunday - Church

In the craft basket...

Am still working on pocket letters for the grands...


Valentine Pocket Letters
 ...and am collecting samples and need to make homemade play-dough for my 'Winter Wildflowers' program on Saturday. Participants will be making winter wildflower bouquets. 
Winter Wildflowers
Looking forward to this week... 

Catching up with Carla, spending time with my daughter, and presenting my 'Winter Wildflower' program.

From the camera...

Here are a few of the things that I observed on my way in to work early Saturday morning...

Three White-Tailed Deer

The Creek, Partially Covered With Ice, at the Low-Water Bridge

A Bird's Nest in a Bush at the Campground Area
Scripture passage...



Well, Ladies, that's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a blessed week ahead and that all goes well for you and yours in every area of life!

Until Next Time...
~Rebecca

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Dollar-S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-Up-The-Food Project For January 2018 - Week #4 and Final Update



Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Dollar-S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-Up-The-Food Project For January 2018 - Week #4 and Final Update


Good afternoon, Dear Ladies!

Can you believe it? It seems like the month (and year!) just started and now, here we are, the last day of January and we're 1/12 of the way through another year! Where on earth does the time go? It just seems to fly anymore!

Okay...so we've made it through the final week and a half of our Dollar S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-Up-The-Food Project for January 2018 and we feel that, overall, we've done pretty well. For the most part, we've managed to stay on track with menu plans and a lot of the food that had been on the shelf and in the freezer for quite some time is gone now. There is, however, a lot left still, but it's manageable. 

After discussing our options (we were going to do our grocery shopping tomorrow - on February 1st), but, in the end, decided to save an extra trip to town (40 miles round trip minimum) and I just went ahead and did our monthly February stock-up shopping when I took a friend shopping yesterday afternoon (on Tuesday). The menus were already in place, so it really didn't matter one way or the other...other than the fact that it would save time and money by eliminating a double trip...so...that being said...the house is full and we're ready to go into a new month with a new plan. 

The new plan for February, basically, consists of continuing to focus on clearing out the older stuff on a daily basis by scheduling weekly (or bi-weekly) food inventories, always concentrating on including items that typically tend to get overlooked if we don't stay on top of them...for instance...frozen tomatoes

We have several packages of beautiful, frozen tomatoes in the deep freeze, but do I think about them when I'm preparing to make spaghetti sauce or soup? Nope! I just grab a can of tomatoes off the shelf, open it, and go on. Almost every time...after it's too late, of course...I think, "Oh, shoot! I should have grabbed a bag of those tomatoes out of the freezer!" Continuing to purposefully do a weekly, or bi-weekly, food inventory will force us to look at and consider things like this on a regular basis and help us to get into the habit of keeping things moving ahead and being used up.

Another thing we have a lot of is potatoes. Again, we still have several quarts of frozen potatoes in the freezer (these are the potatoes that we were blessed with back in October). The answer to this one is easy. Other than an occasional, individually-wrapped, baking potato for certain meals, I'm not buying anymore potatoes until the frozen and canned ones that we have are gone!

Through the use of regular food inventories I am finally getting in to the habit of using up the last bits of fresh fruits and vegetables with little to no waste. For example, the last of last month's bag of apples were still good, but they weren't as nice and firm as they are when freshly purchased, so they were chopped up and thrown into muffins this week. The last of the fresh vegetables (and a few odds and ends that are frozen) will be chopped up, drizzled with olive oil, and baked in a hot oven until tender and roasted. Vegetable ends and peelings have been boiled and strained to make vegetable stock for soups and stews. This I either place in jars in the fridge to be used right away, or it, too, can be frozen and used at a later date. The thing is, though, to remember that it's in there. Thus, the need to do a food inventory on a regular basis.

You know...I really feel that we take food for granted in this country and that way too much of it goes to waste. On the other hand, a lot of what we eat isn't even fit to be put in our mouths, let alone sufficiently fuel our bodies. I have so much that I want to share with you all! I  will say this...I am working my way towards being a better steward of finances and making healthier food and lifestyle choices, and all that I learn along the way I want to share with you, but, it's too soon. 

