His Timing

Since Kenny has been out of work things have been a challenge.  After the panic passed it really has been a blessing.  We got amazing news on Monday that is going to help our lives and our attitudes tremendously!  I do not feel comfortable sharing the exact details, but it was something that makes me feel truly blessed.

We're still waiting for the right job to come along, but until then we can breathe a little bit easier.  We have learned so much about budgeting and waiting for things we would like to have for our home or the boys.  I have become the queen of making do with what we already have, re-purposing, and generally learning to be content.

I am really finding joy in my home and my life since I have been forced to reevaluate on so many levels.

We have plans and dreams and hopes.

Now we feel a burden has been lifted and so much of our challenge has been for a greater purpose.  Our boys are learning valuable lessons right along with us.  It makes my heart happy to have them going down a better financial path than we did.  I'll take the financial headaches we've had knowing that the boys hopefully will not have to travel the same path to gain control over their finances.

Things are looking up! 

We are truly blessed and I am truly thankful for His perfect timing!



Joining Miss Casey again sharing our hearts.

On the Night Stand

I have been reading like crazy over the last year.  We rediscovered the library last summer and I love that I can request just about anything!  Since buying a lot of books is not in my budget right now, the library has been a huge blessing.  It has also save me from purchasing a couple of books that I wound up not loving :)  So I thought I would share what I'm reading right now and see if anyone has any suggestions for me!

 

From the top I just got Guernsey  Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society...I am really enjoying it!

Next is Money Saving Mom's Budget...so good and totally straight forward.

Then you see One Thousand Gifts by the amazingly poetic Ann Voskamp...her words are beautiful!

I am also reading Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman...really making me think and evaluate!!

I found the Herbal Guide to Food at a junk shop...nice explanations and some recipes I'd like to try.

Decision Points has been on night stand for a while...It's like a history book, so I am really trying to take it all in.  The stories and perspective are so good!

Last but not least is one of my favorite magazines, Country Living...I love it when Amazon has the $5 deals!

So that's what I'm into right now.  I love having a stack, so I can bounce between different styles and stories.  After having to read for college and work for so many years it is really nice to be able to read things for fun again!

Until next time,

Homemade Halloween

My boys are usually pretty ambitious with their Halloween costume ideas.  I guess they know their mama and daddy love a challenge and are just as detail oriented as they are!  So this year was no different!

My Lukas decided he wanted to be Doctor Who (the David Tennet version), so we went through closets and made a list of what we needed to make and or find for him.  It was so much fun seeing him get excited when we found the perfect suit at the thrift store.  With just a few alterations he was ready to assume the character in full force!

Nikolas's costume was more of a challenge.  My sweet spiky haired boy wanted to be Ezio from the Assassin's Creed Brotherhood video game.  Holy smokes!  This costume is medieval times and very detailed.  There was no pattern and no running out to purchase unless I had an extra couple of hundred bucks to blow.  Since that wasn't going to happen we headed to Joann's and got some great fabric on super sale!  I got busy trying to recreate each piece of the costume.  I am so pleased with how it turned out!

Kenny and Zackery were easy.  Zombies.  Another trip to the thrift store and a couple of questionable suits later we have great costume materials!  I let them do their thing and I think they were pretty successful with the creepy factor as long as they didn't break out into smiles! 

I loved the challenges they brought us this year!  It was fun and we got all four of them decked out for less than $50!  Way better than we could have done if we bought everyone a store made costume!

Until next time,

Little Things Count

As we've been on this journey of only one income we have done many little things to make every dollar stretch as far a possible.  We didn't always have super self-control when it came to our spending, but you should see us now! We have chosen to trim away little things here and there to help us make our money work for us.  These are just a few examples of how little changes can add up to nice savings.

We do not have cable or satellite TV.  I know, it's hard to comprehend in this day and age, but it's true.  We actually canned the satellite before K lost his job.  I mean seriously do you really want to pay for commercials with questionable content for 20 minutes of every hour?  Not us.  For a long time we just used Hulu to catch shows on the computers.  Since K is a computer guy our TV screens are hooked to the computers in the house, so it is pretty convenient for viewing.  At Christmas we decided to get on Netflix.  It has been awesome.  Even with the price increase in September we will still be paying about $60 less than the basic satellite plan.

