Frugal Vegcafe

End of the Year Total

2011-12-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

I ended up with $19.78 in the Mom jar.

The 2011 total is: $308.28

$691.72 off from where I wanted to be. But, for mostly passive money collection and the fact that this year has not been easy I will take it.

Durkee Chocolate Cinnamon Snowballs

2011-12-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

This is not my recipe. I clipped this from a coupon insert today and decided to make them since I had all the ingredients. These are pretty easy to make and taste a bit like yummy Mexican hot chocolate.
Hope you like them too.

Chocolate Cinnamon Snowballs

1 cup butter (no substitutions), softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all purpose flour
Extra powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400.
Beat butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon with a mixer until light. Gradually add flour, mixing until just blended.
Shape dough into 1 inch ball. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer from baking pan to wire racks. Cool slightly. Roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely. Roll in sugar again.

A Year of Cans

2011-12-17T09:58:00.000-08:00

Since I decided way back in January to save $1000 to put towards our mortgage, I've been saving aluminum cans. All year. All the cans.
I think we had seven or eight bags living rent free in our garage. Truth be told, I thought we'd have more cans since we tend to drink a lot of soda. Anyway, I don't know how much money I expected to make from my little can hoard but I know it was more than $7.70.
Oh well, at least now I know to just recycle them from now on and save the space.

I haven't tallied up my current savings amount yet because I have a Mom's found money jar that I've been collecting in for months. Anytime I find money laying around the house I put it in my jar. In fact I know there's a nickel on the living room floor that I need to go get. At his point I could have been giving my kids the same allowance money over and over. I was hoping someone would notice all the missing money but no one has. Maybe my goals for next year should be teaching my children to be better stewards of their money and quit the soda habit.
Oh well, off my can to go retrieve that nickel.

What's For Dinner- Amazing Scrap Stew and Egg Pizza

2011-11-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

Tonight I'm going for something different and easy that we haven't had in awhile- Egg Pizza. I'll be adding cottage cheese to it as I happen to have a container that is close to the use by date.
I'll steam some veggies and add bread and butter to the table.

Yesterday I was completely flummoxed on what I should make for dinner. So I do what always works and I started pulling out stuff that was getting old. And then I decided to make a skillet stew.

I heated a wok with two tablespoons of butter and tossed in:

One chopped onion
One large sweet potato cut into small 1/2 inch pieces
Three small potatoes cut like the sweet potato
One carrot sliced into thin coins
One stalk of celery chopped into little pieces
Handful of broccoli
Two chopped garlic cloves
Half a bag of veggie crumbles
Four cups of water
One bouillon cube, some pork seasoning (I think it has thyme and sage in it), lots of salt and pepper.

I cooked it all until the liquid was mostly gone and the carrots and potatoes were soft. It was delicious. Next time I'll add more sweet potato. Even the picky 5 year old liked it.

Now I must go and actually make the egg pizza.

What's Flying Around Here

2011-11-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

I'm working on gathering more donation stuff for yet another charity pick up. My goal is to at least have the same amount going out as I do coming in the door.

I'm hanging a load of laundry each day. I do use the dryer on days when I have more than one load. Like today when I had three. Someone got so upset over their math homework last night
that they got sick on their bed. Sometimes homeschooling seems like a great idea.

I started walking my dog everyday for at least 20 minutes so I can start getting into shape. Plus, she's so much happier when she gets out and about.

Flylady has been on my mind a lot lately. I always feel better about my house and myself when I do her program. So, today I listened to a podcast while I put away laundry. Dragging around the laptop is a pain though and it makes me want an mp3 player.

I have to run now and go poop scoop the back yard and hunt for broken toys to throw out.
It's a glamorous life and I know you are all jealous. All two of my readers, anyway.

My Life Right Now- In Pictures

2011-11-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

I spent some of my birthday money on a metal drying rack.

I donated a bunch to the charity thrift store. This is just one load of a few.

I used some of our jack o' lanterns to make pumpkin puree. I froze four pies worth and made bread from the rest.

I tossed the rest in the backyard for compost and critter snacks.

Here's my kids trying on their Halloween costumes. Grandma bought them last year from the 90% off rack.

Everything is pretty good. My Mom is doing ok. Her last cancer scan was clear. However, her Dr. seems unconvinced that she is no longer terminal. But, I am a firm believer in the power of positive thinking and also that doctors are not infallible.
The kids are doing well in school. Little Guy is blossoming in Kindergarten and Big Girl is ahead in reading and doing better at math.
Hubby's work travel has slowed down a bit and we've been spending more family time together.
I am content with my lot. And am ready to enjoy the full offerings of November. This morning I told my daughter we weren't even going to think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I'm ready to relax and be thankful.

Cat Nipping Our Litter Box Aversion Problem In The Bud

2011-10-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

I bought this expensive bottle of herbal cat litter attractant online. When I took my first whiff I knew the first ingredient was cat nip. Which I already had on hand. Which is much cheaper to buy as plain old cat nip.
But, guess what? It seems to be working.

I Went Through Some Stuff. Literally

2011-10-17T06:58:00.000-07:00

Last week I loaded up the back of my car and dropped off a load at the charity shop. On Friday, I took two totes to the consignment store to sell. I ended up bringing most of that back but I made $25. I'm still nowhere close to the $1000. In truth I probably won't even come close to breaking $500. But, I'm still going to send the check for whatever I make to our mortgage company.

Our visitors left yesterday and my house is in that sweet spot between getting cleaner and getting messier. And I feel fairly motivated to keep going with the decluttering and deep cleaning.

My dog is back at home with me again. So glad to have her happy furry butt back. But, I can already see how much easier it is to keep the house clean without her bringing in bits of dirt and shed shed shedding her sheddy hairs all over. The price of dog love is a good vacuum, many lint rollers and frequent sweeping.

I wish I had something more exciting to write about but at this juncture right now I'm about cleaning and decluttering. And that's not particularly exciting to anyone except maybe my Husband.

Big Girl stayed home sick today and I must go. The kids are waiting on breakfast.

Be Gone Foul Specks (and cat urine)

2011-10-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

Oh how I wax and I wane over the internal garage sale or donate debate. I had planned on doing a garage sale yesterday. Which is crazy because we are very busy right now. But, I could have fit it in between soccer games, seeing old friends, and cleaning for visitors. I could have.

Do you know what I did instead? I took my daughter to garage sales. I was prudent(ish) in my shopping. I let her buy a few things with her money with the caveat that she would get rid of stuff when we got home. (She did) I bought a few items of clothing her that she needed. (Brand new, tags still on Arizona jeans for 50 cents apiece!) I bought a Spam cookbook for a quarter that's going to be a Christmas gag (and barf) gift for Christmas. I bought a brand new Yankee candle for $2 (and threw out my Yankee store coupons when I got home). Do you know what? I realized by paying so little for that stuff that having a garage sales is a waste of my time. People want your stuff for nothing. It's much easier to donate and a take the tax deduction.

Today I am filling totes for consignment and filling bags for donation (including the toys Big Girl gave up). I want it all gone. And I want to keep getting rid of stuff until there is nothing left. I want moving from this house to be an actual possibility and not a complete dream because we have so much stuff to deal with.

On a completely different and way more frustrating note- my cat keeps peeing. And not in her litter box. I have taken to scooping the litter daily. I signed an agreement with the rescue group that I would return her if I didn't want her anymore and that I also would never make her an outside cat. It's just not conscionable for me to give her back knowing that this behavior will continue for another person. I'm almost positive that this is the reason she was given away in the first place. I don't really want an outside cat anyway. And other than the urine capers, I adore this cat. What am I to do????
I'm so not getting another cat. My beloved Fusty is 15 this year. He will leave a giant hole when he's gone. But, I cannot let myself fill it with another orange fluff ball. I think. My history has proven me wrong.

I'm Going Through Some Stuff.

2011-10-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

I've got a running tally in my head of all the stuff I need to get done before we have company. I've been preoccupied.
Also, I've been addicted to catching up with the tv series Bones. I just started the 6th season. I don't know why I find it so refreshing. Probably because it's not a fluffy show and it's also not completely dark and depressing. It rides that line. And also I enjoy the quirky characters.

I have been practicing the exact opposite of frugality lately. I splurged on a new fall wardrobe and bought two new pairs of jeans, some accessories, and a few shirts. Even with coupons, I spent over $200. I also splurged on new make up, cat litter stuff for our behavioral peeing problem and some Christmas presents for the kids. No worries though. My credit card bill has been paid.

This past weekend was my 2oth high school reunion. I chose not to go and doing so has left me both relieved and sad. Almost everyone that I would actually care to see did not attend so I don't think I missed much. But, having grown up in a fairly small town with the same people and having the burden of my memories, I feel like I missed out. I can vividly recall what a lot of those people looked like with missing front teeth and Rainbow Brite and Hulk t-shirts. In a way I feel like I should have paid homage to that. So, in spite of the new infuriating changes Facebook has made I will keep my profile. It's a small way of keeping them a part of me.

Tomorrow is my 39th birthday. I don't know how I got here so fast. I still feel like a teenager so much. And yet I can totally see myself as a grumpy old lady on the front porch yelling at the whipper snappers. I have one more year before I know I will be a total old lady. My apologies to anyone over 40. I'm sure I'll feel differently once I pass that hurdle. Right now I'm fighting it tooth and nail.

And now onto that pile in the hallway that I've been ignoring for months. Yes, months.

The Parenting Files: Soccer Mom

2011-09-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

When I've lost count of the different teams, colors and seasons of my 8 year old's soccer career
When I hear myself shouting from the sidelines and not just for my own child
When I can sort of keep track of who is slacking and who has improved their skills
When my child asks me how she's doing and I give her an honest critique and tell her what she needs to improve
When we're buying more soccer shoes than dresses
When I tell my 5 year old to suck it up, quick crying like a baby and kick the ball
When I find myself pressuring my husband to make sure to sign her up for the next season and then directly follow it up with another one
When I sort of stopped caring that our weekends have become about soccer because I like watching her on the field- because well the Girl has game
When we even sort of consider having her try out for a select team when it means twice a week practice, more money, more travel and a big commitment
I finally realize I might just be a soccer mom.

Now if we could only figure out what Little Guy's thing is.

Where I'm From

2011-09-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

Where I'm From

I am from burnt crayon wax, from Coke a Cola and the slightly acrid smell of frying fish.

I am from a windowless room on a dead end. Crocheted Throws. Wet Fall Leaves. A small town built like an afterthought.

I am from the forsythia bush, potted violet, the smooth worn river rock.

I am from sassafras tea and silliness, from O'Fannon and then Fannon and Miller.

I am from guilt trips and humility.

From we can't have a damn thing and shut the door.

I am from lazy Southern Baptists. And worshipping from the side of the fishing boat on Sunday morning.

I’m from a small town and a smaller Maries County, beans and cornbread.

From the Navy hopes dashed Father with hearing loss from childhood neglect, the Uncle who volunteered for two Vietnam tours, and the Uncle who died at 19 while storming the beach.

I am from the box under my mom's bed, the scattered collection of headstones barely even a mile from that. The memories that are lost and the memories to which a shrinking family cling.

If you want to build your own Where I'm From poem, Go Here.

See- I Cleaned Something

2011-09-22T09:08:00.001-07:00

I cleaned everything off and dusted. I sorted and reshelved. I filled three boxes with books to get rid of and move to other locations. And I resolved not to buy anymore books. It's still over filled but it looks much better.
My Husband got out the steam cleaner and I have a nice floor again. So I'm resolved to keep it clear of toys and clutter. And to limit drinks to the kitchen.

There's always more to do but this still makes me happy.

The Parenting Files: Where'd My Baby Go?

2011-09-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

Today my eight year old daughter asked me for a cell phone because many other kids in her class already have them. And she is starting to worry that she's not as cool as the other kids -all the time. She has become an anxious kid, a worrier.