Pray for me. I don't even know why I'm mentioning any of this at this time, but the Lord is dropping something down in my spirit and I know that it's big and that it's going to take time. It all has to do with finances, food, and physical (and spiritual) fitness. I've got a long way to go, Ladies. Just pray for me. 

Okay...I'm sorry...I've gotten off track in this post, but I'm leaving it as is. 

This was our second major food clean-up project within a year and, while I don't feel that we made as much progress with the second one as we did with the first one, we still did well. (Of course, we didn't have as much older stuff in the house the second time around as we did with the first, so I guess that counts for something!) Anyway, I will close here. 

Did anyone else do any kind of no-spend, low-spend, or general clean-up-the-food January? If so, please, feel free to share your experiences in the comment section below.

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Monday, January 29, 2018

Happy Homemaking Monday - January 29, 2018

Today I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
and all the sweet ladies of 
Happy Homemaking Monday!

Good Morning, Sweet Ladies! Happy MONDAY! 💗 

I pray that each and every one of you had a great weekend and that this post finds you, and yours, healthy, happy, serving the Lord with gladness, and ready to tackle the challenges of a new week ahead with renewed energy and vitality!

We had a nice weekend here. I had to work Friday and Saturday, which both days fairly flew by, and Saturday night I participated in a deer survey at the park. Sunday morning we had a good church service, then our youngest son and his wife and their little boy stayed afterwards for lunch. After lunch was over, we rested for awhile, then took a long walk around town. It felt good to get out and about in the fresh air and sunshine! One of the older boys and his family came to visit in the late afternoon into early evening, so it was a full weekend, indeed! We enjoyed it!

Let's get right on to it, shall we? 😊

Right now I am...

Finishing up my breakfast and enjoying a cup of hot tea as I type this post. 

On the breakfast plate...

An egg, a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese wrapped, and melted, in sliced, deli turkey on toast with a cup of hot tea 🥚🧀🦃🍞

The weather...

The weather was gorgeous over the weekend...sunny and warm with temps in the 50's and 60's; today it is back to winter...23 degrees (feels like 12). Right now the sun is playing peek-a-boo with the clouds, but it looks like it's supposed to clear off and be sunny this afternoon. The high today is supposed to be barely above freezing, but, overall, the ten-day doesn't look too bad going into February...highs in the 30's and 40's most days with lows in the 20's. Beats teens and sub-zero readings any day! 🌞

On my reading pile...


Gifts of the Holy Spirit by Kenneth E. HaginLive Long, Finish Strong by Gloria Copeland
Life in the Spirit Study Bible - King James Version
In addition to daily Scripture reading, I finished Gifts of the Holy Spirit by Kenneth E. Hagin yesterday and am about a quarter of the way through Live Long, Finish Strong by Gloria Copeland. 

On the menu this week...

Only three more days and we'll be through with our Dollar S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-Up-The-Food Project For January 2018 and I'm glad! We've done well, but it's been a long month and I'm ready to move on! I will post a final update on our progress in an upcoming post a little later on in the week. Here is the plan for this week's menus...

Monday - Breakfast - egg, LC cheese, deli turkey, and toast
               Lunch - leftover spaghetti and green beans
               Supper - bison burgers and oven fryes

Tuesday - Breakfast - cinnamon swirl muffins
               Lunch - out
               Supper - leftover spaghetti and green beans

Wednesday - Breakfast - cinnamon swirl muffins
                    Lunch - salmon, steamed cauliflower, and sauteed green peppers
                    Supper - potato soup and crackers

Thursday - Breakfast - egg and toast
                 Lunch - grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup
                 Supper - baked chicken breast, brown rice, and asperagus

Friday - Breakfast - THM pancakes with blueberries and yogurt
            Lunch - turkey burger, brown rice, and black beans
            Supper - broiled salmon, baked sweet potato, and salad

Saturday - Breakfast - THM pancakes with blueberries and yogurt
                Lunch - turkey burger, brown rice, and black beans
                Supper - homemade pizza

Sunday - Breakfast - cottage cheese on sprouted toast
              Lunch - butter and garlic pasta, peas, and bread
              Supper - leftovers

Snacks throughout the week may include fresh fruit, cereal, popcorn, sugar-free pudding, or light wasa crackers spread with Laughing Cow cheese

On my 'to do' list...

