Just one more!

I've had people ask how I can live in such a small (745 sq. ft.) home. I've replied that I'm just as content as can be since we previously lived in 300 sq. ft. for 2 1/2 years while waiting for my husband to get on disability. So 745 sq. ft. seems BIG in comparison. But, I always end that statement with...'I am so content on a daily basis EXCEPT for the fact that we don't have room for the entire family to come for the holidays.'

My hydrangeas are so big this year. I think planting tin cans around the roots helped. 

Recently, it dawned on me that if I were content then were would be no exceptions. Contentment means you have enough and need nothing else. You know that feeling after eating at a smorgasbord?  You've had enough and it's sufficient! You can't eat another bite, not even dessert. You are satisfied. That is the meaning of the word content in Scripture.

But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 
1Ti 6:8  ESV

Content: (G714) ἀρκέω: be content, be enough, suffice, be sufficient.

I realized at that moment that I have not been practicing contentment. I was ashamed to think that after the Lord had blessed us with our own home that I still lacked a thankful heart. I wanted just ONE MORE THING!

Not much has changed since the Garden of Eden, has it? Eve wasn't content with what the Lord had provided and wanted something more and here I am years later doing the same thing. 

But by God's grace my eyes are open now and by His grace I purpose to be content with all the aspects of living in my little adobe!

The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men. Psalm 37:16    Net Bible

***

Here are a few things I've been doing lately: 

1. I've been making homemade laundry detergent for many, many years. It's one of my biggest money savers. I made a new batch which fills a 5 pound bucket. I use 1/2 to 1 cup of detergent for each laundry load. I use the Dugger's recipe.

Dugger's Laundry Soap

4 c. hot water

1 Fels Naptha bar

1 cup Washing Soda

1/2 cup Borax

1. Grate bar. Add to water.

2. Melt soap over low heat. 

3. Fill 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full with hot water. 

4. Add above mixture. Stir till dissolved. 

5.  Fill bucket to top with hot water.

Our 'girl' checking out the tomato bed. 

2. I was also out of my homemade stain removal. This recipe has worked very well for me. 

2/3 cup Dawn (or other dishsoap, but I always use Dawn)

2/3 cup ammonia ( I used AWESOME cleaner from the Dollar Tree because I was out of ammonia)

6 TBSP. baking soda

2 c. warm water

Mix together. Shake before use. I keep this in a glass jar and use a toothbrush which I dip into the stain remover and rub on to the stain.

3. I bought a Comfrey plant off of Ebay last year. I read to let it grow the first year and to wait until the second year to harvest it. A few weeks ago I cut enough leaves to fill half of a 5 pound bucket. I used a brick to weigh the leaves down while I poured water over the top. I put a lid on top because I've read that the smell is pretty strong as it matures. It's 'fermenting' at the back of our yard for the next 6 weeks and then we'll use the 'tea' to fertilize the tomatoes and throw the leaves in the compost bin.

4. I figured out partly why I was having problems with my budget. I accidentally left out a $100 item. DUMB! I'm hoping next month's budget will be balanced now that I found the problem. I find it so important to keep a close eye on my budget. One mistake can send my finances into a tailspin.

This is Miss Alice's cactus which is now living with me. I pray for her when
I pass by her cactus. I love it's blooms.  

5. I prayed hard this past week before I went shopping and asked the Lord to help me stretch my grocery money for the week. This was a 5 week pay period and my new inflammation-free diet has put a strain on my budget along with rising prices. I saw a red sticker on a flat of eggs marked down 1/2 off. The next dollar store I went to had their eggs marked down to .25 cents for 6 eggs. I asked a clerk if they had any more at that price and they did. Laine taught me to pray as I enter a store... "Lord give me eyes to see"... and He does.

6. I've learned where the mark down items are in the grocery stores where I shop. I've asked clerks to point out mark downs, too. Last week I found a bag of artichokes marked down to .99. They were a bit brown but cooked up just fine. I also found a bag of over ripe bananas for .99. I only use about an inch in our smoothies so I froze them.

