i am thankful

I've been reading blogs from other frugal folks, watching the news, and going through the information sent to us from our bank. They all say the same things.

• Have a budget
• Use cash
• Save while paying down debt

We've been doing all of the above for four years and I'm just now realizing what a blessing it is. I believe we were pointed in this direction intentionally. I can't remember exactly how or why we started using cash only but I know it had something to do with ATM fees. The cash-only system needed a budget to give me an idea of how much cash we needed. After hearing a few different places that even with debt we should be paying ourselves (aka saving) first, I started a college fund for the big kid and IRAs for the Baron and me.

I've never been as pleased with the Baron's job (USN) as I am now. I know things will work out and we will be provided for but I do hope the economy will be on the rebound by 2013, when he's up for retirement.

Even my bland social life with my blah schedule paid off. I had all the time in the world last year to clip coupons, chase deals, and stock up. Now, with the Baron deployed and the competition for deals on the rise, I can stay home and live off what we have.

I want to put out there how thankful I am and how blessed I feel to have been given the opportunity to learn about budgets and frugal living. I think the crunch is still a part of our lives, but we've been living differently for so long, we haven't needed to make drastic changes.

pay it forward - update

These are two of the PIF projects I sent out last week. They were based on the Kidlet tutorial. I read on Dani's blog that her daughter had Webkinz, same as my big kid. I'd been wanting to come up with something to hold the annoying little critters. I used this as an opportunity to be creative.

Amy had/has a thing for pirates and the fabric just had to be used for her item.

i really am an old dog

I enjoy the company of friends. I tell myself I am miserable without it. I feel sorry for myself when we move and I leave good people behind. I pick myself up and make an effort to meet new people. I'm starting to feel a part of the community after a year and a half into this duty station. Once again, I'm having good times with good people.

I was the girl who would do it all. Thank goodness I'm slowly learning to say no. I hate saying no to people. Will they still like me if I tell them no? I have to hope they will and remember my own peace of mind and body, because I'm dragging. It won't stop me from offering help. I feel good when helping people. I love getting help when I need it and I truly enjoy making what comes around, go around.

But...I'm tired. I guess I really am getting older? Two kids :hiding from those of you with big, lovely families who will roll their eyes at me: must take more of my energy than I realized. Being a temporary single parent probably contributes a little, too. We had such a fun, busy weekend that I really need today off to today to recover.

I notice the kids can't go go go like I assumed they could either. The wee one's nap gets pushed back. She's either being restrained some place not kid friendly or she's left to run wild in a safe environment, both of which irritate her after a while. The big kid seems to need a break from constant kid to kid interaction, too. I assumed we would all adapt well to being busy with friends, nonstop.

We love our new friends but I'm learning we need moderation. No surprise there. This Baroness has always had a problem with moderation. While trying to rush my way to the end of this deployment, I'm rushing us past quality mommy-daughter interaction. Time to slow down.

*The above blog post was in no way directed at any one new friends and we would never want our new friends to think we are tired of them. We are just plain tired. We thank our new friends for making us tired.

spring forward

bah humbug!

this old dog swears like a sailor when learning new tricks

Ever heard of Sort Floor Books? Their prices are amazing! I like to go there and search for the words, "kit" and "set" and "deck." Because the site is very basic, I usually have a window open with Amazon so I can read reviews and get a description. Before my spending freeze, I ordered a bunch of fun "how-to" books and they arrived today.

Knit Knack Kit (Amazon page)
Down & Dirty: 43 Fun & Funky First-time Projects & Activities to Get You Gardening (Sort Floor Books must be sold out of this one but I paid WAY less than the Amazon price.)
Kids Crochet: Projects for Kids of All Ages (Amazon Page)
It's a Stitch: 21 Patchwork Quilt Projects with an Eye on Tradition (Amazon page)
Stitch-It Kit (Amazon page)

My total was around $32 and I'm pleased with all my purchases. They arrived in excellent condition even though two of them were listed as used. Which brings me to the title of this blog entry... It's a good thing I waited until the big kid and wee one were in bed before I attempted the knitting kit. Thank goodness for You Tube! I nearly tossed the whole lot in the trash. I think the book explains it as best it can, but I am a visual learner and needed the extra insight.

I don't see any sweaters or booties in my future, so be on the look-out for an exciting dish cloth hand knit by yours truly.

excuse me, ma'am

"Is everything alright?"

These were the words spoken to me by a nice police officer yesterday morning. She had pulled up next to me and motioned for me to roll down my window. Turning seven shades of red, I obliged. Thoughts were racing around my head as I contemplated an answer to the question. I decided honesty is the best policy, no matter how weird it made me sound. Besides, I am a terrible liar.