No longer the happy go-lucky munchkin who was content to play with my old dishcloth while I prettied up her hair.

She's no longer as content with the little things in life like a nap on the floor while Elmo entertains.

And this little boy is now facing the problem of being the weird meltdown kid on the soccer field and almost incapable of playing with others and following directions. We worry about his future and if he'll always be the odd one out. Will he ever be able to go with the flow?
He's still a snuggler. But, I wonder if anyone else besides our family will ever be able to appreciate his sweetness and his creativity. Will anyone besides his family ever get him to take turns or play nicely?

This part is much harder than being sleep deprived or potty training.

The Stink of the Matter Plus A Craft!

2011-09-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

The cat not using the litter box is once again causing a major stink in our house both literally and figuratively. I'm at a loss for what to do because having a messy house is one thing. Having a house that smells like cat urine is completely unacceptable to me. I hate it.
I really want to keep Sarah because she's such a good cat. She's great with the kids and super snuggly. But, I just can't stand the pee and the poop.

So, I've been doing some research online and I think I'm going to try Precious Cat litter and a Feliway Plug In before I either put a collar on her and toss her outside or give her back to the Rescue. I want to try to keep her. It's just going to cost a lot of money.
I love cats but I am absolutely done with having them once these two are gone.

On a happier note, I was excited to see today's Motherload post on reupholstering a dining chair.
I bought Big Girl a wooden desk chair awhile ago to fit her thrifted desk. It is serviceable and fits her needs well but it has a dingy old mauve covering on the seat. I also happen to have a few fabric scraps leftover from my Grandma's stash. The only tool I'll need to get is an upholstery staple gun and some staples. I might even sand the chair down and repaint it white if Big girls wants it that way. This is a craft I feel I am absolutely capable of since it doesn't require any sewing.

My Virtual Book Shelf is Loaded

2011-09-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to cleaning the giant mess of a bookshelf today. What a dusty long trip down memory lane. Not all of it pleasing.

But, I have another box of books to donate. And a fresh pile that were just added to my paperbackswap.com bookshelf for trade.

I dedicated one whole shelf to books that I want to read. No more trips to the library or thrift store to get fresh books. Now I'm all ready whenever I get a craving for a new book. Right now I'm tackling, "It's All Too Much" by Peter Walsh.

Oh, and I cleaned the mantle off and did a little fall decorating too. ; ) Here's to organization and decluttering.

Charitable Panicking

2011-09-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

I have several visitors coming in the next few weeks. So, getting my house nice and clean is starting to be a pressing need.

Last week I promised the kids each one new toy from Goodwill if they each donated five toys to the donate bag. I'd been wanting to go to the thrift store to look for some new soccer cleats for Big Girl anyway since she'd outgrown hers. And also I am starting to casually look for a tin bread box as the big bowl I'm using for bread is taking up way too much space in the kitchen. (The prices on ebay and etsy are higher than I want to pay.)
Anway, I didn't allow myself to go thrifting until I had a bag full to donate first. I filled the bag with books, a new pair of Levis I'd been saving to ebay, the kid's toys and other stuff. On the way through the garage I grabbed a bag full of packaged rolls of wallpaper border that I was never going to use. I drove Hubby's car which for months has housed a full box of old vegetarian cookbooks that we were planning on selling at a bookstore downtown. I made a last minute decision to just donate the box and get it out of his car. I know I could and probably should make money from our old cast offs. But, I need it gone now more than I need to try to sell it.

IKEA Schmea- Where's my Hefties?

2011-09-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

All the time I read these glorious blog posts about the wonders of Ikea's storage systems, occasional free breakfasts, and their clean lined Scandinavian furniture at prices so low they make you want to slap yourself.
My closest IKEA is 300 miles away. And I'm not going to cry about that. Because you know what I don't need? More crap to put my crap in. Plus, I'm not a clean line kind of girl. I'm a vintage tin and thrift store basket kind of girl. (Although the state of my house right now would tell you I'm more of a hoarder with a dash of romance)

Right about now I think the only thing that would make my house prettier is a toss & burn and a quick vacuum.
On the agenda is:

The kitchen table- it was clean last week but you know what they say about flat surfaces.

The couches- more flatish surfaces covered with pillows, blankets, toys, grocery store circulars and a pile of kid's artwork to file.
The floors of the living areas- toys, papers, school stuff, Christmas stuff, Halloween stuff that I unearthed that never got put in the basement last year (I guess I'll get a head start on decorating the mantle), expired coupons, etc etc.
The bookshelf and the floor in front of it- full of books. Too many books. I think I'll paperback swap some and maybe ebay a few others so I can make money for the yearly goal I am woefully behind on.

Time to turn on some music, get out the shovel, and light a match.

The Parenting Files: The Good Daddy

2011-09-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

My Husband spent 45 minutes installing the light in this train toy by using a dremel tool and a the light from a McDonalds toy. The joy on our son's face was priceless as he flopped around the house telling me how cool his toy was going to be after his Daddy fixed it. Sometimes the smallest things are the biggest blessings to little people.

Two Slides Backward- One Slide Forward.

2011-09-08T06:54:00.000-07:00

My house got away again.

Toys in the foyer. Shoes everywhere. Kid's school papers scattered. And a hamper full of dirty laundry.

Yesterday I didn't get much accomplished other than an oil change, a car wash, grocery shopping, dirty dish management, one bathroom wipe down and one load of laundry. Oh, and I sorted through the ginormous pile of papers on the kitchen table. That seems like more than it feels or looks like. Oh, and I also took the bag of sliced cinnamon apples that my kids kept turning their noses up to and made an apple oatmeal bread thing. It's a bit dry but if you microwave it and put peanut butter and honey on it. Well, I guess you could say that about anything. "Hey, here's a pile of rotten roadkill. Just put some peanut butter and honey on it and you won't even notice the decay you're biting into." Oops, tangent.
Sigh.

I've got a tote of kid's clothes to take to the consignment. I need to make another tote full of toys to sell. Which means finding decent toys, cleaning them and then finding an empty tote to put them in. And a pile of kid's clothes to sort through for thedup boxes. And I still haven't put away our summer school work books. And I just noticed the splash marks on the upstairs linen closet (why?) that need cleaning. The list is never ending. I guess I'd better quit whining and get started.

The Parenting Files: Don't Tell Me Who I Am. I Don't Even Know That Yet.

2011-09-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

You know those days from hell where you would give anything for a rewind button? Last Saturday was one of those for me. Lest I turn this into a whine fest I'll just say days of single parenting plus five hours on a train with a head cold, a cooped up and hyper 5 and 8 year old and less than friendly fellow passengers is not an ideal situation for me. It turns out being on a train with me and my two children was less than ideal for the ~~jerk~~ guy next to me too. With less than 20 minutes to go to our destination he decided to yell at my kids and talk loudly about us to the person behind him. I should have left well enough alone. I should have ignored him. But, I didn't. I know it's best to always turn the other cheek but doing that has never left me feeling good about myself. I confronted him and we got into an argument which left me quizzing him on his childish behavior and him telling me I was a bad parent. No one won. And I have been upset by it ever since.

Since I've been a Mom I've noticed that people love to critique how you're doing. Just off the top of my head I can think of three distinct times that complete strangers have either praised me or chastised me for my parenting. Really? Unless I'm beating my children in public, is it any of your business? And what makes you think that one moment in a particular day is the complete example of how my parenting is 24/7. I wonder what would happen if I were a man. I know all of my friends are amazed that my husband interacts with my kids, takes them places alone, and coaches their soccer teams. He's their parent and not a babysitter.

The bottom line is that if that man had actually talked to me and asked me to either move or try to keep them quieter I would have gladly done so and apologized. His inability to be polite to me and rude to my children brought out the worst in me. And neither one of us is the better for it.

As for being a bad or good parent, I guess it all depends on what your guidelines are. My children are well loved, well fed, and have plenty of what they need and more than enough of what they want. But, have you ever met anyone who didn't have some complaint about something their parents did wrong? This is child rearing. No one gets out unscathed.

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Plato

Thankful for my Stockpile

2011-09-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

Hubby's gone on business travel and I seem to have developed the first of many head colds of the new school year. I don't want this bit of yuckiness to hamper anything I need to get done so I raided my medicine cabinet to see what I could come up with.

I found:

A $2 bottle of Zicam chews that I picked up from the salvage store
A bottle of NeilMed Sinus Rinse that I got free from some deal at Walgreens
Generic cold tabs
Nature Made Chewable C tablets. I know I used a coupon and typed in my reward code.

So, while I'm trying not be be a stockpiler and a hoarder this is one instance where I'm glad I don't need to venture any further than my kitchen to get relief.
Maybe I should starting thinking about a soup, kleenex, and ginger ale supply for the flu season.

Another Clutter Bites The Dust

2011-08-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

Two more trash bags of clothes, shoes and toys and a tiny bag of food went out of my house to the food pantry/thrift store today.

I've been doing an ok job of keeping up with the tidying I did last week. Hopefully each week will bring me closer to having a clean home. Today I wiped down some of our white trim and doors with a magic eraser. I also made and froze a batch of homemade vegetable broth with veggie trimmings. That doesn't really get the house clean but it does help me save food dollars. Both very important to me right now.

The more I clean the happier I get. The more money I save is well, more money saved.

Free Movies

2011-08-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

It was many months after registering on their website that I finally got a gofobo invite for a movie screening in my inbox. Lately I've been getting about one a week. Unfortunately, I've only been able to go to one screening since we've had conflicts or lack of a babysitter every other time.
Most of the time the screenings I've been offered are in the middle of a weekday but if you like free movies and have a loose schedule you might really like gofobo.com.
Make sure to get to your movie half an hour early. The screening of Super 8 that hubby and I went to was packed. We had to sit in the front row. Still, it was a free movie so I'm not going to cry about it.

Some Good Stuff

2011-08-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

I found our camera in the back of my car. It must have been there since we came back from Texas in July.
We had a weekend getaway at the YMCA Trout Lodge.

We had two days of rocket building and launching, rifle shooting (for Daddy), mini golf, dance partying, crafts, and playing in the lake.

In June we went to Hannibal, MO for a weekend trip. We rode on a steamboat down the river, went on a late afternoon ghosts of Hannibal tour, and explored the Mark Twain cave.

And we just went to Kansas City for the Renaissance Festival). I adore the KC RenFest. Huzzah! We watched jousting, the kids rode on the rides, we ate too much food (love love love the cinnamon almonds), bought fripperies and jewelry, and generally had a gay old time.

I am beginning to prefer these little getaways over a week long vacation. We have just enough time to do everything fun before anyone gets bored. Plus, the kids feel spoiled because we can have more than one "be"cation.

We came back to a slightly more tidy home and I immediately unloaded our dirty clothes into the washer. No more letting the dirty laundry sit in suitcases forever. I do have some more scrubbing to do on Big Girl's white shirt where she kept wiping her tiger face paint off. Oh, well. This is a good reason to buy your clothes second hand. When you pay $2 or less it doesn't hurt as much when they ruin their clothes.

I made a lasagna and gingerbread cake with scratch frosting for dinner last night. They were good and we have leftovers. After two or three less than stellar restaurant meals plus the rather lackluster cafeteria style food at the YMCA, I am more than happy to be eating at home.

I got to pick up my Angel Food Ministries pantry and fruit boxes yesterday even though I was told they wouldn't hang on to my boxes for me. A trip to Aldi to get $20 worth of fruit, cheese, bread and veg and now my pantry is all full. And so much easier to navigate since Hubby cleaned it.

That's all.

Kicking Some Stuff's "Stuff" And Taking Names

2011-08-25T14:29:00.000-07:00

No, my house isn't an immaculate shrine to all that is clean and wonderful in the world. I don't expect it will ever be that way. We have to actually live here, you know.
But, I have been cleaning. A lot.

