Cutting Spending

We've been looking for ways to cut our bills even though most the time we feel we live on less than most families and constantly do our best in the financial department- there's always room for improvement and to find new ways to save.

The first thing I pursued was:
No more buying Paper Towels/Napkins - we went cloth
Next to come is...
Homemade Laundry Detergent
Homemade Toothpaste

I came across a book at the library about cutting your grocery bill in half. I've also run across many idea's from other families blogs and combined with idea's from each I've decided to try and cut the groceries down.

The book, is from America's Cheapest Family- they also have a website- but I checked the book out at the local library- http://www.americascheapestfamily.com/

I took some spreadsheet idea's from blogs instead of hand writing everything as it states in the book. I also, instead of shopping monthly am going to do it weekly. We already are a part of a fruit and vegetable co-op, so each Saturday we will see what we get (as we don't know ahead of time) and plan our meals around two things, what we receive from the co-op and what specials/ads/coupons are out there. We are giving ourselves 30 days to see if we can cut our bill!

Here's  snap shot of my in-progress spread-

The book talks a lot about freezing, hubbie and I priced chest freezers and think that for around $200 would be able to have additional adequate space.

Here are a few books I'm currently reading...

We want and try to not let any of our food go to waste, especially that from the co-op which seems that some of the items we receive you either eat immediately or its going bad too quickly, so I really want to preserve it so we can enjoy all of the food we receive.

This is the first week of grocery shopping, testing out the new system...keep you updated!

Cold Weather Cleaning?

I've come across several posts lately about starting "cold weather cleaning". Now first off, its not cold here...yet and second being that we just moved this won't be a re-organize the bedroom during a winter storm type thing. My kind of cleaning- oh lordy! Let's say, going through the entire house and getting things in order.

I loved how one woman put it on her To Do List...."To Make my House a Home".

So, my "to do list" now states as well...."To Make my House a Home". And now for the ugly- the before pics...and hopefully I'll have those wonderful progess pics and done pics in the next months to come!

The Front Room...
To Do: Wood Flooring, scrape popcorn ceiling, patch leak/discolored ceiling, paint.
Would love a nice rug and family photo's hung :)

Dining & Den....
To Do: Paint, again another patch leak/discolored ceiling, scrape popcorn. 
Get my 'office' set up and the kids desks and computer area set up and the kids 'bedroom' out of the den!

Kitchen...
Can't say I have too many complaints about this, its big, roomy- I think its going to make me want to cook more just because of the counter space!

Kids Bedrooms....
Some wood flooring already laid in my son's room...and my daughters room is already painted....The kids have enjoyed looking at decorating idea's and planning out their rooms!

Master Bedroom- no picture but the same- flooring, paint- fix tile in the bathroom, leak in the shower, leak in the master closet.

Backyard....
Picture speaks for itself- needs a lot of work!!
The vision....a garden. Even with a small yard in the city, it can be done.

And that's the "Cold Weather Cleaning" that is before us...or rather the project, "To Make a House a Home".

Weekend Fun is Over

Grandpa, my Dad left this morning, bittersweet, seems the trips always feel too short. Yesterday we had fun shooting, even the kids got into it and had a great time...after of course making a tent in the back of my car and setting up a doll tea party!

Grandpa, my Dad is visiting...

Grandpa, my dad, is here visiting our family. He came in Wednesday and is leaving Monday. We've already had some fun days. The kids are enjoying him being here. My daughter got some special one on one time with him and of course I miss my parents greatly since our move.

Both the dogs were all over him when he walked in the door...good thing he loves animals!

The first day we just relaxed, the second day we took him to the lake....

Yesterday we had a picnic at the river, some shaved ice for a treat and movie night.

Vacations always seems so short, we have today and tomorrow and it will be months again before we see family but we are making the most of the time we do have and enjoying every minute of it!

Fall is Coming...

Another gorgeous weekend as we head into cooler weather. I am ready for fall and winter..
Something about it getting cooler makes me want to cook and bake. I love fires, jackets, boots and warm comforting meals. Ahhh....

A few things we did this weekend and the last week...

Evening walk at the river with the family- hubbie and I walked the dogs, the kiddo's scootered.
Water is so extremely calming. As my daughter said to me "I could sit here and just watch it for hours". I completely agree.

On our walk at the river- the kids collected wonderful rocks that they want to paint as well as found a birds nest....

I baked a Lemon coffee cake. I'm a coffee fanatic and without any brown sugar in the house (I wanted the Cinnamon one) I decided on Lemon. The home made frosting was delish! And the cake with a few tweaks will be awesome too...great flavor but a little dry and lacking something..