7. I'm making more of an effort to save my change and keep it out of my purse. Once I break a dollar I try to save the change. I'll find a specific use for it.

8. Did you know Costco accepts manufacture coupons on Nature Made vitamins? There is a reward code on their vitamins. If you sign up on their webpage and put the reward code in each time you buy a new bottle you can earn a $5 coupon. There given an option for a Costco coupon. I buy their Triple Flex when it's on sale for $6 off and try to time it to use the $5 coupon at the same time.

9. I made several batches of sugar free blackberry jam from our bushes. This is their second year and we're getting a good crop. The raspberries are doing well, too. I'm freezing the blackberries in 4 cup measurements to use for pies this summer when company visits. The raspberries and strawberries are being frozen for low carb protein shakes. I never would have imagine that our small city lot could produce such wonderful fruit and vegetables.

10. What I didn't throw away:
     ~ Egg shells (compost for tomatoes)
     ~ Low Carb tortilla bag (reused)
     ~ Back of paper for scrap paper
     ~ Dish rinse water (used it to soak next load of dishes)
     ~ Cardboard egg carton (store garlic bulbs from garden)
     ~ Tea bag strings (tied 3 together and use in the garden to tie up plants)
     ~ Tea bags (compost)

So that's just a few highlights of my week. What have you ladies been doing in your home lately? Are you learning to be content with what you've been given?

Blessed to be home,

Georgene

Know when to quit!

Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich. 

Be wise enough to know when to quit. 

Proverbs 23:4 NLT

 I can remember a very specific time in our marriage when I was not content with my husband's income and ended up wearing myself out to make more money. I wanted just $50 more a month to spend on gifts for my relatives at Christmas and birthdays. So I racked my brain until I came up with the idea to start a used curriculum business for homeschoolers. The business grew and eventually brought in a decent second income but my family paid a high price for my lack of contentment. I wore myself out trying to make extra money and it put a strain on our home and our relationships. My best was given to the customers in the store and my family was given the leftovers of my energy.  All because I lacked faith that God would provide through my husband and a lack of contentment with his wages. If only I had been wise enough to know when to quit as the scripture says above.

Recently I am learning how this scripture speaks to my life today. I'm learning that frugality can wear a person out, too.  There have been times when I've crammed so many frugal duties into my day that my exhaustion tempted me to be less patient with my husband. I've had to ask myself lately if I'm elevating saving money over loving my husband well?

What is more important? Saving a few pennies or my relationship with my husband? The answer is obvious but how do I work this out daily? A few days ago I found myself feeling anxious as I rushed through three loads of laundry that needed to be hung and bread rising in the breadmakers and my Monday housecleaning that needed to be done. So I did the unthinkable and threw a load of towels in the dryer and you know what... the world did not come to an end! *wink* I also chose to not compost that day and made other small choices to make it easier to walk in the Spirit rather than put myself in a position to be tempted to sin by being impatient with my husband.

God's ways are so much higher than our ways. Our culture says we need more and better.  Our flesh always screams for just one more and something new. But contentment in every situation gives us rest from all that our flesh is screaming for. Why can we be content? Because HE will NEVER leave us! His ways are so wise! He only wants what is best for us and our families.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  Hebrews 13:5 ESV

But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 1Timothy 6:8  ESV

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:3-5 ESV


**~**~**~**

Here are a few things I did in my home this week:

1. I cut my husband's hair this past week as I've been doing for 30 years. Boy has it saved me a lot of money through the years.

2. Another garden plot was added for tomatoes. They are doing beautifully! There is a chance we'll end up with no lawn at all as our veggie garden slowly takes over!

New tomato bed. 

3. I'm still eating Paleo/Low carb. I've found a yummy (to me) ice cream recipe. I've taken it to family gatherings and it's helped me not to be tempted to indulge in high sugar goodies! I can't remember where I found this recipe so if you recognize it then please let me know so I can give you credit.