During the summer I have rarely driven the car.  We ride bikes when we can to run errands.  K and the boys rode their bikes to school last spring and plan to continue to do so this fall.  If it were practical for me to ride my bike to school I'd do it to, but 50 miles a day would be a bit much!  When we do drive we really try to link the trips and make the most out of every mile.

Going out to eat is pretty much nonexistent.  We just can't justify the cost when we know how much making something similar at home would save.  I really enjoy cooking and benefits we see in making things from scratch are worth the bits of extra time some things may take.  I keep a well stocked pantry, so even crazy days can end with a good dinner.  K and I try to keep each other on track.  Sometimes we'll get $6 pizza, but even that anymore is rare.

We've gotten away from paper towels and napkins.  Even before the job loss we had stocked the kitchen with rags and cloth napkins.  We simply grab a rag to clean up a mess or wipe down the counter and throw it in the wash.  Since I was washing towels anyway there is no noticeable increase in laundry.   We went from buying a big package of paper towels every month to buying one about every 5-6 months. 

I also started making many things at home rather than buying them in the store.  We have been using homemade laundry detergent and vinegar to wash our clothes for about a year now.  At about $6 for 5 gallons of detergent and about $1.70 for a gallon of vinegar, I'd say we're saving at least $20 a month on just that stuff!  Counter cleaner, window cleaner, and Chewy bars are other homemade savers in our house.  Not only are they better for us, but I know the cost is about half or less what I was paying for the pre-made versions.

We are making do or doing without.  We have started to think more creatively when we want to do something around the house.  If we can't find something we already own to meet a need then we wait until we find what we need at a yard sale or one of the thrift stores around town.  Sometimes a little creative thinking solves a problem without spending any cash.  It has been a good exercise in teaching us patience.  No more running to Target to grab something. 

These are just a few little things, but when you put them all together it saves us quite a bit.  Maybe some of you have some other ideas to help stretch those dollars.  Let me know what you do to make the most of your money!

Until next time,

Lessons I've Learned

Since my husband has been out of work for just over two years I have learned a lot about myself and our little family.

I have learned that going to a horrible job at a terrible place is much worse on a soul than not having a steady paycheck coming in every two weeks. The spirit that has filled my husband since he lost his job is such a blessing. He is happier, looks, and feels better than he did while he was dragging himself to that office everyday.

K was helping me with Marketing my aprons!
He said he had to make the "macho face" for the full effect! Pretty cute model, don't ya think!

I have learned that we don't need a whole lot to be happy. Our boys are perfectly content staying home and playing their games or with their Legos. We don't need fancy outings and elaborate vacations. The true blessing of our personalities is that we are all pretty much homebodies. So fitting since we need to stay home now!

My building boys!

I have learned that we are a very good team. K and I work very well together, we balance each other! Putting our heads together we have been able to figure out better ways to take care of our boys and our home. We invested in bicycles a couple of years ago and it has been so nice to run errands around town together. We get some one-on-one time together, some exercise, and save fuel. K has also put the word out to friends and family that he's available to help with projects or repairs on just about anything. It has been a blast helping K when one of our friends needs something done to their home.

Someday I will learn how to take a better picture of us!

I have learned that I don't need to go run errands every day. I have plenty to do at home, so using the fuel to go run around really isn't necessary. Making trips into town are much more planned and farther and fewer between. My sewing machine is my friend and we have been spending a lot of time together creating. I am hoping Amy's Monkeys continues to grow and supplement our family. Bringing extra income to our home while still being at home is an awesome thing! I never had the courage before to try to market myself and my creations, I guess I needed a push!

