When you have Hamberger's you make Happy Meals!

Lately I have been sending myself on major guilt trips. Alex is to a super fun and exciting. I really love to watch him play. He plays really pretty well with other kids (obviously we are working on the sharing thing, but in general he does great!) and he plays well by himself too! You will often hear him singing as he goes about whatever it is he is in to, or actually more often making a vroooooooming noise as he pushes around our little bissel sweeper.

I know that these early years are so important in the development of kids. They learn sooooo much in the first 5 years of their lives, especially compared to the rest of their lives. As Alex has gotten older, it has become easier to just “let him play” by himself. And while there is nothing wrong with that, I personally have started to feel like I am not helping him make the most of these years. So I came up with a “schedule” for Alex’s daily activities when he is home with us.

I use the term schedule lightly. There are no time allotments. For two reasons. 1. If something falls behind schedule, I start stressing out. 2. Our family operates best with more flexibility. I think that allowing flexibility and creativity with kids is a good thing! Here is what I came up with.

So I know that  cloth diapering can be a fairly large up front expense, and especially if you don’t know exactly what kind of diaper system you want. A way to save a little money possibly is to enter give away’s online. A lot of cool blogs do product testing, reviews and then giveaway some of their diapers. Now it isn’t a sure way to increase your stash, but  it is a lot of fun and you never know you just might win. (I did, I won 3 pocket diapers totaling almost 60$ in value!)

Here is one giveaway that is going on now: Cake blast She is reviewing and giving away some great name brand diapers from Thirsties.

Have fun! Happy entering =)

I have pretty much the best life ever.  This little girl God blessed me with just lights up my life. She is in that kinda awkward stage developmentally. Where she doesn’t sleep all the time, so she wants to be doing something, but she just isn’t quite able to yet. Even still, she is really such a joy. I took a few (dozen or so) snapshots of the little princess the last few days. I just had to share. Plus I have recently discovered ( I am a little lot behind the times) piknik. And you know since I am cheap, er…  thrifty, I just use the free parts. But still I had a lot of fun.

She loves her little bean bag I got her (Dora the explorer - $1 ) Note the totally relaxed crossed ankles

Seriously does it come any cuter?

She is definitely our little princess. Good thing is she hasn't realized it yet.

🙂

I had to edit my current favorite pic of my little boy as well!

Today my mind is a flurry of activity. I feel like I have a lot to write about. Things like what I want to do with a thrift store sweater, or my latest craft project that has me excited to girlify Kalea all up, or perhaps the healthy and yummy sounding brownie recipe I have found that I would like to try. In fact, today I am in the mood to be very very domestic. I could sew up a storm, can up a what ever it is that you can up (as long as it isn’t chicken, I am done with that). I would make my own soap (because I do you know) but I don’t need any right now so I won’t. I am in the mood to grind my own flour, make my own butter and all other kinds of incredibly ambitious domestic kind of things. But you know, the fun ones, not the washing dishes and folding laundry ones.

Yes I would love to write about those right now, but alas I can not. Why? Well first of all because I don’t have pictures of any (except that blue sweater, but I haven’t done my project with that yet) second, because that doesn’t have a whole lot to do with saving money, and today is Thrifty Thursday. Third, it is better to write about it after I have accomplished it, which I have not because the kids are still awake =)

After my chicken post, I was all planned to tell you how I did/do groceries for $120 for a month. I should have just written it then, because I am not really in the mood right now. So instead I think I will tell you about how I save money cleaning. (Maybe next  week we will talk food.)

I had thought about making my own cleaning supplies for a while, mainly to save money. Then about 2-3 months ago I had an epiphany. As I was cleaning my bathroom Alex walked in… and walked right back out carrying my chemically bathroom cleaner bottle I had laid down. AHHHHHH DON’T PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH, I shouted. After I rescued my son from the cleaner and nearly passed out myself from the horrid smell I decided that was it.

Bye bye chemicals, hello natural food based cleaners.

Here is what I use:

For windows and mirrors : White vinegar (probably could dilute, but I didn’t when I first put it in my bottle). And rags. No streaks!, Works better than W!ndex and I don’t get a head ache from the ammonia.

Bathroom Cleaner:

Determination:  firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end.

I can learn a lot from my kids. Right now I am learning a lot about determination from Alex. Determination and stubbornness. Once Alex has his mind set on something, he will NOT give up until he succeeds. He will ask for help, but he will do what he needs to get where he wants. This summer we  went to the park, his cousins were climbing this big “mountain” to get to the big kid slide. He wanted to do just like they were, and so he did! It was fun to watch this little guy, who won’t accept  “you can’t do this” as an excuse. Sometimes I think I need some of his determination.