Chocolate Low Carb Ice Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk 

(I used 1/2 can of coconut cream from Trader Joe

 and coconut milk to fill the rest of the can)

4 Tbsp. Hershey's cocoa

4 Tbsp. Truvia (I used 4 Tbsp. Erythritol and 1/8 tsp. Kal Stevia)

4 egg yolks (I used 4 egg whites)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 package Knox gelatin (I used 1 package)

The original recipe calls for heating the milk on low flame and then mixing in the rest of the ingredients until it reaches 175 degrees and then cool down. This is the recommended way to cook eggs for ice cream. I didn't do this though and just mixed up all the ingredients and poured it into my 

ice cream maker.  It's the kind of ice cream maker that you put the tub in the freezer and don't use ice or rock salt. I then scoop it into Popsicle holders. 

4.  I've heard that our city may be  in a drought so I'm trying to conserve water. I hate to see water running down the drain while waiting for it to heat up to wash my dishes. So, I'm running the cold water into an 8 cup plastic measuring cup. I tried doing this a few years ago but I was running the water into a bucket instead.  It was hurting my back and neck so I stopped the practice. The measuring cup is small enough that it's not putting a strain on my back. I have a small bucket on the back step that I throw it in and it's used to water the plants near the back step.

5.  I've added a 'vegetable garden envelope' to my budget. There's been a pattern of purchasing potting soil and seeds and fertilizer in the spring so I need to budget for this expense. This year I took it out of other 'envelopes' which is not a good practice. I'm setting aside $10 a month for now. That will give me $120 by next Spring... Lord willin' and if the creek don't rise ... or prices.! :-)

6.  I'm slowly checking off projects on my 'to do list'. I finished a lap quilt that needed a new binding. The next project to tackle is my unfinished quilt. I wasn't feeling perky this winter and never got around to finishing it.  I need to go through 2 large Rubbermaid tubs of photo pictures. I'm searching for the best solution for storage. Right now they are in my closet and no one is able to enjoy the pictures. I'm considering downsizing the pictures to a limited amount of albums I can place on my bookshelves.   (Update: I'm almost finished with this project).

7. I went over my grocery budget by $100 last month. I got some counsel from my friend Laine and she suggested I go back to shopping weekly. So, I've divided my budget by the number of weeks in the month. I will 'pay' myself the budgeted amount each week. This method of budgeting always works well for me. I got off track because I was stocking up at some discounts stores in the beginning of the pay period. I spent too much and then ran out of money before I was half way through the pay period. If this doesn't work then I'll have to come up with another plan. Food prices continue to rise.

8. Our summer garden is slowly growing. I'm picking strawberries right now and some Stockton Red onions. We have cantaloupe, squashes, spinach, Swiss chard, garlic, collard greens, celery, tomatoes, hot peppers, okra, artichokes and two kinds of green beans planted along with corn. Our 5 types of berries and grapes are showing fruit but not ripe yet. It amazes me how much we can fit into our small city lot.

9. I organized the garage and the side of the garage where we store pieces of lumber and pipe. It amazes me how quickly a room can get out of order. Then when you try to find something that's not in it's place you end up buying another one to replace it. An organized home is one way to save money.

10. I'm back in the routine of washing my car once a week since summer is here. I pretend I am paying myself $10 for washing it instead of paying someone else. I always dread it but once I start it takes me less than 10 minutes.

What I didn't throw away:

• Tea bags (3 'recycled' tea bags = 1 cup of tea)
• Egg shells (great for my tomato plants)
• I'm starting to compost again now that the weather is turning off warmer. 
• Lawn clippings go into compost pile
• Washed and dried used tinfoil. 
• Rubber bands from asparagus and broccoli. 
• Washed and dried plastic bags from lettuce and Erythritol. 
• Banana peels: Buried near root of rose bushes. 

How are you ladies doing? I know everyone is so busy but I do think of you and I'm always encouraged when I hear what you are doing in your homes.

Blessed to be a homemaker!

Georgene

Life is not to be found in what we own!

My husband and I have experienced many losses over the past 8 years. But, by God's grace we know that our life that is found in Jesus Christ cannot ever be taken away from us. 

 I can shout a loud AMEN to this message! 