As soon as Little Guy leaves for Kindergarten in the afternoon I've been getting busy.
So far this week:

Cleaned the downstairs bath
Made beds daily and changed sheets on Little Guy's bed
Kept up with laundry and managed to put it all away
Kept the kitchen table relatively clean. It needs quick spruce right now but will be done before dinner time
Cleaned out the dog's bowl (long overdue) and washed her bedding and toys
Swept the kitchen (twice!)
Swept and Damp mopped the entry way
Cleaned the foyer and sorted through shoes (it seems I am always making a pile of outgrown kid's shoes to wash and donate)
Cleaned the TV room (the carpet still needs a steam clean but that can wait for now)
Kept up with the dishes fairly well
Made dinner every night but Tuesday when I treated the kids to dinner (tonight we're having Manischewitz Vegetable soup topped with swiss cheese and homemade croutons)

I've also done a lot of miscellaneous picking up and putting away of tiny bits of stuff. And a lot of stuff has been deemed fit for only the trash can or the donation bag. I have two trash bags of stuff for charity ready to go and I'm sure I'll have two more before the downstairs is clean.
So, the outlook isn't so bleak. If I keep this up I'm sure I'll see the day when my house is only 15 minutes worth of messy. I like this so much better than shopping for stuff.

Consolidation How I love Thee

2011-08-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

Hubby cleaned out the pantry last weekend and you would not believe how much nicer it looks.
I can find our food again.
I did throw away an embarrassing amount of old sauces and crackers that were expired. Another reason why I should not stockpile! I found two cans of instant coffee in the pantry after I'd spent $5 a day before for a new can. Grrrr.
I know most of you are gagging at the idea of instant coffee but I love it mixed with chocolate powder and creamer. It's become my substitute for pricey International Foods. I mix whatever I have available that sounds good. I like it as well as Starbucks and I don't have to make a whole pot of coffee so I have hot water ready for cocoa and oatmeal for the rest of the family.
Because I am messy and have organizational problems (and also a mini hoarding problem I'm trying to conquer) my mix cans have been on the kitchen counter for forever. That's four or five cans of flavorings and coffee at any given time. It's a waste of space.
Today I had a fourth of a jar of Ovaltine, most of a container of vanilla Nesquick, a jar of mixed coffee creamer and vanilla flavored sugar, and a new 4 oz. jar of instant coffee. So, I got out my blender and mixed them all together and put them back in the Ovaltine jar since it's the biggest. Now I have one jar to keep and only one jar to mess with in the morning.
I kept one glass jar for future use and recycled the rest. I love to keep old salsa, spaghetti sauce and peanut butter jars to use as clear storage in my pantry. But, my cabinets are full and I will always have a supply of jars as long as I keep grocery shopping.

While I was doing that I was also mixing up a batch of onion bread and cleaning my stinky disposal (and also watching the Nate Berkus show on my mini kitchen tube). I have so far to go to get this house back to any decent kind of order. It's been about 18 months since my in-laws were here and that's the last time every room in my house was clean at once. That's sad. They are coming in a month and I have a lot of work to do.

We seemed to have permanently misplaced our camera since our trip from Houston last month. I really miss being able to post pictures on my blog. Maybe I can get a new (easier to use one) for my birthday next month.

I need to stay out of Target

2011-08-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

I had coupons today- Target coupons combined with manufacturer coupons for stuff we will use. I had a valid reason to be there. We needed stuff, alright?!?
Ok, I could have lived without that new baby sleeper that was so totally cute for $4 on the clearance rack that I bought for a friend's new baby. But, that at least is leaving my house soon.

Trying to declutter and stop buying stuff is easy if I'm at home (and it helps a lot if I'm also asleep).
But, walking through housewares in a store with cute stuff that I don't need makes me feel like the only fat girl at the swimming pool. And my bathing suit has a hole in it.

Buying all that new stuff (like the zebra print sheets for Big Girl) would buy me momentary happiness but soon it would just be one more thing I needed to wash, take care of, put away, etc. One more thing taking up space in an already full closet. And we don't need it as much as we do the $20 it would have cost. Yeah, I'd much rather have a tidy pile of money.
I didn't particularly care for Fight Club but this Tyler Durden quote sticks with me:
"The things you own, they end up owning you."

Music To Clean To

2011-08-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

I don't enjoy cleaning so I need all the help and incentive I can get. My favorite way to clean is having the house to myself and putting on one of my "cleaning" cds. It's always a challenge for myself to keep cleaning until the cd ends and then I can have a break. It makes doing something I don't enjoy more bearable.

Here's my short list of Music I Clean To-

The Saint Soundtrack (my favorite is Duncan Sheik's In the Absence of Sun)
This mix from plasticbag.org called Precisouly One Hour of Cleaning Music (Dizzee Rascal's Fix Up/Look Sharp is my favorite here)
Fiddler on the Roof Soundtrack- Tevye's "If I were a rich man" always makes me sing.
Lifescapes Scottish Moor/Emerald Isle double cd- I bought mine from one of those little relaxation kiosks in Target. It was nowhere as expensive as this cd set on Amazon.

Do you have an cleaning incentive tips to share? Any particular cleaning routine or music you like to listen to while you scrub and sweep?

About That Scorching of the Earth Thing

2011-08-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

Apparently serious decluttering is a slow process for me. Since the last time I posted I:

Made $40 on kid's clothes at a resale shop
Donated three trash bags of clothes and purses and a tacky Taz Christmas decoration.
Cleaned off the kitchen table and filled the trash can and recycling can at the same time
Started another tub for the resale shop, boxes to post on Thred Up, and a bag for donation

I still have so much to do but I'm trying not to stress. I've got a lot to do and it's going to take a long time to do it. Giving up on being one of those people who stock piles for later is going to be hard. But, do you know what? I can't keep a tidy house that way. I am not organized enough.

So, I'm still working on the scorching thing but my blow torch is tiny and my time line is big.
Every bit counts, right?

On a frugal note- I've made a conscious effort to cook at home and to keep my shopping to a minimum.

Scorched Earth Policy on Clutter

2011-08-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

I just spent two weeks in an hotel suite with mini kitchen. I have an idea of how little a person really needs to not just get by but thrive. It had me thinking about just getting rid of everything that my family using or didn't need for the next six months.

I have a lot of clutter. My Grandmother was a hoarder (although she would want it said that she wasn't a nasty housekeeper.) My aunts and mom have problems with clutter too. It runs in my DNA. Do you know what I'm starting to realized doesn't make me happy? Clutter. This is doubly hard for me because so many frugal tips are based on buying things cheap to store for when you need them. I'm kinda over it.

One more reason I have a hard time parting with stuff I don't really want is that I think I should try to get some money out of it first. Most of you know what I mean. You buy a new pair of shoes that are really cute and wear them once and they give you blisters. You hate that you only wore them once and know someone would pay for them. Why just donate them when you can try to get a few dollars back? The trouble with selling things is that it takes time, effort, and sometimes it takes money. I've had good luck selling stuff on ebay and craigslist but it has never been without hassle. So, the clutter stays because I don't want the hassle. And the unhappiness continues.

I'm gonna have to go full flylady I think and donate. So, today I scoured my pile of back to school supplies in the basement and bagged up a bunch of stuff to donate that my kids didn't need this year. Brand new stuff. Stuff they will eventually need. Donated. Because it's in my way and somebody this year needs it. Today is tax free shopping day and I have two things left on my list to buy- an eraser and a plastic folder. My collection has been a blessing for us. Now it's time to bless someone else.

I'm off to take a test to see if I'm a hoarder. Then I'm loading the kids up and driving to the donation center.
The survey indicated that I have a mild to moderate hoarding disorder. Ouch. Off to scorch!!!

What's For Dinner: Amy Dacyczyn's Broccoli Corn Casserole

2011-08-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

This recipe combines two veggies that I know my family will eat. That's why I grabbed a freezer bag of each yesterday when I ran through Target. I'll add a cup of veggie crumbles to round it out.

LIfe handed me lemons, I finally have time to make lemonade

2011-08-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

Whew! I don't know if you noticed or not but I was gone for about a month. I went to Texas to be with my Mom while she sought cancer treatment. It's too early to tell how she's doing but she seems much stronger than last month.

I drove myself to Houston. If you read my blog you know how big of a deal that was. I was so nervous the whole time. My fears were compounded by my mom and my aunt both worrying over how I would manage the terrible Houston traffic. Turns out that I managed quite well. In fact, I have to say that I much prefer traveling by myself on long car trips as I can go for hours without a potty break. Of course, now the maintenance required light is flashing on my dashboard so I'd rather not have another long car trip anytime soon. A trip to the Midas (I have a coupon!) needs to put on the agenda.

My family flew in for the last week for which I am so grateful because I was missing them terribly. I've spent way more time away from my kids this summer than I wanted or intended to. We didn't do as much sight seeing or vacation stuff as we probably should have. But, we did go to the Space Center and to Galveston Beach where we all got nasty sunburns. We stopped by the roadside in rural Arkansas to look for crystal rocks and got eaten by chiggers. I hate to say that my favorite part of being in Texas was the 99 Cent Only store but it's true. The food deals were pretty good plus they had two kinds of Mexican laundry soap bars for 99 cents!

I'm glad to be home.
School starts in 14 days so I've got a lot to do. Kindergarten immunizations, health check ups, glasses for Big Girl, school supply gathering, and any last bits of summer fun we've left undone.
This year we did not complete any library summer reading goals. We haven't been to the neighborhood pool more than a few times and my tomatoes are dead from lack of water. But, there are more important things going on than making sure my kids get free ice cream cones and having a bountiful garden.

Right now I've got an internal debate over whether or not to step up as the new leader of my daughter's small Girl Scout troop. I just don't know if I'm organized enough or even understand Girl Scouts enough. Plus, I know how hard it is to get the few of us Moms motivated to do anything. I've seen the countless emails from the last leader begging for help. Plus, I have no idea what the next few months of my life will be like with my Mom sick. I just don't want to offer myself up and then not be able to deliver. There is already a cookie mom so I wouldn't have to worry about that part though.

I'm ready to start frugal homemaking again though. I've missed it terribly.

News with Lots of Asterisks

2011-07-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

(My family in June on the Mark Twain riverboat in Hannibal, Mo)

*I am having a blissful week with my babies before they are sent back to their grandparents. This is our second day of just hanging around the house. I like it!

*My Mom had her first day of cancer treatment. I know the outlook is bleak for someone with Stage 4 Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the colon but we have hope. I will say it again- WE HAVE HOPE!

*We're still working on summer homeschooling although I've only managed it twice this week. My sons handwriting is so much better now. Hopefully he will be ready for all that writing he will have to do in Kindergarten (next month, yikes!)

*I am finishing up my back to school shopping for the kiddos. I pretty much just need one new outfit for my daughter for the first day and a few pairs of pants for my son. I found pull up jeans online at Sears for him that I may buy as he has problems with snaps and buttons.

*A lot of their "new" clothes came from garage sales and thrift stores that I've hit up here and there this summer. Last week I lucked into a quarter clothing sale at a thrift store on the way to my Mom's house. I bought a new outfit for myself, two shirts and a pair of Tommy Hillfiger capris for my daughter, and a pair of shorts for my son.

*I finally have a green tomato on my tomato plants. Way back last spring I bought an organic tomato and it was so good I kept a few seeds to plant. It took forever for them to flower so I just assumed they were a lost cause and forgot about them. I was happy when I noticed them flowering. I started cherry tomato seeds in a pot on my window to replace them with and now I'll have to find a new place to put my tall cherry babies. I wonder if they'd grow in our bathroom like our lantana does.

*I think I waited to long to take my tub of summer clothes to the resale shop. I think I'll try it soon anyway just in case. I guess it wouldn't hurt to clean out the hall closet and see if I can find an outgrown jacket or two.