Assessing the situation

Figuring out how to accomplish

Attacking the problem head on.

Rewarded

I have to say I am rather impressed with how far we can make our grocery budget stretch. Many people will tell you there secret to stretching groceries is “couponing”. I have to say, I am not one of them. Coupons work really well for some people just not me. Maybe it is because no one has ever really showed me how. But every time I try to try it, the only coupons I can find would require me to purchase something I wouldn’t really purchase anyway. So I would end up spending $1.00 (for extra product) in order to save .20 on that same product. For me (so far) it just hasn’t been worth it. But if someone could show me the trick to coming home with getting paid for buying toothpaste, I would probably reconsider.

Since I don’t coupon, my “secret” is simple:

Buy Bulk.

Generally speaking, the larger the quantity something is sold in the cheaper per unit it costs. Last week I once again, struck gold. Our local bulk foods market ran a sweet special. Boneless, skinless chicken breast for $1.59/lb if you bought 40lb boxes. So I of course did! In fact I bought 2! I split one of the boxes with mom, so I ended up with 60 lb of chicken breast. Unfrozen, just waiting for me to do wonderful things to it.

Now I will tell you, it was a lot of work up front. But it will save me TONS more time and money in my grocery budget for the next several months. Here is what I did:

My set up

Step one was trimming the chicken. I cut off all the fat, then measured it using a kitchen scale. I cut each breast into 3.5-4 oz (the recommended serving size) pieces. If a piece was smaller than that I set it to the side to be used for stir fry.

Pre- packaged individual meal servings.

After it was all sectioned I put 3 pieces into one quart freezer bag. If it was the “scraps”  it got cut up into stir fry pieces and 10 oz went into one quart bag.

Yumminess!

Once it was bagged I added the marinades to each quart bag. This will help out already knowing what to do with it in the future. This time I used, Raspberry Chipotle BBQ, Italian and home made Teriyaki. I also left  some just plain so as to allow for creativity in the future.

Who says pre-cooked meals can't be yummy?

Some Chicken I didn’t marinade, I cooked it on my (mom’s much larger) George Forman grill. Then bagged 3 of those. This way if I need something SUPER quick it is ready, or to grab for a quick lunch. Better than deli meat in my opinion =)

Meals for the winter/spring.

Once each quart bag was marinaded (or not) I put quart bags into larger freezer bags, and labeled. I fit about 7 quart size into 1 gallon size. The reason is two-fold. First extra protection against freezer burn, and second. This made for a more organized freezer.

All in all, I ended up with 84 meals worth. Which breaks down to $1.07 a meal for meat total, or .37 per person per meal. And I now have  “convenience” food without the convenience food price!

But just to be clear, any dish I take anywhere this winter, will involve chicken 🙂

Football

Camp fires

Apples

Corn fields

Warm hats

Pumpkins and mums

Leaves

This is what I love best about Autumn!

There are few things that I love more than saving money. Except possibly (ok definitely) seeing my kids smiling and having fun! Enter : All Kids Stuff Sale. Pretty much the best thing ever for cheap thrifty parents.

It is basically a giant, amazingly organized garage sale, with some quality control. (They really don’t sell junk stuff) Priced somewhere between garage sales and chain re-sale shops (like Once upon a child). I have found that especially with baby/kids things getting something new is really overrated. The kids don’t use something long enough (in general) to make it worth the outrageous price that a lot of retailers put on the item simply because it is labeled “baby”. I went tonight and struck gold! Here is how I do it.

1. I sorted through all the kids clothes last week to see where they are lacking. (Alex only needs snow pants, Kalea some
more 6-9 or 9-12mo stuff. More on this later)
2. Jason and I talk about and compile a list of what we think the kids need, so I have a plan of attack going in.
3. I get there an hour before the doors open to the sale so I can get a front spot in the line.
4. First place I head is if I have any major items on my list (like a pack n play, stroller or crib.) This time my “big item” was outdoor toys.
5. If something even makes me think about it and it is a “big item” I grab the tag off of it (claiming it as mine, even if I can’t lug it around the whole sale) I can always put a purchase back.
6. I always go in with a budget and keep a running tally (roughly) in my head.
7. I re-evaluate all my purchases before I check out.
8. My general rule of thumb on pricing is : if I can’t make it cheaper, I will buy it. If I haven’t seen it cheaper I will buy it.

9. Unless there is a major clothing item (like a winter coat) I don’t purchase any clothes till Saturday. That is their half price day. There are soooooo many clothes that it is easier to even look for clothes when they have been kinda picked over.

So here is what I got last night:

All my finds

      

They will cook lots of yummy meals with this!