Love PEOPLE more than your SCHEDULE

It's hard to believe it's been over a month since my last post. I honestly thought it had been just a few weeks until I checked the date. It's true that we need the Lord's help to order our days because they vanish so quickly.

One reason I took a break from blogging was to pray about my schedule. I had been sensing that my priorities were getting out of whack. Some of it had to do with a huge focus on stretching my husband's disability check by doing a mountain load of frugal tasks. Secondly, I sensed that I was out of the home too much because I was not saying that little two letter word enough...'no'.

It's a hard balance to find... the one between what I think is important for my day and what others need of my time while not allowing my relationship with my husband (or other loved ones in the home) to be affected. I've always struggled in this area and at times I find it necessary to stop all my outside commitments (blogging fell under this category) and reevaluate what scripture says I should be doing with my days. So many things can tempt us to get our eyes off of our God given responsibilities and to make our schedules (or hobbies, jobs, ministry, leisure time, etc.) more important than our relationship with our husband (or our children at home).

I don't believe it's to be an all or nothing decision. I'm not commanded to stay home and serve my husband 24 hours a day with no concern for those in need outside my home. And the opposite is true ... I'm not commanded to just be a woman known for good works (crafter, excellent employee, ministry, fun friend) while letting my responsibility to those in my home slide by the wayside. I need God's wisdom  to know how I should order my days.

Oftentimes, I hear from the Lord best on ordering my days by listening to my husband's praise AND his complaints. I perk my ears up anytime my husband has a complaint because oftentimes it will become my new marching orders for the next day. This past week I decided to not wash an extra load of his T shirts until I got a full load. I knew he still had enough T shirts in his drawer. Towards the end of the week he asked where all his T shirts were. I explained my plan to which he let me know that he preferred not wearing the T shirts in his drawer because they had no pocket.  So the next morning my first duty was to get his load of T shirts going in the washing machine before I did anything else. Such a simple way to help schedule my day.

I'll be honest here and say that adapting to my husband's plans for my day isn't always easy for me. I love to plan my days and chock them full of a long list of things I'd like to get done. But, I'm finding that it doesn't always bless my relationship with him now that he is home full-time. He is so good to not push his schedule on me. Oftentimes, what ends up happening is that he will mention something needing to be done that I know he will have a hard time physically doing. So I'll tell him I will help him at 'such and such' time and then I forget about it because I'm focused on MY schedule. By the time I remember the day has come and gone and I feel awful about forgetting.

So I'm tying to remember to start my mornings by praying for the Lord's will that day in my schedule and to look out for my husband's interests, too. This is bearing good fruit in our relationship.

This week my husband wanted to expand our garden. It involved shoveling and I knew it would  be too hard on him. I had already prayed that morning for opportunities to serve him so my heart was prepared to offer my help. God blessed our time together so much and somehow He ordered the rest of my day in a way that I was able to finish my own work.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 
Philippians 2:3-5 ESV

Adapting to my husband daily reminds me of the gospel and how Christ came to lay His own life down for me. I can live out the gospel daily in my own home as I follow Christ and lay down my life for others, too. 

For even the Son of Man

 came not to be served

 but to serve,

 and to give his life

 as a ransom for many. 

Mark 10:45   ESV

Pretty awesome, huh!

***

Here are a few things I've been doing in my home this past month: 

1. I have a round button tin that I use for extra buttons. I've saved buttons off of old shirts for years. Some items of clothing will have extra buttons when purchased and I always save them. One of the tops I bought at a thrift store recently was missing 2 buttons. I took off all the buttons and replaced them with 7 matching buttons from my button tin and all it cost me was my time.

2. Spring has come to our neck of the woods and new little flowers are popping up throughout my flower garden. I'm taking notice which parts of my flower beds are needing color. I'm transplanting these new little flowers to other parts of the yard for splashes of color. This is one practice that helps to save money in my yard.  I was tempted to buy some potted flowers at the nursery this past week but decided to be content with the flowers I have. My mother has some blue forget-me-nots coming up so I hope to snatch some of those for free.

3. Wow! Is this the year of BABIES? I'm on my 5th baby shower and loving it. I'm so thankful to have found the Nursing Cover pattern online. I think it makes a very practical and lovely gift. I just finished one nursing cover and have another one in the process.