I have learned that it is okay to pray for us. I used to think that we were doing pretty well so other than being thankful we really shouldn't pray for specific things. Not any more, if I am having a great day or struggling or frustrated or my back is really hurting I am praying about it. I have had more conversations with God than I ever did before. Man was I missing out before. Weight is lifted from my shoulders. No more borrowing trouble for me.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~Matthew 6:34

This job loss has truly been a blessing to our family. We are better for it. Do we wish K had a full-time income? Absolutely. Will he settle for a horrible working environment again? I hope not. Financially it has stretched us, but emotionally it has strengthened us beyond measure! We will make it through financially, someway or another. Friends and family have blessed us and we will continue to make do!

Until next time,

Linking up:

Lovely

My youngest boy came in from the backyard and told me it was "lovely that we had dogs to play with". I wanted to melt. Such sweet words from an almost 9 year old boy!

We had a lovely weekend and I think we all felt it. I was able to get all my monthly grocery shopping finished Saturday and still had energy to break up the bulk purchases into the correct portions for the freezer. I love the beginning of the month when the pantry is stocked well and the freezer is full. There is security in knowing that I can feed my family well.

Sunday was a day of chores and working on outside projects. K has been working his tail off to tame our crazy backyard. With all of the rain we have had it wasn't a pretty picture! We are expanding our vegetable garden areas into some of our flower beds. We figured if we have to pay for water we might as well be watering something we can eat!

We planted some tomato plants, bell peppers, chili peppers, and some more herbs. My oregano and one cilantro container have been going nuts. I need to get out the dehydrator and get some of the oregano dried. We still need to plant a lot of other veggies, but that will probably have to wait until later in the week.

Sunday ended with K and I taking the dogs for a little walk around the neighborhood. While we were out we got to see the most beautiful sunset. Only in nature do you find such amazing colors! It was truly gorgeous.

I am so thankful that we have a plan for our yard, food for our tummies, and a nice neighborhood for evening strolls. We are truly blessed.

Until next time,

Linking up with Gratitesday at Heavenly Homemakers

Freezer Cooking

Just a quick update to my goals for building my freezer stash of breakfast foods for our busy school mornings. This morning in about 3 1/2 hours I was able to make 49 pancakes, 32 waffles, 45 pieces of french toast using my homemade wheat bread and get the kitchen completely cleaned (it was a wonderful lesson to be taught by my mom to clean as you go!). It feels so good to be able to check that off my list of things to get done before I head back to school!

So, in my freezer I have banana muffins, mini banana loaves, 1 loaf of strawberry bread, 1 loaf of banana bread, strawberry muffins, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, and french toast. I usually just take out a bag of muffins in the morning when I get up and they are defrosted by the time the boys are ready for breakfast. The pancakes and french toast I reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute 45 seconds on 70% power. The waffles crisp back up in the toaster oven beautifully. I also use the ready cooked bacon from Costco for a little protein. I usually also have some sort of fruit. The boys aren't big eaters in the morning, so I save their fruit and veggie servings for lunch, snacks, and dinner.

I really want to also make some smoothies in the mornings to get some veggies and fruit in the boys as they start their day. I always worry about the blender waking K, so I don't get it out in the mornings very often. It's something I am hoping to change as we all get on the same schedule for school this year.

I hope everyone is having a productive Monday! I only have two more things on my "to do" list to get accomplished for today! Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time,

Garden Harvest Time!

There is nothing finer in life than heading out to your own garden and bringing in goodness to feed your family!
This is what we brought in today.

There are so many reasons backyard gardens are great! My favorite reason is growing our own food, our own way! No chemicals, no craziness, just nature working it's magic to bring forth nourishment. Our family worked together to make this garden happen and now we are reaping its rewards. Love. It.

The second biggest reason is the savings to your grocery bill. I don't know about you, but I am always looking for ways to save. My garden has taken some of the weight off of my farmer's market budget. For example, right now I don't have to buy peas, lettuce, squash, or red potatoes. I have them in my own yard! Yippee!! The initial work is definitely worth the savings we're seeing now.

I am really looking forward to all of the veggies and fruit we're going to be getting the rest of the summer! How are your gardens coming along? Anyone else in harvest mode?
Until next time,

This post is linked to Finer Things Friday and Frugal Fridays