*I just finished the book I've been reading for a few weeks, White Mountain Brides. I guess technically it's considered a christian romance novel but I mostly loved reading about the daily lives of three pioneer women living in 1689. I'm going to be posting it on paperbackswap.com to share.

*I've got to go make dinner now. I've been doing that here and there lately. Tuesday night I made a tofu stir fry. Last night I picked up a $5 Little Caesars because I had a throbbing head ache (I used a movie ticket stub and scored free bread sticks though). But, tonight I've found things in the freezer to bake plus I made a peach crisp. It's a little like life is back to normal. At least this week anyway.

My life is on fire & other news

2011-06-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Until further notice, my children and dog will be staying with my in-laws in another state. I am missing them terribly. But, I'm on the road to see my Mom so much that it just makes sense.
The final diagnosis is Stage 4 colon cancer. Standard medical practice would be to dope my Mom up with chemo in hopes of prolonging her life for a few months. We want something better than that so we're going to an alternative cancer treatment clinic sometime soon. My hopes are high but I feel so pulled in every direction. I'm alternating between feeling glad I don't have a job so I can be with her when she needs me and feeling highly put upon because everyone assumes because I don't have a paying job that I don't actually have anything else going on in my life. And also again? I really miss my kids.

I had the morning free so I ran to a few garage sales by myself. The sun was shining and it was wonderful to forget all the bad stuff for an hour or two. I stocked up on Polly Pockets and little toys to surprise my kids with when they come home again. Plus, I filled a trash bag with kids clothes for five dollars. Now I've got to go shovel out my daughter's room and maybe get rid of some of her stuff before I put in the new. I've also got to inventory and see what I need to get for back to school time while I have the chance.

Where I Quit Bothering With Bothering

2011-06-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

Showering, paying serious attention to housework, doing any major parenting jobs.... pfflllllptttt.

I am in a small pit. Not really despairing. Mostly trying not to think about stuff by not doing stuff.

Any minute now I will jump off of this couch and start a load of laundry and make food for the kids. Any minute now.

If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Brother

2011-06-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

I went to Mom's last Thursday to take her to her Dr. appointments. The doctor who did her surgery didn't seem to register her complaint about bad pain in her shoulder. On Friday we saw the oncologist. She didn't have good news for us. We're being referred to another oncologist in St. Louis. That will be easier for me since I won't have to travel so much though. But, the oncologist did take Mom's shoulder pain seriously and had her scanned in the office. Long story short, my Mom is in the hospital for a few more days getting doses of antibiotics to kill the abscesses that came from her surgery. Those abscesses could have killed her and I'm so glad that at least one of the doctor's was paying attention.

I'm home again with the kiddos for a few days. I hated to leave Mom in the hospital but I really needed to come home for a few days before I go back again. My kid need some normalcy and I can't do anything for her in the hospital. Plus, I cannot stand being at my Mom's house when she's not there. I love my brothers dearly but for all intents and purposes they live with my Mom (they have their own houses, don't ask). And one of my brothers is a huge slob with two nasty little dogs that literally urinate all over my Mom's house. He takes them on the road with him when he's he's got a load to haul but I just did not want to stay there with my kids in that mess. I love him but I got enough of cleaning up after him when I lived at home. I got my Mom's bedroom ready and all her clothes washed and put away for when she comes home.

Also, understandably my Mother's outlook on life has turned more than a little sour. But, she's so angry and snappish that I almost don't recognize her. I love her but it's hard for me to be around her for long stretches of time because she's so hateful. She apologizes afterwards but I keep wondering where my sweet Mom went. I feel like I've already lost her.

That's enough for today.

Keep Calm And Carry On

2011-06-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie and say there weren't a few days last week that I wasn't a complete mess. Plus, I had a horrible cold and couldn't go see my Mom in the hospital for fear of making her even sicker. I spent too much money on FTD and sent her flowers/food since I couldn't visit. She's home now. (FTD btw has lousy service. I will go local next time.)

Hubby worked from home with the kiddos here so I could go by myself to see her on Monday. We worked a little on cleaning up some clutter in her room. She's wanting to declutter now if case the worst case scenario happens and my brothers and I are left me with a whole house to clean up. I took two bags of clothes to the Goodwill. The kids and I are going to stay with her soon and do some more work. We find out on Friday what her prognosis and possible treatment plan will be.
I'm praying for the best possible outcome but she's already assumed she's dying. This isn't her first bout with cancer as she was a DES baby and went thru radiation when I was two. I'm struggling with the idea of being an orphan even though I'm 38. Maybe it would be easier if I weren't so close to my Mom. Also, I worry about how my two older brothers will take her death. Neither one have families of their own.
Anyway, life has been full of stress here. Hubby's work travel just picked up quite a bit so I can only lean on him so much for support.
I can't say I've been doing much in the way of frugality. I just don't care right now. The kids and I are happy to spend our days vegging around the house and doing bit of work here and there. They've been really good kids lately and have been really great to be around.
I took this picture this morning as they did their worksheets. I only make them do about 45 minutes worth of work every morning so they haven't been too whiny. I love hearing their little pencils scratch across the page.

I've decided that worrying about what's going to happen is pointless. I need to worry about what's going on today and take of care what needs to be taken care of right now. It's all out of my control anyway. So, I'll make my kids some cookies and I'll check out that book that I've been wanting to read from the library. God knows what's going on and has a plan for us. I've got to surrender.

Maybe if I whisper it, it won't be true

2011-06-02T06:36:00.000-07:00

my mom has cancer.

What's For Dinner: Black Olive Stuffed Crust Pizza

2011-05-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

My husband was away for work last night. So, I splurged and ordered a pizza loaded with black olives from Pizza Hut because the kids and I love it. So, now you know what's for lunch today too. I love cold stuffed crust pizza.

What's For Dinner: Coffee Cake & Cheese Omelets

2011-05-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

We are lacking in the veggies right now I know!

But, I have sour cream to use up and an urge to bake. Bisquick to the rescue.

What's For Dinner: Comfort Food Night- Beans and Weenies

2011-05-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

This rainy day calls for some serious comfort food. I'm boiling veggie dogs and making a little pot of quickie baked beans. For dessert we have bananas and a few cookies.

What's For Dinner: Soup and Muffins

2011-05-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

This is a clean out the pantry dinner. Tonight we're trying a instant noodle soup packet I bought at the ethnic grocer some time ago. We've had good luck with this brand before.
To make it more hearty and healthy I added a container of Trader Joe tofu and the rest of the Aldi Normandy veggies from last night's dinner.
We're rounding out the meal with lemon poppy seed muffins (another pantry clean out find) and leftover fruit salad.

What's For Dinner: "Meat"loaf, real mashed potatoes, and Normandy vegetables

2011-05-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

I just didn't feel like another night of pizza or take out. In lieu of the bread crumbs I couldn't find in our pantry I am trying oats. If it works I think next time I'll try following the Quaker Oats recipe (using tvp/veggie crumbles of course).

For dessert we're having leftover Easter candy if the kids bother to even ask for a sweet.

Leave a Message at the Beep.

2011-05-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

Wow have I been preoccupied. You should see my answering machine messages- 24 blinking messages. Don't worry though, I scanned to see if anything was important.

I'm at a crossroads here and something has gotta change soon. My youngest will be in Kindergarten in the fall and it has me realigning my whole perspective on what my role is/should be now.
And I'm torn with thoughts of wondering whether it has been worth it to be out of the work force for ten years so my kids wouldn't be in day care. I'm nervous at the idea of trying to find another job with a serious time lapse in my resume. Who am I and what am I good for? Should I go back to school? Should I stay home because we can afford it? How come I'm really starting to hate my house and want to move?

When I went away to college at 18 I thought I was going to be a poet. I don't remember the last poem I wrote. I don't even know if I like poetry anymore. It seems frivolous when I'm thinking about the load of laundry in the dryer, the weeds in the garden, the stains on the carpet, when I have to pick up kids from school, and when our next dentist appointment will be. Nothing in my life seems poetic anymore. Who wants to read a poem about matching socks together or scrubbing out the sticky stuff from the sink?

I am blessed beyond measure and reason and yet when I think of that hopeful, shiny faced teenager that I was, I wonder how proud I would be of whom I've become.
This is a small part of the inner turmoil that's been going on in there.

Couponicus Says-

2011-05-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

I've been watching snippets of TLC's Extreme Couponing show. It has certainly helped reignite an interest in my coupon usage. Plus, my Mom has a little habit of trolling the local recycling bins looking for unused inserts which is nice since I don't subscribe to the paper anymore.

Other than a few coupons for free items I've gotten for "liking" things on facebook, I don't have any major savings victories to share. My take on couponing will never be what you call extreme or coupon queen. I like to get things we'll actually use for as cheaply as possible without straining myself to do so. When I am a casual coupon user I typically save between $4-8 with coupons.
I think that's because I also tend to buy generics and dent and ding items that do not have coupons.

The Extreme Couponers on the TLC show sometimes have mountains of the same item that they've gotten for pennies on the dollar. But, I don't see victory there. I see waste, compulsion and hoarding. If your family can't use up an item before it expires then please donate your extras to a local charity. It's so much better than having all that stuff end up in the land fill because it expired.

Our family is not large so I see no need to have a basement filled with items that will expire before we can use them. I like to have a back up of two or three extra items. Of course, that's not always been the case. I still have multiple cans of frosting and beans in the basement that are nearing the end of their lives. We've been baking a lot of cake and eating a lot of beans lately. I don't really want to stockpile like that again unless food scarcity (or price) becomes a big issue.

I also really don't want to pay for coupons anymore. If I can't find them free or print them I really don't want to mess with them. Thus, I will never be a reigning coupon queen.

Happy Birthday To My Husband!

2011-05-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

This woman knows she's blessed with an excellent life partner. I couldn't ask for a better husband or father for my children.

We've got a nice pile of presents for him to unwrap. I don't think he'll mind that my daughter chose an Aldi advertisement and an old scrap of wedding paper for wrapping paper.

Hopefully the "sausage" gravy I have to make with powdered milk and tvp will be palatable too.
This is my first year attempting to make my own coconut pecan frosting too. Can you really mess up homemade frosting though? Fat and sugar, so what's not to like?
I've got groupon coupons set aside for lunch/dinner too.

Happy Birthday, Sugar! I see Monty Python and video games in your future.

More Unfrugal Confessions.

2011-04-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

I paid $27 yesterday for a pedicure. Now I have pretty, shiny, red nails. Who needs a cherry red Ferrari when they can have shiny red toenails?

I'm taking Abby to the groomer today because she reeks. Yes, I'm going to pay someone $25 to wash my giant dog and trim her nails because I don't want to wrestle 70 pounds of mad wet dog in our bathtub.

Also, Little Guy and I will probably eat lunch out. Our fridge and freezer are on the fritz and I trust none of the food in there not to poison us.

Hmm, perhaps I'll think of more later.

So? What now?

2011-04-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

I might be at the nadir of my blogging life right now. There's just nothing new going on.
After four straight years of blogging about my life and frugal struggles, I am mostly at a loss to write about anything new.
I'm finding more and more that the ideas floating around my brain aren't necessarily what the normal frugal stay at home mom wants to read. I don't know if there is a normal frugal stay at home mom, though. I'm certainly not her.

Perhaps I should turn this into a daily confessional instead of a blog about frugality. My confessions for today would be that I spent too much time watching shows on the wii Netflix and I used a brownie mix instead of baking from scratch.

What's Frugal in My Life Right Now

2011-04-13T14:50:00.000-07:00

I feel a bit more refreshed lately and am starting to dip my feet back into the frugal pool.
This is what's going on around here.

I've been gathering my coupons and making a list for a shopping trip tomorrow. I recently cleaned out the fridge and freezer and have a good idea of what I should buy and what I need to use up.
Dierbergs is having a good sale tomorrow and I've printed off some coupons for my trip. I no longer subscribe to the big Sunday paper so finding coupon has been more challenging.