Cabbage patch

4. It's spring and I'm on a mission to get rid of unused items in my home. I used to hold on to items I didn't use JUST IN CASE I might need it in the future. But, living in a 745 sq. ft. home has changed that practice. I don't have room to hold on to items I 'might' use some day. If I haven't used an item or worn it the past year then I'm getting rid of it and trusting God to provide if I need it in the future... or do without. I love the feeling of opening up a nice neat organized drawer and closet. An organized home also helps me save money because I know what I have on hand. And why hoard items when others might need them?

5. We have a nice crop of lettuce this spring so I've been making salads for most of my lunches. I make my own oil salad dressing because it's less expensive and healthier. I like the oil dressing recipe below that is also used for the Bacon and Asparagus Salad.  I hope we can get another crop of lettuce planted before the heat hits. Lettuce is so expensive in the stores. It's very easy to grow and the seeds are inexpensive.

6. I've been craving this salad so I made it for my grandson's birthday party dinner. Yummmm!

Bacon and Asparagus Salad by Miss Alycia (my daughter in love)

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus (blanched in boiling water for 3 minutes)
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 to 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. Dijon
4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar (or other sweetener)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
minced parsley
1 tsp. chopped shallots
 1/2 c. olive oil

Put bacon on top of asparagus. Add dressing. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

7.  I've had fun at a few thrift shops lately. I found 4 blouses for $13. Two of the blouses were for next winter but sometimes it pays to not wait if you find a good deal. Rarely do I find what I'm looking for the first time around if I'm thrifting. I also found a food dehydrator for $9.99 and a yogurt maker for under $5. I've been wanting to make coconut milk yogurt but didn't want to pay full price for the machine. I had a 25% off coupon for both items. I keep my coupons in my purse or in the car otherwise they don't get used.

Beating the cabbage in my Kitchen Aid to create the brine for sauerkraut. 

8.  We ended up with about 12 heads of cabbage in our garden. I tried making one batch of sauerkraut in a quart jar. I shredded the cabbage and added 2 tablespoons of sea salt. I'm not comfortable with the way it turned out. I looks like a science experiment. :-) A few days after I started my sauerkraut a package arrived and guess what it was? A 'perfect pickler' from a sweet online friend who heard I was trying my hand at making sauerkraut. Thank you so much Mary! The cabbage turned out crunchy and yummy! I'm on my third batch.  It's supposed to last for months in the fridge. I try to eat a little every day because I've heard that it has natural probiotics to help your gut flora.

9. I had some homemade tartar sauce left over so I mixed it into my oil and vinegar salad dressing. It was very good. Waste not, want not!

10. What I didn't throw away:

• Cotton from a vitamin bottle. (Used instead of cotton ball for astringent and fingernail polish remover). 
• Recipe cards. (I didn't like the recipe so I'll use the back for note paper). 
• 2013 bills invoices/ paperwork cut in 1/4's for scrap paper. 
• Rubber bands around asparagus. 
• 2013 paperwork that was not blank on the back. (Shredded and thrown on compost). 
• Paper bags from grocery store. (I save these to ripen fruit). 

So much more going on in my days but nothing noteworthy enough to mention. I've missed hearing about your days ladies! How have you been and what have you been up to? 

Blessed to be home,

Georgene

A Prayerful Break...

This blog has followed a journey the Lord started nearly 8 years ago when The Great Recession hit our nation and my family. We went through many years of loss but I hope it's been evident to those who have followed OUR STORY that we have been blessed daily and God has provided for us abundantly as our income decreased to nearly a fourth. This blog shared many of the lessons the Lord taught me on how to stretch my husband's disability check to meet our needs by living on less.

I've been sensing a nudging lately. Maybe it could even be described as a conviction ... to evaluate how and where I am spending my time. Is everything I do to the best of my ability for the glory of God? or for my glory? Do I really want to be known as a frugal, penny pinching woman or a woman who follows Christ who happens to use thriftiness as a means to a better end? Am I seeking to love God with ALL my mind and ALL my strength in my daily schedule? 