"I'm looking for coupons...coupons people drop...you know, from Winn Dixie? The people in the apartments over there...they sometimes drop their coupons....?" nervous laugh. blush. stammer. smile.

I'm not sure what she was expecting; probably a lost cat or wallet. She nodded in an understanding way (what with the economy and all, I suppose) and left.

Funny thing is, I wasn't picking them up for me this time. All my frugal penny pinching last year has us set for a while. Not that I would pass up a $10 off $50 to fill the freezer with meat, but I was doing reconnaissance. I am supposed to teach a couponing class to a group of homeschooling parents sometime this month.

clutter cutter

I found this tutorial for a "kidlet" and thought it would be a nice project for one of my PIF recipients. I didn't get quite as fancy with the pocket because I wanted to keep it simple on my first attempt. I can't post pictures yet, but it's going in the mail tomorrow. It was super easy and I am going to modify it slightly to make another PIF project.

another beverage wallet

I like this much better. I modified it so I have three small pockets for the Crystal Light on-the-go sticks (A). I also have pockets that fit either fake lemon/lime/etc. (B) and/or sweeteners (D). I stuck two regular tea packets in, but my big 4 packs fit (C).

I made a hook and loop closure because I am impatient and don't have any buttons. This is more my style, too. I used lemon and bee fabric inside...get it?

bev wallet

Not just a tea wallet but also a Crystal Light wallet. Next time around, I'll sew in the dividers for the drink mix packets (top left) so they don't slide around. My tea comes in these packets of 4. I adjusted the size of this tutorial by an inch each way (6x8) to accommodate. I think I'll sew in the dividers for the sweetener packets, also. I need to get buttons and this will be done.

cupcakes and flowers

Hairclips made from felt...I'm so over these. I'm probably giving most of them away or donating to the FRG to sell at the base yard sale. There are 12 more flowers I didn't bother putting in the picture.

swiffer project

I finally got around to turning the big kid's old diaper soakers into swiffer pads. They were frayed and worn so I thought I'd give them an extra zig-zag stitch around the edge to keep them whole. I used four pieces of 2" loop side Aplix (a) approximately 2 1/2 inches long. The diaper soaker (b) is quite a bit longer than the Swiffer but I thought it came in handy for getting right up against the baseboards.

I put the Aplix on so it would catch the outside edge of the hook material on the Swiffer.

Getting that "non-refillable" bottle apart? That's something I didn't have great success with so you may want to read this. I cut the lower rim of the cap off but now it leaks...a little. I refilled it with vinegar and water and just took the bottle off after mopping. I was tempted to post how filthy the new soaker-pad was but didn't want to gross anyone out. I'm pleased with the outcome!

steamed fire ants with a side of spring greens

On one hand, these things are evil. They leave nasty, red bumps that itch and burn something fierce. On the other hand, as I tell the big kid, God created them to bite so they could protect themselves. If they are in my yard, they are fair game. Okay, so this is actually the neighbors yard, just over the fence aka too close to my yard.

I wish I would have taken a photo of the true before. This was after 3 pots of boiling water and a few days. Oh yeah...you should have seen me on my tip-toe trying to dump a stock pot of water on this mound of fire ants.

They are hard to see in this picture but the brown patches are acutally piles of dead ants from the previous attempts. Here they are, pot number four, steaming away. I doused them with one more pot and haven't seen any activity since.

my pre-lent economic stimulus

I went on a bit of a spree the past couple of weeks, which inspired my no-frivolous-spending-for-Lent decision. To inspire others to do a little stimulating of their own and to prolong my shopping glow by just a bit, I thought I'd share my recent purchases.

I already posted about the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book I received last week. To supplement this new love I also bought the following; Oxo Good Grips Pastry Scraper, a Cambro 6qt storage container and lid, and a Polder oven thermometer. I also took advantage of a free shipping code at Williams Sonoma and picked up the All Clad measuring cup and spoon set. This is something I really needed. I went with quality in the hopes of never needing to replace them. I learned it is hard to find good quality (highly rated on Amazon) kitchen products that are made in the USA. The Cambro was the only item out of these that wasn't made in China. Boo.

I ordered the girls Easter gifts (shhh, the wee one is playing with them now but they are going to be put away before the big kid gets home) from Gifted Imaginations. They were offering 25% off and free shipping over $65. This was the best price I'd seen on the Haba stroller. I was happy to replace the broken (after just a few months) junky Walmart kid's shopping cart with this cute Plan model. I figured I could put the standard chocolates, PJs, and books in these rather than inside Easter baskets.

sorry, mr. president

I dug through old posts and found the people who commented to get in on the Pay it Forward project. I have a list of names and a general idea of what I'm going to create for each person. I'm excited to finally get started on this.