I've been using Swagbucks as my search engine and have been able to pick up a few things with my swag bucks to put in Easter baskets- Thomas the Train stickers, a photo album, plastic figurines, and a pair of mini scissors. Probably my favorite thing about swagbucks is that the rewards arrive so quickly.

I'm going through the pile of my daughter's clothes to sort out what I can sell to the consignment store. I've got a bag for Goodwill, a tote for consignment, a lint roller and a pair of scissors to snip stray threads waiting for me right now. I also need to get into the garage and clean up some of the good toys for another consignment tote.

For dinner tonight, we're having a frozen pizza that I'm going to add toppings too. I bought it on sale with coupon of course.

Too Tired To Blog- No, Really

2011-04-11T06:29:00.001-07:00

My Dr. recently changed my prescription to a new pill with an annoying little side effect- sleepiness. As a result, I would be more than happy to spend 20 hours snoozing away in my bed and still want a nap when I woke up. The only other time I've been this tired is when I was in my first trimester of pregnancy and couldn't keep my eyes open past 8 pm.

This is my favorite season, and normally by this time I'd be knee deep in dirt and seeds trying to grow flowers and veggies.
This nagging little side effect is supposed to go away once you get used to the pill. I'm waiting patiently. Yawn.

Day 2: Envy or 7 things I covet

2011-03-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

1. Perfect White Teeth. I've always felt self conscious about the gap between my front teeth. The rest of my teeth are pretty straight so getting braces would just be for cosmetic purposes. I've never felt comfortable spending that much money on my looks.

2. Ambition. I'm not a go getter. I would like to be a person who is well dressed, well pressed, with a tended home, gifted and happy kids, a well loved husband and a satisfying career. But, I can only tackle doing so much at one time.

3. Thinking Exercise is Fun. While I do feel better while I'm moving my body; I don't enjoy the process. I'd much rather be curled up with a good book or folding clean laundry.

4. Independence. I'd love to be one of those women who can take off for a cross country trip alone without panicking. I've never even flown by myself and I easily get turned around in busy airports. I want to trust myself enough to be able to handle travel by myself.

5. Flexibility. My downward facing dog looks more like downward flailing buffalo. I would love to be able to do the splits or put my foot behind my ear.

6. Being the Party Lady. Having get togethers or visitors to my home sends me into panic. I want to want to scrub the house, cook up some tasty snacks and throw open the doors to the world. I just never feel like what we have is good enough.

7. Scratchy Inspiration. Sometimes I really have no idea how to make new yummy scratch foods. I wish I could turn a random pile of veggies into a delicious dinner. But, I'm fairly boring with my cooking style.

Day 1: Pride or 7 Great Things About Myself

2011-03-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

I'm totally ~~stealing~~ borrowing this meme from Year One (who got it from here).

Normally I'm the type of person who focuses on and frets about my failings. But, for a little change I'm going to do the opposite and list 7 things I actually like about myself.

1. I'm friendly. My first instinct is always to enter into any interpersonal interaction with a smile on my face. Life is hard enough without being grouchy to your fellow humans.

2. I'm easy to please. (No arguments from the Husband allowed ** Remember those cheap dates we used to have with 25 cent soda and a 50 cent loaf of french bread?)

3. I don't care about the latest greatest thing. I don't really want an IPhonePadBerry. I have a basic cell phone with a cheap plan. Done.

4. The Meek are my people. The world can have the movers and the shakers. I'll take the babies and the shelter pets.

5. I'm funny. Ok, so this blog isn't funny. In fact, I'm not good at being funny by myself. But, I can quip with the best of them.

6. I'm not a snob. Girlfriend, my purse was a "free with purchase" and my shirt came off a clearance rack more than ten years ago. And I am cool with that. I know where all the good thrift and second hand stores are around here. Let's go shopping!

7. I am a work in progress. There are always things I need to work on with myself. I do get discouraged but I don't give up. There's always time to start (or finish) being awesome.

A Quick Hi & Bye

2011-03-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

I haven't felt like blogging just to blog lately. I have nothing interesting to blog about right now either.
I'm struggling with frugal shopping and eating. Mother Nature thought it would be funny to give us some snow today. This tired woman is too ready for spring.

I'll be back when I have a good reason to blog.

Another Little Reason to Drop Cable/Satellite

2011-02-25T10:24:00.000-08:00

You can view full episodes of shows on Disney Jr. Now my little boy can see the Chuggington's show he's been talking about.

Seriously, between the library, free redbox rentals, hulu, and by using our netflix account thru the Wii- we never miss having cable. We still have too much to watch. You can also go to other network sites to view full episodes of tv shows. I occasionally watch The Bachelor and Hoarders on my laptop while I fold laundry. I found old Bones episodes on hulu and have really enjoyed those recently too.

Add another 25 cents to the total

2011-02-16T06:42:00.000-08:00

From now on I think I'll just list any $1,000 goal money on my side bar.

Found a quarter in the washing machine.

What's For Dinner: Chik'N Enchiladas

2011-02-15T14:22:00.000-08:00

This will be my first time making enchiladas but I'm excited. I have to do some tweaking of the recipe I found (no pepper) but no big deal. I'm going to bake a sweet potato for our side dish.

Yum!

Mo' Money

2011-02-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

Found a dollar in the K-Mart parking lot.
Discovered 75 cents in the washing machine.

Received a check from Ebates.com for $25.92.

Baby, It's Cold Outside (and inside)

2011-02-09T08:47:00.001-08:00

Normally my husband is the one who's the big money saver around here. But, not when it comes to our heating bill.

I finally stopped turning the thermostat down to 67 because every time I did he would complain, tell me I was crazy for freezing us to death to save a few bucks, and turn it back to 72. I don't know. It's pretty cold in here since it's hanging around the teens outside. My feet are cold.
The kids don't seem to notice either way. I guess running around like a crazy monkey helps.
But, I have this idea that the colder it is outside, the easier it is to feel warm inside with a lower temperature. See, 60 degrees in our house right now would feel like a heat wave compared to what's outside.
So, I'm gonna go fiddle with the thermostat. Honey, you were warned.
Pardon me while I go find my fuzzy socks and make a mug of tea.

What's For Dinner: Homemade Skillet Helper

2011-02-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I have no idea what I'm going to make. Even if I start thinking about it early in the day. So, 5:30 rolled around and I decided to just start chopping and cooking stuff and see what happened. Apparently, the result was good enough that Big Girl had two helpings and
Hubby requested that I make my skillet concoction again. So before I forget I'm going to write down what I did.

Heat a tablespoon of sesame oil in a skillet
Then toss in:
1 shallot chopped
4 cloves of garlic- diced

Cook the garlic and shallot until lightly browned then add:

1/2 bag frozen Trader Joe's Stir Fry Vegetable mix
1/2 cup of frozen peas
About 8 chopped up veggie chic nuggets- chopped
2 cups of egg noodles
Enough water to cover the top of the food in the skillet

Sprinkle in: celery seed, some seasoned salt, some onion powder, a little paprika, and some vegetable gravy powder.

Cook on medium until all the water is absorbed and the noodles are soft.

Found a Penny- Lose A Pound

2011-02-07T16:07:00.000-08:00

I found my first bit of parking lot change yesterday. Add a penny to my $1000 goal.
I'm really going to have to kick in gear soon so I can start adding those numbers up. I don't think trolling parking lots is going to get us there very soon.

I started back up on Weight Watchers again. Luckily, I haven't gained much since I quit doing it a few months ago. But, I also still have a long way to go. Tonight I start going to zumba once a week again too.

Lots of other busyness here with two kid's birthday parties this month. February is craziness here.
As for Valentine's Day I don't think Hubby and I have anything planned. I don't want anything else to do right now anyway.

What's For Dinner: Tomato Rice Soup and Clearance Rack Bread

2011-02-02T16:51:00.000-08:00

I found a box of Mississippi Delta Tomato Rice Soup in the pantry. I added a few chopped up pieces of veggie meat chunks and a few tablespoons of thick cream. A small loaf of cottage bread I found on the clearance rack tonight rounded out the meal.
I topped the piping hot bowls of soup with chunks of queso fresco.

I'm the only one that really likes this soup. Luckily for me we have leftovers.

Newest Additions to Our Fur Family

2011-02-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

Here we have Sarah the cat and Road Runner the mouse. They aren't really new though. Sarah was adopted last May and Road Runner was saved from being snake food in November.
Unfortunately, you can't see Sarah's silly face because she's sleeping (in my daughter's barbie clothes drawer). Imagine a smudge of mustard across her top lip and a blot of black ink under her chin. She's quite comical and sweet which is a bonus.

Links & Thinks

2011-02-02T07:44:00.000-08:00

Angel Food Ministries
I made my first Angel Food Ministries purchase yesterday. The main reason I haven't bothered to order before is because the main food boxes are pretty heavy on raw meat. Now they have an assortment of boxes so I picked three that were heavy on fruits and vegetables and had canned meat products that I can easily donate. I don't know that I'm saving money but I won't have to buy fruit or veg for a while after I pick up our boxes.

What's On My Mind
I don't very often feel lack. Sure there are times when I feel stifled by our careful spending. Sometimes I want to spend a lot of money on a nice pair or shoes or a purse. Sometimes I want to have my car repainted so the scratches and dings don't show. Sometimes I want to consider a trip to Disneyland without thinking about cheap air fare and free hotel nights. But those times are pretty rare.
Being poor has been on my mind a lot lately. How much could I learn from someone who truly has a hand to mouth existence? What am I leaving out in an effort to be frugal? I'm sure that my online shopping would be in sharp decline. How much extra money would we be able to send towards reducing our mortgage debt?
Along with that I've been thinking about going back into the work force. For this Mama who has been out of work taking care of kiddos for ten years attempting to enter the working world in a recession is more than scary. But I've having that nagging feeling more and more lately that I'm not pulling my weight and I am beginning to feel obsolete. Thinking about putting my kids in day care doesn't help. I would be spending more on day care than I would make most likely.

Two New Blogs I've Been Enjoying

I am the Working Poor

Food Stamp Cooking Club

Having a Nice Ice Day

2011-02-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

We don't have the snowy blizzardy downfall yet but I can hear the ice pellets hitting even with a ceiling fan and the speakers booming from the kids movie. School was canceled and hubby elected to do some work from home today (amen).

I have the fireplace cleaned out and hubby loaded it with our backyard log/stick debris. I am ready with granola bars, muffins, boiled eggs, and peanut butter if our power goes out. I set out extra candles in case we need them. I do wish I had a 72 hour emergency kit prepared.

Now I just have to go about my normal day with no where to go.

Laundry (natch)
Dishes (natch)
Reading (decadence)
Baking (snickerdoodles and bread machine naan)
General Tidying and Taking Care of Cluttered Up Flat Surfaces
Snuggling!
Hot Cocoa
Indian Food for the adults. Something similar to this curry recipe but with fewer ingredients since I don't have much but sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, onions, garlic and ginger.
Comfort Food for the kiddos- ramen noodle soup or pbjs.

One tiny step closer to 1000

2011-01-28T15:41:00.000-08:00

Got a rebate in the mail today for $3.78. Every bit counts.

Live Like No One Else So I Can Live Like No One Else

2011-01-28T14:16:00.000-08:00

Most of the time I am pretty content with our lifestyle and the way we shop- i.e. clearance racks and thrift stores. Most of the time I don't worry about what other people buy and where they shop.
But, then some of the time I feel like I don't have good stuff. I don't shop well like some of my peer group. I should spend money on luxuries so we have nicer stuff. I am fairly impressionable at times.