Therefore be careful how you walk, 

not as unwise men but as wise,  

making the most of your time, 

because the days are evil. 

Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV

The days are short. My life will not last forever. God has ordained how many breaths I have left. If today were my last day on this earth would I have regrets that I had not listened more intently to those convictions that were leading me towards a more God-focused life? 

Of course, I will never be perfect in how I choose my time but I am responsible for my choices and my actions and with all my heart I want to bring Him glory in all I choose to do. 

I love how John Piper unravels what it means to live for God's glory. You can read about it here.

I can't imagine I will stop writing completely. So I hope you will remember me in prayer as I seek His face in the coming days and months as His plan uncovers the next step in this marvelous journey called life. 

Please keep in touch... and stay tuned!

May we live (coram Deo) before the face of God!

 Georgene

Ordering our Days

Our days are full of choices from the moment we wake up until our head hits the pillow at night. Choices as to how we will spend our minutes... minutes that run into hours... and hours that accumulate into days. Each choice can lead us towards a goal or hinder. It's so important to live life with God's glory in mind. 

Years ago I attended a bible study that encouraged us to write a yearly mission statement using only Scripture. From the mission statement we would then write out a yearly, monthly, weekly and finally a daily schedule. This practice was a tool ...

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 

Psalm 90:12

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

Sweet Peas and cabbage

I haven't made a mission statement in years but I do find myself mentally evaluating my daily choices and how I am spending my days. When life gets so hectic that I find the order of my days upset and my relationships strained then it's time to look at the choices I'm making each day and how I'm spending my time. 

For instance, if I cram too many outside activities in to my week (shopping, church activities, visiting friends) then it can affect my relationship with my husband. How you may ask? *smile* When I am gone too many days from my home then I get behind in my work. If get too far behind in my house work,laundry and dishes then I am tempted to being anxious. When I'm tempted to be anxious then it can affect how patient I am with my husband. When I'm impatient with my husband... well you get the point!  *smile*  One unwise choice can lead to other unwise choices which can ultimately affect the important relationships in my life. 

I also find that I'm tempted to not spend time with the Lord in the mornings if I'm behind in my daily work or too busy outside my home. Spending time studying God's Word is one of the greatest joys in my life and I want to keep it as a top priority. I have to plan to set aside this time otherwise it doesn't just happen. 

It's such an old plant but I just hate to pull it out while it still tries to bloom. 

It's to be expected that busy times will come in our lives. It's unavoidable. Family members will need help when they are sick or moving or we will have days when we are helping with the grandchildren.  As a result we will get behind with our work at home and that's okay. Our work at home should never be an end all of itself. It's only when we are making unwise daily choices that become an established pattern that consistently affects our relationships that we need to consider making some changes. Or if our house is so out of order that we cannot fulfill the command to be hospitable. 

I need God's wisdom to know how to order my days to bring Him glory. Isn't it wonderful that we just have to ask and He freely gives it? 

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5,6

***
Any extra minutes are being spent working on my paid projects. Here are a few things though that I did this week in my home:

1. I have a very small closet compared to the ones in the newer homes. I've been blessed with some hand-me-downs but now my closet is crammed full. It's a good thing. I took most of my clothes out and started sorting to see what I really had. I made separate piles of long pants, caprices, tank tops, short and long sleeve tops, skirts and dresses. I got rid of 1 box and 1 bag of clothing. It feels so good to open the closet and see it neat and organized. It's good to bless others with my overflow rather than hanging on to unused items.

2. I bought a different kind of mayo on sale and just didn't care for it at all. So, instead of letting it go to waste I have been using it in recipes where you can't taste the difference. This week I made a Low Carb Chocolate Mayo Cake and also a banana bread recipe for my mother.

I got this picture too late last week to post. My son & his family giving up his day to build our fence. 

3. We harvested a very large head of cauliflower from the garden. I melted some coconut oil on a cookie sheet in the oven and then tossed the cauliflower in the oil with some garlic salt and pepper. Baked at 350 for 30 minutes.  (Thank you Pam!) It was yummy!