- Monday - Plan the week ahead, weekly "home blessing", laundry, clean fridge, clean refrigerator freezer, do an updated food inventory
- Tuesday - Take a friend grocery shopping
- Wednesday - 
- Thursday - Run errands with my husband
- Friday - Work
- Saturday - Work
- Sunday - Church

In the craft basket...

Pocket letters!


My Very First Ever Pocket Letter
Front View

Back View
I just learned about pocket letters last week from Jodi over at My Life As Mama Jodi. Jodi is a fellow HHM participant and I'm so thankful that she posted about having pocket letters in her craft basket last week

I always try to do a little something special for the grandlittles for Valentine's Day and, this year, I was having a tough time trying to come up with a new idea. This did it! The minute I saw Jodi's post, I knew this was what I was looking for. I looked up a couple of tutorial videos on YouTube, purchased my supplies, and set to work. I have all the granddaughters' pocket letters finished and am working on the grandsons' now. I am well pleased with the results! 

Thanks for the idea, Jodi!!!! 

Looking forward to this week...

Having a little slower week than I have had here lately (not as much on my 'to-do' list as normal), getting my test taken and mailed off to RHEMA, and getting the pocket letters finished.

From the camera...


In going through old photos I came across this one of granddaughters, Audrey and Lizzie, at one of the nature journaling programs that I presented at Prairie State Park. I love the intentness with which the girls are focusing in their individual directions, as well as the greening up of prairie in spring. I'm so looking forward to it happening again soon! 💓

Scripture passage...





Well, Ladies, that's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a blessed week ahead and that all goes well for you and yours in every area of life!

Until Next Time...
~Rebecca

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Dollar-S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-Up-The-Food Project For January 2018 - Week #3 Update



Thursday, January 25, 2018

Dollar-S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-Up-The-Food Project For January 2018 - Week #3 Update


Good morning, Sweet Ladies!

We've completed the third week of our Dollar S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-Up-The-Food Project for January 2018 and, for the most part, we're still on track. 

Week #3 of the challenge was pretty uneventful. As reported last week, John and I went to the store on Tuesday and I really thought that would be our last trip for the month, but I forgot about one more celebration that we had coming up (Burns Night/cousin's birthday), so had to make one more trip out this week (again on Tuesday) to finish up. On this trip we spent $34.44 on food. 

We've definitely spent more money on food than I had planned to in January, but the foods purchased have either been fresh stuff, that we would have had to buy all along anyway, or else (and this is where most of it has come into play) specific items needed for specific events and celebrations. It seems that with just John and I this would be easy, but, the truth is, we have a big family and we love to celebrate. We'd much rather put our money into food, and such, as an investment in creating sweet memories with those we love, than to sit on it and miss out on the blessings that come with spending time with family and being hospitable. Despite money spent and special food items purchased, in our daily menu planning (my weekly menus may be viewed in my weekly Happy Homemaking Monday posts), we have pretty much stayed on plan and have cleaned up a lot of the older stuff that's been hidden away in the cabinets and freezer for weeks. Overall this challenge has kept me focused and has encouraged me to keep on keepin' on and, for that, I am truly thankful! 💓

Another bit of good news is, we've eaten all our meals at home this month, except one, and that was off the dollar menu at McDonald's (not that that was good, but it didn't cost much) and I'm realizing that we eat much more fresh food than we used to, which IS good! 🍒🍌🍎🍍

Some of the things cleared out over the past week include canned beans (chili), canned fish (tuna patties), frozen meat (main dishes and soups), and a lot of those frozen vegetables that we started off at the first of the month with. 

Well, Ladies, such as it is, that's it for Week #3!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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My Thrifty Week - Post #8