So, today when two of my Mom buddies were chatting about buying good clothing at a local boutique (more expensive than Hanna Andersson for example) or going to Pottery Barn Kids store to redo a 4 year olds room, I didn't have much to impart. The fanciest thing I've bought lately is a no frills clearance rain coat from Lands End for my daughter because I couldn't find one second hand.
Then I started thinking maybe my kids need better clothing and decor. Maybe I should try harder than just making sure that their clothes don't clash or have visible stain or holes. Maybe I am being too cheap and I should spend more on their bedroom furnishings than I have.

So I came home and did some online shopping. But, I couldn't make myself spend $40 on a summer play dress for Big Girl. Plus, we don't really need anything. My Mom just bought the kids a ton of clothes and I just bought Big Girl a new outfit. I did spring for a Strasburg skirt from ebay for Easter. I think that took care of my urge.

I just needed to be reminded that what we have is good enough and we aren't living to impress anyone. I'd rather be mortgage free than have a fabulous home and wardrobe.

Helping A Starfish

2011-01-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

For years I've been mulling over sponsoring a child. Today was the day I made the decision to finally do it.

The cost is $38 a month to sponsor a child through Compassion. I can justify spending that much (and more) a month on frivolous stuff. I picked out a 4 year old girl living in Ecuador. It was hard to choose between so many. I just hurried and picked the first one that called to me. She has the cutest, silliest, round little face. I think my kids will like her too.

I've been bugging Hubby for a while about adopting another pet and maybe perhaps even another child. He's not on board with any of that and I really can't blame him. We have our hands full. But, my heart has room for more. I think this is what I was supposed to do all along. While I can't be her parent and I will probably never meet her, maybe I can make a small difference in her young life.

Pizza Crust and Online Shopping for Childrens Clothes

2011-01-25T13:42:00.000-08:00

We're having pizza for dinner. Lately every time the kids hear that we're having homemade pizza they start groaning and complaining. Meanwhile, Hubby and I love my pizza.
I decided to try another pizza crust recipe. This one is a bread machine Pizza Hut knock off. Since my daughter loves Pizza Hut, maybe this will finally win her over.
Our normal pizza dough machine recipe is perfectly fine though and more pantry friendly.

For toppings we have:
Hunt's Canned Sauce (standard $1 a can- will have leftovers)
Mozzarella (Aldi)
Mushrooms (produce clearance for .69 cents)
Sunflower seeds (seems weird but really good)
Feta cheese (on sale for $1)
Tomato Slices (leftover from last night)
Veggie Pepperoni (need to use up soon)

**update- The pizza hut crust was deemed delicious by me and Hubby and better than normal by my kiddos. The only downside is the lengthy cooking time for the crust. Next time I will cook it on a normal pizza pan.

Children's Place is having a clearance sale on select clothing items. Most of what I found online were smaller childrens clothes (12m - 3t) but I did manage to find a few things to buy. I bought two t shirts for my niece's birthdays in May and a fall outfit for Big Girl.
My total after shipping and taxes for three shirts and one pair of pants was $22.91. This is after I used a coupon code (check retailmenot.com) for 15% off any purchase. I also went through ebates.com. That saved me another 3%. (And I used my Discover card for 1% cash back). That brings my total for each item somewhere around $5.50).

Of course, considering that my Mom hit the motherlode with a stop at a thrift store that was having 25 cent sale on all clothes when she was on the way to my house- $5.50 per item seems outrageous. I think that if I only relied on my Mom's occasional second hand shopping to dress my kids, I probably would only have to buy soccer cleats and shin guards. She found a nice thick winter coat from Old Navy for Little Guy for $1. And it still had the hood attached. I spent $2 on a similar coat minus the hood for him at another thrift store on the sale rack. I think I'll sell the one I bought at our next garage sale and keep the one my Mom bought.

Free After Rebate Links and What's For Dinner Tonight

2011-01-24T16:14:00.000-08:00

Kellogg's Fiber Plus Cereal

Kellogg's Wheatables Crackers

Today is my 14th wedding anniversary. But, we're not really doing anything special tonight. Instead my Mom came up on Saturday to sit on our kids so we could escape to a local Drury for a staycation night. The one benefit of Hubby's frequent work travel is perks like free flights and free hotel stays. So, tonight is pretty low key. And I promised I'd cook tonight since we ate out a lot this weekend (Chinese take out, pizza, taco bell).

I wasn't exactly feeling inspired and was scrambling around to find something to put together.
So we're having-
Sliced avocado (on sale for .69 cents each) and sliced tomato (on sale for .99 a pound)
A bag of meatless "chicken" finger things (new brand I'm going to try
A box of au gratin potatoes I found in the pantry
Baked sugar snap peas (baking them with some spike, nutmeg, a bit of butter and some veggie broth)

I'm ready for another pantry challenge to clean out old stuff and work on new recipes. I'm ready to start making my own protein substitutes also. We're definitely in a food rut and I need to shake things up make it a bit healthier too by making more vegan foods. Vegan cooking is amazingly pantry friendly.

Rule #1 of Crock Potting For Dummies

2011-01-19T06:18:00.000-08:00

I'm a relative novice to crock pot cooking. Really the only thing I make with any consistency is a vegetarian chili.

Yesterday's craving for salisbury steak (boca style) led me into the kitchen at noon to start throwing things into the crock pot for dinner. I was ahead of the game! I knew what was for dinner and boy wouldn't flylady and hubby be happy with me. It smelled so good too. I was rocking the "What's for dinner" question.
Of course, I didn't realize that putting the egg noodles in the crock pot to cook with the gravy and bocas would turn them into a glutenous mush. I mean, a really yucky tasting glop. Only edible if you were truly starving. I wasted some good food yesterday but I learned a valuable lesson. I have to make my noodles separately.

One point for Dominos pizza.

$7 Closer to my 2011 Goal

2011-01-18T13:42:00.000-08:00

This was Hubby's rebate for his oil change but since I filled out the paperwork and mailed it off I'm deeming it my money. ; )

*the Castrol rebate deal has expired

So, that brings my goal total to $35.68 so far. Only $964.42 left to go.

What's On the Menu- Or How I Shopped A Lot This Week

2011-01-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

I normally like to do one normal grocery shop a week. But Monday I had to run to Walmart because we were out of something that we can only get there. So, I did my normal grocery shopping. Then Thursday was $10 off of $50 day at Shop N Save and I need to pick up my prescriptions anyway so I shopped again and bought some sale stuff and stocked up on veggie meat supplies. And then today I needed to go back to Walmart because I forgot the cat food on Monday and also I bought more milk and eggs because we were running low. Add that I was hungry because I hadn't had breakfast and before you know it I had extra food in the cart.
So, I've spent way more than I intended this week on groceries.
The bonus is that we're stocked up for a long time and we have plenty on hand to make meals.

It's not inspired but here's what we've eaten this week:

Monday- Vegetable pot pie with fresh orange cinnamon bread

Tuesday- Mac N Cheese with cut up hot dogs and broccoli

Wednesday- Cheddar and Mushroom quiche (made crustless w/baking mix), cabbage, and canned whole berry cranberry sauce (from a 15 cent mystery can my Mom gave me)
I made cranberry pecan bread with the leftover sauce.

Thursday- Daddy's away on a business trip and the kid's requested frozen pizza. I bought a cheese Red Baron on sale and put olives and veggie peperoni on it.

Friday- Pigs in a Blanket (made w/ Yves smart dogs) and a vegetable side dish.

Saturday- We usually end up eating leftovers or Taco Bell for lunch depending on what we're doing that day. But, we do have some leftovers to eat up this weekend.

Money Goal 2011- Found Another Penny

2011-01-12T14:11:00.000-08:00

The only advantage I can see is to being the family laundress is that I get to keep what I find in the washer. I also found a lego but i don't want to keep that.

Today's Food For Thought- Being Poor

2011-01-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

I've never been what most people typically label poor. My family always had plenty to eat, a roof over our heads, and transportation. I never lacked for what I needed. We never used food stamps. We did get government commodities from time to time when my Grandmother had more than she could use. I only vaguely remember one time when I felt anything near money worries. My dad had been laid off from his job and my Mom was supporting the five of us on her factory worker salary. My mom had taken me to Walmart to shop for some new church clothes and she splurged on a seriously marked down dress and and a pair of flats. My dad was angry about it. My dad never cared about what my Mom bought because she was always more frugal than him. But, I remember that one time he was angry about her shopping because he was very worried about money. I really loved that dress but every time I wore it I felt guilty about the money my mom had spent on it. My dad returned to work soon after that and things went back to normal.

There were times when I wished my family had more money. I wanted to go away to summer camp with my friend but it cost hundreds of dollars. I got the $12 week long church camp instead (where I had a ton of fun anyway). I wanted money for new clothes like Benetton or OP and I knew my Mom would never pay that much for my clothes. And I didn't realize that there was anything small or poor about my family's house until a friend's Mom dropped me off one time and gently told me, "You know, I used to live in a small house like this when I was young. There's nothing wrong with it."
We did shop at garage sales, Aldis, and the clearance rack. I did clip coupons for my Mom and once or twice we even dumpster dived at the recycling center. But, I don't consider those signs of being poor. In fact, I'm glad I grew up doing those things because those are skills I use and value to this day.

So, I really don't have any idea of what it's like to be really poor. That's why I've really enjoyed reading this old post by John Scalzi about what it's really like to be poor.

What I'm Thinking About For January

2011-01-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

Cleaning out my bedroom one bit at a time. Noni has inspired me to start tackling it with her closet clean out.

Starting a pile for another garage sale this spring. I really didn't enjoy our last garage sale but I do need to start getting some money together for my 2011 $1,000 goal.

Taking a load of better kids stuff to the consignment store to sell.

Making dinner at home every night. I'm really not enjoying our meals out lately. And our cupboard and freezer are full. Last night we had a pot pie made with veggie chic nuggets.
Tonight I think we're just having veggie dogs, mac n cheese and a side veg.

Making scratch substitutes for stuff when we run out instead of running to the store. I know how to make baking mix, cocoa mix, pancake syrup, laundry detergent, etc.

Planning two kid's birthday parties in February. I've got a plan started for Big Girl but need to schedule Little Guy's party. He wants to go swimming.

Snow Day

2011-01-11T06:57:00.001-08:00

A bit of a depression has landed on me since we finished the holidays. It's not unusual for me to feel a little let down after the first of the year. I start thinking about Christmas right after Thanksgiving and to have it end seemingly so soon with so little fanfare is a sadness to me. Also this was my first Christmas without my father and it was hard on my brothers and mom. I know how sick he was and I know he's in a better place now. But, Christmas was more emotional than I expected.
So, I've been dragging my feet about putting away our tree and decorations even though the boxes are in the way and the furniture should go back to it's normal placement. Today I have to clean off the mantle and I think we're nearly done.

The good news is that I get to keep my babies home with me today because it's a snow day. So far it's been a pretty quiet morning. I slept in a bit while they grabbed a snack from the fridge and played a card game. It's been a nice morning and now I have to make them some real food and get on with my day. I'm hoping for a great and productive day with my kiddos.

On a money goal note- we received a check for $26 from changing over our phone/internet provider and I'm adding that money to my pot.

Money Goal 2011- Made My First Penny

2011-01-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

I'm really getting a slow start on my goal.

I found a penny in the car when I cleaned today and I claimed it for my own.

Only $999.99 left to find/make.

I bypassed a load of beer cans in a trash can at the gas station today. Pretty soon I'll have to start keeping trash bags and gloves in my car so I can glean.

Happy 2011- My Main Goal for the new year

2011-01-03T11:09:00.001-08:00

Other than the normal belt tightening and waist whittling goals that accompany the new year I have another goal in mind.

I want to make (or otherwise obtain in a legal manner) $1,000 this year. I would like to be able to write a check to our mortgage company for that thousand by December 31st.
I don't have a paying job as a stay at home mom.
Gulp.