4. As I said above...I was given a large bag of clothes. Some of the tops were cute but too big so I ran a seam down the side and they fit just perfect. I love FREE.

5. I made another batch of homemade laundry detergent. The last batch lasted for months and months.  I've been making the Duggar's Laundry Soap recipe this year. I just don't water it down as much as they do. It saves me so much money.

Duggar's Laundry Detergent

4 c. hot water

1 Fels Naptha Bar soap, grated
1 c. Washing Soda (not baking soda)
1/2 c. Borax 

1. Grate bar. Add to water.
2. Melt over low heat. 
3. Fill 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full with hot water. 
4. Add above mixture. Stir till dissolved.
5. Fill bucket to top with hot water. 
6. Stir and let set over night. 

The Duggar's fill a used laundry soap dispenser 1/2 full of soap and the rest with water. You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons once cooled. I tried this once 
but the smell evaporated.  

6. A friend gave me some leftover pieces of stained glass window film. I put it on the glass panes in our door. It gives privacy, looks lovely and was free. Thank you Yvonne!

7.  I made Pumpkin Pie Spice again for my Low Carb Pumpkin Pie recipe. I had these spices on hand so I didn't have to run to the store to buy a special blended spice.

Pumpkin Pie

Crust

3/4 c. flaxmeal ground

1/4 c. sunflower seed flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsp. oil or butter (I used coconut oil)

2 tbsp. cold water

Press into 9 inch pie dish. Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Pie Filling

2 c. homemade pumpkin (or 15 oz. canned) pumpkin

1 c. coconut milk (or other liquid)

2 eggs

1/3 c. Truvia  (I used 1/3 c. Erythritol and 1/4 tsp. Kal Stevia. You can find a link above)

1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

Dash of salt. 

Mix together. Taste to see if it's sweet enough and adjust sweeteners accordingly. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

8. Items I saved this week:

• Low carb tortilla bag (reuse as a baggie)
• Frozen strawberry bag (reuse as a baggie)
• Rubber bands from radishes
• Erythritol bag (reuse as baggie)
• Plastic bags with zippers that curtains came in. (I'll reuse to hold projects that are partially done so I can see what is in the bag). 
• Cracker bag (reuse as baggie)

That's it for this week. So do you gals ever have trouble keeping your priorities straight? Any suggestions?  

Blessed to be home!
Georgene

Cooking in stages

If I want to stretch my grocery budget then it's necessary to cook from scratch which means time spent in the kitchen. The closer I get to 60 years old the less I'm enjoying all day cooking marathons. As a result I'm finding it helpful to do the heavier workload in the mornings and to stretch out my cooking over the day or week. I like to keep the sit down jobs for the afternoon so I'll work in the office or on my sewing projects.

When my children were home I used to do Once a Month Cooking. I'd make up my monthly menu of dinner meals and then spend a day or two cooking and freezing meals. It was so nice to just pull a dinner out of the freezer and just add a salad and veggie. This way of cooking came in very handy when we were homeschooling and running a home business.

I've started cooking lunch/dinner for my children and their families once a month. We've wanted to do this for years but all we did was talk about it. So now it's on the calendar. I've chosen to do the cooking to give my girls a break.  So cooking as much ahead of time comes in very handy.

My camellias are in bloom!

Here was this month's menu. Mind you ... this is not how we normally eat but it makes my husband happy to splurge once a month.

Ham
Make ahead mashed potatoes
Smothered Green Beans
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Mom's bean dish
Fresh baked bread (from bakery)
Chocolate chip cookies
German Chocolate Cake
Ice Cream (from store)

Our  beautiful fence that my son and his family built for us! A huge thank you to each of you!