I also received a recipe from my mother for her holiday chile reano casserole. I haven't eaten it in years and have never made it. It was a bit spicy for the children but hubbie and I ate it and the leftovers for lunch for several days in a row! YUMM.
Two kinds of cheese, whole green chilies, tomatoes, olives, onion and a little egg and milk mixture to top it off...bake it and we made beans and spanish rice to go on the side with warm tortillas!

Missing our chickens dearly as I realize just how many eggs we really use!! Breakfast, lunch, dinner- egg salad sandwiches- positive thoughts about the future that we will have laying hens again!

My daughter took on a sewing project of a doll night gown with matching pillow and blanket. She worked on the pillow yesterday and is planning on the blanket today and I'm going to help with the gown.

I've been making a small list of things I'd like to do:

** Can fruit and make jam             (Waiting for a bulk offering of fruit from our co-op)

** Make home made laundry detergent       (Next time I need it I'm going to make it)

** Do NOT buy any more paper towels/napkins- go cloth!       (CHECK) :)


I also found some great recipes I want to try-

Home made mayo

Breakfast Custard

My mother's birthday is today and my dad is visiting next week. The children and myself are missing them dearly. Holiday's and birthday's are difficult being far away. A phone call isn't the same as a hug and a well wish in person. But it will have to do until our Christmas trip which we are all looking forward to!

Positive, uplifting thoughts today. I am so thankful. God has truly blessed our family. I may want more at times, but I have all I need all the time.

Pop tarts, watermelon, fires and great books

What a wonderful weekend even with some out of the ordinary unexpected events...

The good parts....I am thankful for...

A trip to the Library.

Play day in the warm sunshine at the park hearing my kids laugh and having wonderful conversation with my loving husband.

Kids went to bed early and with no problems, falling fast asleep last night.

Grocery bill that didn't make me faint and we got everything we needed!

Hubbie decided to start a fire in the fireplace last night.  And I had tea while he sipped wine and we both read our books and magazines. Him with Mother Earth News reading a milk and dairy cow article and me with See you in a Hundred Years by Logan Ward. I'm really loving this one. I found the recommendation on a homesteading blog that I came across, read the description and picked up that book along with two others that I have just not been able to put down.

Made home made pop tarts with my son this morning while sipping on my coffee and him telling me star wars stories.

Went to check on my daughters 4-H watermelon plant and found that there are 3 babies growing not just the one I had seen previously!

And now- my daughter is talking cooking to me while she wants to make crossaints herself in kitchen.

Hubbie snores as we all have been up for hours now, but that's alright, its nice for each of us to have our me time.

And on our Walmart trip I saw a pressure canner on sale and nearly bought it but I held back....hubbie said that we'd keep our eyes out and buy one soon :) I have a water bath one but really want the other one too...my next goal...to can.


Its been a great first weekend of October.

One year later...from the Country back to the City..but not for good-

Well, it has been 7 months since the last entry. We've had some great times on our little piece of country but this month we have moved back to the city- temporarily. Due to illness in the family we feel that being in town, closer to family is what is needed of us right now.

For a few months during the Summer it became depressing, knowing that we would put our dream on hold, wondering what we would do next but that is the thing- the dream is only on hold, not gone. We realize now that we can do small things in our city home and prepare and dream of the big things that lay down the road for our family.

In the last months we have....

Got rid of our flock of chickens and coop

Took a Summer trip out of state to see family

Gotten news of hubbie's father's illness

Our daughter won big at the County Fair for 4-H: Grand Champion in Jr. Poultry Showmanship and Grand Champion for Best in Breed for Cavy

Our daughter sold her last chicken she used for show in 4-H to a little boy who is going to keep her as a pet for the rest of her life...

Our Son is 6 now and our Daughter is 11

Homeschooling turned into sending them back to School this school year

I work outside the home nearly full time now

We got a new dog! Greater Swiss Mountain Dog- Sadie

Moved back to the city- temporarily

Hello Sadie (dog), Jet (Standard Rex Rabbit), Trophy (Netherland Dwarf Rabbit) and the champion belt buckle for Poultry and good bye to Fluffy the Silkie that helped our daughter win...

It's enough change to make anyone's head spin a bit...but we are attempting to take it in stride as we get settled into our new city home.  Slowly putting together a list of things we can do and continue here even without those acres of land, beautiful dark starry nights where you feel like you are the only one on earth, peaceful sunrises when you go out to take care of your animals and hear- nothing- instead of cars and traffic....this is not good bye to the country and life we want just see you in a little while.

I thank God every day- we have such a strong family, strong bond that any changes and challenges we can arise through it- together.