My first steps will be small ones. Later in the year I might get a temporary paying job to get me where I'm going.
For now it's going to be-
Selling things on Craigslist/Ebay
Consigning kids clothes
Garage Sales
Rebate checks
Found money (how many lost pennies will I have to find on the street?)
Recycling our cans
Babysitting on the high holy Jewish holidays

Merry Christmas & Happy Boxing Day

2010-12-26T10:50:00.000-08:00

This has been a truly blessed holiday season for us.

The night of the 23rd I took my daughter to see The Nutcracker Ballet and she loved it. It was so nice to see so many pretty little girls all dolled up in their holiday finery enjoying the ballet with their families. I think we may have to do this again next year. Thanks to Groupon for the discounted tickets. Hubby got in some guy time with my son at an indoor swimming pool with slides and a whirlpool.

On the 24th Hubby and the kids delivered cookie tins to our neighbors. It started snowing so we had a wonderful fluffy white Christmas. The kids played and made a snowman. We had a lazy afternoon. I got a nap in. We enjoyed an evening candlelight church service then went in search of something to eat for dinner. Most restaurants were closed and we settled on getting some true junk food from the gas station. While we snacked on hot cocoa and Bugles, Hubby drove us around our neighborhood to check out the holiday lights. Next year I'll make sure to pack pb&j's or something healthier. Oh well, we had a really good time.
Then it was time for lights out and tuck ins and our excited children finally closed their little eyes.

Then Christmas morning we all dashed downstairs to see what was under the tree. I love watching their little faces light up as they opened all their gifts. I'm definitely going to be garage saling for gifts again next year. Big Girl loves the Polly Pocket art stuff I picked up in June. It's among her favorites. We spent the day with my side of the family eating cheese ball, baked beans, deviled eggs, and homemade pie and candy. After we put the kids to bed Hubby and I settled in with a bottle of sparkling wine and the first season of Big Bang Theory. It was truly a great way to end Christmas.

Today we're all still in our jammies. We've snacked on leftover caramel rolls and I just made a pot of ramen noodle soup with veggies. There are no plans and nowhere to go and life is very good.

This week I'll be thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2011.
Happy Holiday Season!

Overstuffed- I Bought Too Much For the Kids

2010-12-22T14:03:00.000-08:00

After I had sorted through all the toys and stocking stuffers, it seems I have a wee bit too much.

I decided to save half the stocking stuffers for Easter Baskets and part of the big toys for their birthdays in February rather than give them too much right now.
I'm still working on giving them the right amount that makes for a good Christmas without overdoing it.
It's just so hard when I see so much I'd like to give them. Especially when it's a good deal.

Feeling that Christmassy Feeling.

2010-12-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

I have many chores left undone and cookies yet to bake and gifts yet to be delivered.

Yet, I'm smiling because dinner is pretty much done. I'm about caught up on laundry.
My husband is on his way home. My kids are healthy. I'm healthy. All my shopping is done. Most of my wrapping is done. My kids have been pretty well behaved and very loving lately.
And there's only one more day of school and work until Christmas vacation.
All that other stuff will get done. And I'll probably be listening to Christmas music while I do 'em.

Tonight I'm going to be working on:
Making candy out of pretzels and peppermint chips.
Making cookies out of Almond Crescent dough I have in the fridge.
Cleaning the stinky mouse cage
Putting away more laundry.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas

2010-12-19T15:06:00.000-08:00

I've been squirrelling away stocking stuffers for months. My favorite part of Christmas morning is watching everyone dump their stockings and go through the goodies. I love getting stuff in my stocking too and Hubby and the kids are really good at shopping for me.

Candy (Walgreens had some chocolate figurines on sale for .29 cents in their ad)
Gum
Pens/Pencils/Markers
Scotch Tape (if you have a little girl like mine who likes to "invent")
Mini staplers/staples
Super Glue- My Hubby loves Lock Tite
String/Twine (for the handy type guy or the inventing child)
Nail Polish
Nail Files
Sharpies (I asked for sharpies this year)
Mini bottles of lotion and bath gel
Batteries
Hot Wheels or Match Box cars
Polly Pockets (great use of gently used yard sale purchased dolls- bonus is they come with shoes)
Stockpiled McDonalds toys
Lip Balm (plain flavor non shiny for the guys)
Cartoon Band Aids
Stickers
Tooth brushes
Socks
Nuts (my daughter loves pistachios)
Mini liquor bottles (for the adults only, ahem)
Eye glass repair kit
Bubbles
Homemade Scribble Cookies
Homemade Bean Bags
Cd and Dvds (bonus if thrifted, swapa dvd'd, or garage saled)
Hair Clips and Pony Tail Holders
Aquarium stuff like fish pellets, weekend feeder, or chlorine remover for those who have fish
Plant Food Sticks
Seeds for the gardener
Mini Sewing Kits (even the ones you get at nicer hotels)
Laundry Detergent Samples (great for college students)
Favorite Fruit- My Hubby loves mangoes
Pet Nail Clippers for your animal lover

What else could you put in a stocking? Feel free to comment.

What's in the Works- Making Gingery Things in the Kitchen

2010-12-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try this recipe for Gingerbread Creamer. If I like it, I might bag up some to give out as neighbor gifts.

I'm also planning on making a pan of these ginger snaps. I like them as a bar cookie and I use half white/half wheat flour. I amp up the ginger a bit for Hubby.

I lucked into some Trader Joe's Sugar Cookie Kits today for .99 cents each on clearance. They come with cutters, frosting, and colored sugars. I think this might round out my Christmas baking. Here's a review of the cookie kit. I dropped off a box for my friend who's stuck at home with sick children who are climbing the walls with boredom. I think I'll use the extra cookie cutters as decoration for the neighbors cookie bags.

Does it make sense?

2010-12-14T14:01:00.000-08:00

It's 20 degrees outside. Yet I get so hot in my car with my coat and gloves on, my seat warmer on, and my heater on that I order an iced drink.

Dear Starbucks,
I'm glad I'm not addicted to you because it was almost $5 for a venti iced drink.
Merry Christmas!

Randomness

2010-12-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

I went ahead and ordered drugstore stuff online since the shipping was free. One more reason to stay out of any "marts" until January. And I went thru ebates to get my little $1.25 back.

This evening Big Girl had a soccer game and afterwards I ran thru Save-A-Lot to get a few groceries. When we got home my Mom had made dinner from stuff I didn't remember we had in our pantry. This was awesome because:
1. Yay! I didn't have to make dinner.
2. We ate up stuff we had.
3. Since I bought it, it was stuff I wanted to eat.
Win, Win, Win.
And also, she and Little Guy had made peanut butter cookies. Love you, Mom.

I'm really turned off lately by bloggers that have turned their blogs into money making opportunities and little else. I really don't want to read blogs about things I could buy at Walmart or hear about special trips people got to take to schill something for a company. It's a rant I know. I appreciate people trying to make a living from their blogs but I feel like I'm reading a commercial. Also, if you tell me to sign up for something because you'll get $$$ out of the deal, chances are that if I do sign up for it I'll do it without using your link. Not that I'm against people making money but to me that seems like asking someone out to lunch and then using a 2 for 1 coupon and making the other person pay for their portion. Greed stinks.

I should just do all my Christmas Shopping Online and In Thrift Stores

2010-12-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

The title pretty much sums everything up.

Oh, and Walgreens for stocking candy. Because you know, you really can't find good candy at the thrift store. At least not the disgusting Sponge Bob gummy thing I bought for Big Girl.

Anyway, Hubby took the kids to a pajama party Christmas thing at church this morning so Mom and I ducked out for some super not-so-retail therapy.

Our first stop was the Goodwill. All Christmas was half off so naturally I picked up some wrapping paper that I don't really need but I guess wrapping paper is a Christmas gazingus pin for me. I also picked up a few kids books and a Starbucks coffee mug for a quarter. Mom was in the market for a new book or two to read so she picked up two hardbacks. What I really enjoyed was seeing people obviously shopping for presents in the toy and doo dad aisles. One lady in particular was gingerly picking up things and looking them over really well before she placed them in her cart. See, you can be a thoughtful thrift store gifter too!

Then we decided to check out the Feed My People thrift store which is a little country thrift store where volunteers sort and price the merchandise. You can find a lot of needle pointed pillow cases and bits and bobs of ribbon ends bagged together for a quarter. Today they had books for a nickle apiece. And then they rolled out a cart of Sara Lee bread for everyone to take a loaf or two since the pantry had extra bread. It was like we won the lottery! I bought new packages of Christmas ribbon and stocking stuffers of new glitter and a tonka truck for a quarter a apiece.
I picked up a copy of The Tao of Physics for my nerd husband or one of his nerd friends. For a Nickel! I passed by a complete set of Hot Wheels track, a bag full of Noah's Ark figurines, and other great toys. I just didn't need any more big presents. I spent about $7 but bought a lot of stuff. I could have bought our kids entire Christmas (minus gross Sponge Bob candy) for less than $20 today.
My Mom spent 45 cents on book and left with two loaves of bread. I think she was quite tickled.

Maybe next year I'll do the bulk of my shopping at Goodwill and Feed My People.

A Run Through Target

2010-12-10T13:32:00.000-08:00

I wasn't planning on shopping today but after a visit to the pediatrician with Big Girl, the dr. advised I give her half a tab of generic zantac for her upset tummy. She is cleared to go to school on Monday unless some other illness befalls her. Yay!

Off to Target we go.

We tried to hurry through the store but we all know December makes for stupid slow shopping.

We bought-
Generic zantac
Bag of pine shreds for the mouse
Box of Morningstar bacon (our favorite snack of late)
$1 box of Fiddle Faddle to stretch the Mail Carriers gift. I spent $3 total on the gift.

I had a coupon for $1.50 off of three Market Pantry items so I picked up:
Can of mixed nuts (to go into the adopted family box)
Microwave Popcorn (adopted family)
Peanut Butter

My total was $20. Now if I can just stay out of any stores until grocery day it will all be good.
Perhaps I will be one of those people who gets up at the crack of dawn to shop at WalMart before the rest of the world is awake. At least until January.

Christmas Deals for Your Tiny Train Enthusiasts.

2010-12-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

We're lucky enough to have a Whittle Shortline train store just a few minutes away. I've only bought a few of their wooden trains, but I can tell you that the quality is great.

Right now they have a sale on some of their Christmas train stuff. If you're still looking for a Christmas present for a small train enthusiast, you could still score a good deal on these American made wooden trains. The set pictured above in on sale for $20.00. If you've ever priced wooden Thomas trains then you know this is a good deal.

Guess What I Did?

2010-12-09T12:42:00.001-08:00

I went into K-Mart today with Mom and I left empty handed.

Housework Waits For No Mom

2010-12-08T11:52:00.001-08:00

Day two and a half of Big Girl being home with me. She's had an upset stomach. She's been a real joy to deal with and didn't even complain when I pulled out some workbooks for her to work on today. I also picked up her homework packet from school. I doubt she'll be as uncomplaining when those get pulled out tonight. I did get her to take some pepto bismol so hopefully she'll be feeling better soon.

My Mom is coming today and my house is a complete disaster.

One thing after another is breaking down in our home.
Hubby installed my new dishwasher on Tuesday. Yay for clean dishes!
On Wednesday my dryer started acting funny and not drying right. Hubby fixed it this morning by jiggling things around.
This morning our downstairs toilet is backed up.
Just one little annoying thing after another. No big deal.

I started reading Room by Emma Donoghue. I really don't want to put it down even though I need to go clean the kid's bathroom and work on my son's bed sheets for my Mom's visit. It's been so long since I have read a good book, I'm really looking forward to getting into it.

I scheduled a charity pick up for our stock piled donations that are taking up valuable real estate in our living area. Goodbye Wiggles Christmas videos. Little Guy has finally outgrown you. (can I get an amen?)

Gotta get upstairs and get my vinegar and baking soda cleaning on.