I'm giving up spending money, for Lent. I'll buy the essentials, but no more frivolous spending. I feel a bit guilty after the lovely address the President gave last night, but we've got financial goals that need to be met. So, good-bye Amazon. So long, Ebay. I'll miss you, dear Slickdeals.

Much of my time (wasted) online is spent scouring for deals. Now, I'll have all the time I need to complete my project list. Wish me luck!

another hodge podge

I decided to go with a wrap rather than a sandwich this time around. A little turkey, cheese, avocado, smidge of cream cheese, and of course, sprouts!

This nasty fellow was under my desk, in the toy room, the other day. He was crawling along, minding his own business, when he suddenly found himself in the great outdoors. A sheet of paper and nerves of steel got the job done without anybody having a breakdown.

This little beauty is my first result from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I bought the book after having an online discussion about cookbooks. I was amazed at the success I managed with so little effort. Crispy outside and chewy inside, this was a little slice of heaven. It was made only more unbelievable once dipped in olive oil, roasted garlic, salt and pepper.

mardi gras

Here in the south, this is an honest-to-goodness holiday. The big kid is off from school. Some schools are out for a couple of days, others for the whole week. I need to research this celebration. Keep us in your thoughts on this looong, looong break.

ta-da!

quick tip

The wee one is in everything. What almost two year old isn't? At Christmas I came up with the idea of keeping some non-breakable, less-loved decorations down where she can reach them. They are fairly kid safe and let her feel important. This is the Easter version of that concept.

Some old school Beanie Babies, sturdy Longaberger baskets, and dollar store flowers.

is this thing on?

I'm afraid I've bored you all so much, you've fallen asleep. You know what you need? Some nice, fresh sprouts. They'll put pep in your step.

Here they are, after sitting in the window sill for a few hours on day 5. They almost fill the container.

This is after they've been plopped into the salad spinner for their de-hulling and refreshing rinse.

They've been spun and dried and arepatiently waiting for an avocado and some swiss cheese to create a tasty, happy family in a bun.


What you see before you now is a well loved cabinet. It was the bottom half of an inexpensive china cupboard purchased over ten years ago, at Walmart, of all places. It's currently home to toys and puzzles.

This is the top (ignore the clutter inside, please) that the Baron has hung in our laundry room. It sits over my sewing table and houses stationary, spare school supplies, plus some odds and ends.

I haven't felt like sewing so I'm taking advantage of the cool weather. I've wanted to repaint the cabinet for over a year. These are the drawers to the bottom piece, waiting to be reunited with their brightly painted pals.

off to a slow start

The weekends exhaust me. Without the Baron around to give me a breather, I'm tapped out by Sunday night. I had big plans for this crisp Monday morning. However, the house is a little messier and my motivation is probably lost amongst the clutter.

I'll delight you with a hodge podge of blah, today.

The big kid is apparently pursuing a career in comdey. Even though I am on a six month drug-store/slick-dealing hiatus, my fondness for such things are front and center in her little mind.

Big Kid: Why did the hampster cross the road?
Me: Why?
Big Kid: To get to Walgreens.

Yikes!

I've been growing sprouts this weekend. I purchase this fun leafy green starter kit from SproutPeople a few months ago. I've neglected this little hobby for a few weeks and wanted to get back to it. Here on some photos of their progression from soaking seeds to day three. I'll snap another picture after they have sat near the window for a few hours on day five.

Here we have the sprout seeds, I believe it's Nick's Hot Sprout Salad, in their first stage, soaking.

This is day two

This is day three

I'm envisioning something tasty, like this veggie sandwich I made a few months back, when I first received the kit. I've learned I really enjoy the radish sprouts. There is something irresistable about that tiny sprout, with it's cute little red tinged root.

Last, but most expensive of all, is my desire for a Learning Tower. The wee one and the big kid both like to be in the kitchen. The big kid can help as long as she has a little boost from a step stool. The wee one, on the other hand, is constantly under foot. She wants to see the toaster toasting, the mixer mixing and the water running. The apple green Learning Tower will go perfectly with my Kitchenaid mixer in green. Plus, it's cheery, like my Fiesta dishes.

While doing a google search for deals, I came across Deal Seeking Mom's blog. I signed up for the giveaway and fell in love with the quick and easy deal highlights. I'm planning to make this a regular read. I don't have time to chase the deals like I used to. This way I can see if there is something I'm missing without wasting my every free moment on Slickdeals.