I knew that I wouldn't be able to spend time cooking on Saturday since my son and his family were rebuilding our backyard fence. So I split up the cooking and baking over the week which made it possible to help with the fence work AND go to church on Sunday morning AND have dinner ready for the family after church (I took a nap on Monday! *SMILE*

Here is how I spread out the cooking over the week:

Monday: Baked the cake and then froze it. I'll frost it later in the week.
Tuesday: Mixed the ketchup and other wet ingredients for the bean dish and stored in fridge.
Wednesday: Made the chocolate chip dough, rolled in balls and froze them.
Friday:  Assembled the "Make Ahead Potatoes" which can stay in the fridge up to 3 days. Fried the pound of bacon (saved 1/2 for the green beans), hamburger and onion for the bean dish. Baked the pretzel crust for the jello salad.
Saturday: Finished assembling the jello salad. Baked the chocolate chip cookies. Cooked the frosting and frosted the cake and then wrapped it well in Seran wrap.
Sunday: Sauteed the green beans, added the rest of the ingredients including the bacon. Baked the ham. Heated up all the ingredients for the bean dish and put in the crock pot to keep warm. Pulled out the Make Ahead Potatoes an hour before they were going in the oven (so I wouldn't crack the glass) and then baked 30 minutes before the meal.

All the weekly preps made the dinner on Sunday so much easier.

Relaxing, full tummies & messiness! Priceless!

***
Here are a few highlights of the week:

1. I trim as many of my trees as I can to save money. This week I started trimming the Crepe Myrtles. I trim a little at a time over a period of a week so that I don't end up with bad neck pain. It works great! I also trimmed my rose bushes and cut back a few of the other flower plants. I need to research how to trim back the berry and grape bushes.

2. The collard greens and spinach seedlings were ready to plant. A friend gave us some big cement blocks that we used to  line one of our garden plots. I placed one of our 4 x 6 glass window frames on top of the blocks to make a mini green house over the collard greens and spinach.

3.  My husband doesn't care for the sugar free pancake syrups in the store. This morning I made a sugar free fruit syrup for our pancakes. He liked the fruit syrup even though he doesn't like my low carb pancakes. :-) . Tomorrow morning I'll try a new recipe that hopefully he will like. (update: He said they were better but still not the same as high carb pancakes.) I keep trying and sometimes I find a winner!

Sugar Free Fruit Pancake Syrup

1 cup water
1/2 c. Erythritol
1/4 tsp. Stevia
2 cups fruit (I used frozen blackberries, blueberry, raspberry)
1/2 tsp. glucomanni powder

Boil water and dissolve Erythritol. Mix in fruit and boil 10 minutes.

 Add glucomanni in a little water and whisk into mixture. Simmer
10 more minutes until thickened. 

4.  A friend saved her meat and veggie scraps for me. What a sweetie! I'm using them to make dog food. 

5.  The weather has been nice enough that I can hang clothes on the line. If I get them hung first thing in the morning then they are dry by dinner time. 

6.  I made a big pot of ham and veggie soup. I used bits of ham from Sunday's dinner and threw in cabbage, Swiss chard, celery, onions, garlic and carrots. I added chicken bouillon to taste and some pepper. It didn't need much else. I love soup!

7. Another friend gave me a box of canning jars! Thank you, thank you! Canning season is right around the corner. I have been picking up Sugar Free pectin on sale for jam. Next month I'll start buying a few boxes of canning lids each month. It's easier on the pocketbook to buy a few each paycheck rather than all at once.   

8.  I saved the fence boards we replaced on the backyard fence. There are so many things you can do with old fence boards from lining a wall to making furniture or bird houses for gifts. 

9. I purchased quite a few cloth hankies a few years back when our income started to drop. I also saved a Kleenex box to store a few cloth hankies in next to my bed. I carry a hankie in my purse and keep them in my bedroom drawer and in the office. Anytime I can use cloth and rewash instead of a disposable it saves me money. 

10.  I purchased a computer diagnostic tool for our particular vehicle. It cost around $39. We had a 'check engine' light go on and with this tool we were able to look up the code to see what was wrong. It was something that could be easily fixed at home and saved us an expensive trip to an auto mechanic. 

Thank you ladies for your advice on inexpensive moisturizers last week. Since I had coconut oil in the house I went ahead and started using it on my skin. So far I'm lovin' it! Thanks again!

Did you ladies enjoy your week? Did you do anything new and frugal? 

Blessed to be home!

Georgene

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