Making Merry Despite It All

2010-12-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

I finally got a call today declaring that I do indeed have an adopted Christmas family to shop for. The drop off is in less than a week.
I ignored those initial feelings of being put upon at such a late date. I signed up for this after all. So I put on my shoes, packed my jacket with tissues, and set out to shop for my adopted family.

I spent $88 on food at Aldi to round out what I'd already stock piled. It adds up so fast. I never spend that much on ourselves at Aldi. But, this food is supposed to last for two weeks and I have to shop with the impression of an empty pantry. I also bought a winter coat for the three year old on the family list.

Now, this past week I have been the definition of dumpy. I wear a pair of sweats daily. My face has not seen make up since last Monday. I don't want to put lipstick on these cracked and chapped lips. And I really need to visit my hairdresser for a color and a cut. My hair is a sad mess being kept only slightly in check by both a barrette and a ponytail. So, in essence I'm not exactly feeling pretty lately.

That didn't help when I lumbered into the very packed toy aisle of Target (at 1 pm on a Tuesday, people!) looking for a tonka truck for my "adopted" 3 year old. Every single one of the women there had on makeup, had their hair done up, were wearing nice coats, and had a snarl of entitlement and grouch on their face. They looked good but they acted bad. Pretty much my opposite today. I kept my chin up even though it was hard. I picked out a nice little Tonka dump truck for his toy.

That is my last holiday purchase of 2010. I will let myself off the hook and declare what I have bought as enough.

The house is an ultra disaster after a week of barely doing anything other than coughing, wheezing, groaning and moving from the couch to the bed. I'm trying to ignore it. It will get done eventually when I have more time and feel better.

I've got beer bread in the oven and a package of soup that just needs the addition of water. Dinner is taken care of.

My Mom will be here tomorrow and things are looking up.

Limping But Going Nonetheless

2010-12-05T15:23:00.000-08:00

Sometimes things just need to be done.

Fed and watered the dog. Timed it an it took less than a minute for both.

Unloaded and loaded the dishwasher. The sink was full of nastiness. No longer.

Folded the cold and forgotten load of laundry in the dryer and found another day of reprieve from naked children. There were outfits for both of them to wear tomorrow included in the pile.
Gathered all dirties from the downstairs and did that load. Hubby's in luck. He now has a few pairs of clean socks for work this week. Wondering why so many of Hubby's dirty socks ended up downstairs?

Had Little Guy help me spread out the quilt under the tree for a skirt.
Wrapped two Christmas presents and stuck them under the tree.

Looked up a recipe for Sweet Potato Pie because I have a lot of sweet potatoes to use up. I think I'll make one to eat and one to freeze for Christmas. Do I bake them before or after I freeze them?

For Dinner Hubby's reheating Egg Foo Young leftovers from our lunch out yesterday. I felt good for a few hours and really wanted to get out of the house and enjoy a hot bowl of soup.

Yesterday we also took care of getting that Brownie exchange ornament at Cracker Barrel yesterday since it was next door to the Chinese restaurant we ate lunch at. We found a pretty one on the 40% rack for $1.74 and had it wrapped there. It's much nicer than I could have done myself.

Can't Wait To Get Started

2010-12-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

The virus has turned into a head cold. I'm not complaining although I want to. Mostly I'm starting to feel annoyed that I am so behind.
I got by last week because I had all our laundry caught up and put away and our grocery shopping done. Well, this week there are piles of dirty clothes to wash and we're starting to run low on food stuff.
I just want to be healthy again. My family isn't functioning so well with me not functioning so well.
Maybe tomorrow I'll wake up as Super Mom.

Why???????

2010-12-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

Why will my boy child refuse to eat good homemade food I've made and happily eat from a loaf of old bread that I've thrown in the trash?

Food waste seems to occur with sickness or busyness around here.

Sitting here alone with my cocoa

2010-12-03T17:09:00.001-08:00

Hubby and I share most everything. And now he has passed down his nasty virus that kept him home from work all of last week. Yay!

I'm feeling a bit better little by little. Being home with the four year old was beginning to wear me thin though. I sent Hubby and the kids out for dinner tonight. And now I am missing my family and don't feel good enough to do any chores that have been piling up or any Christmas cards or present wrapping. I did about three Christmas cards today before I gave up because it was making me snarly. Not the right mood to address Christmas cards.

I'm hoping tomorrow is better. I plan on sleeping in tomorrow. The past two nights I have been up between 4:30 and 5:00 feeling miserable. I'd take a pill and then fall blissfully back asleep for half an hour before the dingity danged alarm clock went off and ruined my happiness. Children must be fed and sent to school no matter how crumby I feel. But, tomorrow morning is mine! Muahhahhhha.

I'm glad I did a shop till you drop earlier in the week right now. We have plenty of food and I am done shopping for gifts. I ended up just buying Little Debbie holiday cakes for the trash and recycling guys but since I don't actually know who they are or have a personal relationship with them, I feel that is acceptable.

I haven't heard back from the food pantry about adopting a family yet and I'm starting to worry. I started stockpiling food stuffs. If I don't hear back by next week I'll just make a lump donation to them and consider that my holiday good deed. I also have a lot of donations to make to their thrift store. So, they can make a bit of money from my donations and get out the food that I bought for the adopted family.

My kids have a date with Santa tomorrow morning. I guess I do need to get up early enough to comb the snarls out of Big Girls hair and put a bow in for her. I'm hoping they don't ask for something that I haven't already bought for them because they won't get it because I am done done done shopping.

Today I did find out that I have to bring a new ornament for a gift exchange at the next Brownie meeting. The kids got their yearly ornaments from Cracker Barrel this year for .99 cents. They have free gift wrapping so maybe I'll take Big Girl there to check them out. The ornaments have to be new with tags so I can't gift one of the cute salt dough ornaments that we made in November. They are now gracing our Christmas tree.

And now I'm going to lay on the couch like a slug and think about all the chores that are going undone and wishing my ~~annoying~~ wonderful family would come back because I miss them.
Tomorrow is a new day, dang it.

Done with That-Onto this

2010-11-30T17:19:00.000-08:00

Done with This

I finished my Christmas shopping today. I picked up some last minute Lotto Scratchers (a family tradition) at a gas station. Then the kids and I ran through Target and bought food items for the mail carrier, recycling guys, and the trash men. Tomorrow I take my credit card out of my purse. I'm out of cash so I'll be limping along with my debit card for gas and grocery purchases. I've spent more for this Christmas than in years past, I'm almost sure. I'm glad all shopping is done. Now I just have to wrap and send.
Here's to a joyful December!

Onto This
Ever had one of those moments where rational thinking goes out the window and you do something impulsive? I guess it's not really that impulsive since I've been thinking about it for awhile.

Today I bought mice for pets. I have always had an affinity for rodents and have had many hamsters and mice before. While I think hamsters are a lot cuter and cuddlier, they also have a nasty bite. Mice don't bite. But, they do stink a lot.

I also bought a cage with kit for them while I was in the pet store. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying close attention and bought a cage that has bars that are a bit too wide and they can sneak through. Hubby found one sitting on top of the cage when he came home. They are both black and white males. One is fuzzier than the other. The fuzzy one is wily. Little Guy named him Stabber. The sleek one is shy and timid. Big Girl named him Road Runner. I'm probably going to regret this purchase before long but we're having fun watching them run around in a ball right now while Hubby is on his way to Petco to get a better cage for them. He's being a real sport about it since I didn't consult him about our new pets. I KNOW I told him what he was getting into when he married me with the pet situation. I've never been without a pet. Even when I lived in the dorms at college, I had a contraband pet mouse named Morton. He was awesome and sneezed every time you held him. He lived for about three years. I don't know if Road Runner and Stabber will live up to his legacy.

Our pet total comes to 5.
One Abby dog (the best dog in the world!)
Two Cats- Mr. Fusty (big, furry, grumpy, and snuggly) and Sarah (docile, agile, and very silly)
Two Mice- Stabber and Road Runner (withholding judgement until further notice)

Christmas Consumer Crapfest

2010-11-29T12:46:00.000-08:00

On December 1st I will officially be done Christmas shopping. Whether I like it or not.

Yesterday, on a long drive to Grandma's house our family had a discussion (again) concerning the fact that Christmas is not a holiday about presents but rather about rejoicing in the birth of our Savior. I love to give gifts. I love wrapping presents with bows and ribbons. I like finding good gifts I know people will like. I love stuffing stockings with little treats. I wonder if I get so excited by the giving part of it that I am not properly displaying the true meaning of the holiday to my young children.

I want all of December to be about doing fun family things together- watching holiday movies, sipping cocoa, worship, retelling the Christmas story, making gingerbread houses, and baking cookies for the neighbors. I want to make the holiday more magical by doing less shopping and more relaxing. And not just for my children but for myself as well.

One more day to get Daddy's last Christmas gift!

How are you making your holidays less stressful?

Blackish Friday

2010-11-27T07:41:00.000-08:00

Nothing has gone as planned this Thanksgiving. Our trip to the In-laws farm in Indiana was canceled because our Dr. thought Hubby might have mono. Turns out he just has some other generic virus and is feeling better everyday.

Little Guy and Big Girl have been playing musical beds and you never quite know who's going to turn up in your room in the dead of night. This crowds out Hubby who has a hard time sleeping anyway, and he ends up going to one of the kids beds. So, I'm usually the only one who wakes up in the bed they went to sleep in.

So, without a holiday plan in place and with nightly sleep interruptions I have been a little foggy. Wednesday Big Girl informed me that Polly Pockets were no longer a toy she was interested in playing with. I have a nice collection of Polly Pockets (some new, some pristine garage saled condition) in a pretty case stored away as a big Christmas present. Oops.
So, I asked what she really wanted. Enter Squinkies. They are tiny rubber toys that look like gumball machine fodder. A few months ago we found a small set of these at Target on clearance. I let her buy them with her own money. Apparently, a few is not enough.
Target is the only store around here that carries them. Target opened at 4 am on Black Friday.

Guess who was awake during the musical beds portion of our evening at 3:30 on Thursday?
I showered and left the building. Driving down the road in the dark I had brief thoughts of how it would probably just be me and a few other people in the store at that hour. Um, pardon my first timer Black Friday ignorance. I had to park across the road at another store. It was cold.
I began to wonder how badly nightly sleep disturbances had affected my rational thinking. When I got up to the sidewalk of the Target I had to walk past the debris left behind from the overnight campers. Bottles, folding chair covers, portable heaters, all tossed aside like a marauding rabid bear had come charging and they had to run for their lives.
I entered the store at 4:20. I left the store at 6:30. An hour and a half of that time was spent waiting in line for a cashier. I got the Squinkies and a few other items others discarded that I picked off the shelves while I waited in the long curling queue thru housewares.
Anyway, that was my first and probably last experience as a Black Friday shopper. Especially alone. Others traveled in pairs or as a family and were able to leave the line to go to the bathroom, get drinks from the open cafe, or to retrieve forgotten wanted items from store shelves. I was a one woman army determined to leave that store with a blister pack of Squinkies which consequently were not even on sale and also in great supply.
Mission Accomplished.

Getting Spendy Up in Here

2010-11-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

Wowee Wow Wow. Our Discover card bill is $6,000 this month. Ouch. About half of that is two trips to the mechanic for both of ours to have routine maintenance/tires and Hubby's work expenses that he gets reimbursed for. The rest is mostly free spending and willy nilly dinners/lunches out.
We'll pay it off this month but Ouch.
The one good thing is that I have managed to scramble together a lot of gift cards for Christmas presents from our cash back rewards. I have only three kids presents left to buy for Christmas.
Looking for a fresh start sometime soon. I'm also waiting for our mortgage bill to come in the mail so I can see the drop our recent 10 G payment made in our balance. I keep forgetting how badly I want to get the mortgage monkey off of our back. Maybe I should tape the mortgage balance on my credit card so I see what is really important to me before I swipe my card.

Off to rescue what's left of this day.