Some pretty cool inside toys

Two wall hangings with matching bedroom set.

All in all I got : Play kitchen, lots of play food/dishes, outside swing, two baby dolls, baby basket, head bands for Kalea, play lawn mower, Little Tikes car, complete bedroom suite (including 2 twin quilts and 2 wall hangings), somewhere around 15 match box cars, somewhere around 10+ animal “action figures”

For a grand total of: $64.00.

Today’s word is : Religion.

Webster defines it as “commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance” And that is usually how we think of it isn’t it? A commitment to an observance. I wear my hair just so, I go to church 3 times a week. I read my Bible every day. Religion in the religious circles has become a dirty word.

How many times have you heard or said “I don’t have religion, I have a relationship!” Well good for you. But you know what, you need religion.

WHAT???!!!! “Stacy, the last thing we need is more “observances”. More rules and regulations.” Yep, you are right. But thats the problem we get when we let the world define things for us (I think there is a whole other blog post there). Why don’t we let God define religion for us? You know, since he is kinda like the whole point?  Here is what God has to say “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble (…)” James 1:27.

Hey that doesn’t sound so bad does it? Do you have widows in your church? Do you know anyone who is an orphan?  How about anyone in trouble? Those are fantastic opportunities to be religious! (I can even say that word without wincing now!) Maybe you don’t know anyone that would fall into those categories. Here is an opportunity for you:

Doesn't this silly little boy just melt your heart?!

Reese’s Rainbow is an organization that funds adoptions for children with downs syndrome and other handicaps in foreign countries. These children are condemned to orphanages and eventually institutions (by the age of 6) simply because they were born “imperfect” in the world’s eyes.

What an adorable grin!

Many of these children would die without ever really seeing anything outside of the four sides of their crib. You may not be able to actually adopt any of these children now, but you can help others!

Foreign adoption is very expensive (think 27K) Reese’s Rainbow has  a fund for each child. Any dollar you donate  goes toward sponsoring someone to be able to adopt these orphans in need.

This of course isn’t the only option to being religious, ask the deacons/elders/leaders of your church. “Are their any widows I could visit? Is their anyone hurting or going hungry I could help?” After they pick their jaws up off the floor, they will probably have a list a mile long!

Its sad that more of us (yes us, myself included) are so focused on our own problems that we don’t even realize there are people that would love to even have enough money to choose between name brand or generic pop. Lets face it, the church as a whole, needs more religion.

Today I am thinking about two messages. One our pastor delivered yesterday, the other from the ministry leaders conference my (wonderful and amazing) husband was at last week. One is about the heart being “deceitful above all things”. The other is about giving up your birth rite for a measly bowl of soup.

We all have a tendency to lie to ourselves. And even if we are “really good” Christians, our heart never gets rid of its desire to lie to us. Well, not lie exactly. Deceive. Which is a lot harder to detect. Because deceit has just enough truth in it to make it believable. (The serpent in the garden anyone?)

For instance, I can eat this cream stick today, I start my diet on Monday. I am deceiving myself, I am not going to diet on Monday, and even if I was that doesn’t mean I can gorge today! How about “I’ll tithe when I have more money, I can’t afford it now.” Really, when you have more money and a bigger house, more expensive car, larger credit card balances, THATS when you think you will tithe?

What’s worse is that when we are deceiving ourselves, we are giving up something great for simple bowl of soup. For those who may not be familiar with the story, in Genesis we learn about how Esau sold his birthrite, to his brother, for some immediate gratification of stew. He gave up God being the “God of Abraham Isaac and Esau” instead God is the “God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob”. Esau could have been the father of the entire nation of Israel, instead he sold that to his twin, for a bowl of soup. Its not even like he was starving, he could have just made it himself.

When I eat that cream stick today (because I’ll start my diet tomorrow), I am giving up feeling good about how I look. For 5 minutes of sugary pleasure and a stomach ache. When I choose not to tithe “because I can’t afford it” I am giving up the amazing blessings that God would pour out on me for stepping out on faith and giving back to him.

So here is what I am deceiving myself about. Please don’t think badly of me, but it is time I get honest.

I   am   a   poor   housekeeper.
Why? Because I am lazy and disorganized.

There I said it, it is out in the open now. I could say that its because Alex gets toys out everytime I turn around. Or that it is fall so the dog is shedding more. Or that our apartment is small and so it just seems messier. All of that might be true, but that has nothing to do with why my dishes are rarely caught up, or why there are baskets of clothes that need folded and put away. (Little bit of truth with a lie)

And what am I giving a clean house (and the peace and contentment and ability to “breath” that goes with it) for? An hour or two of TV or internet. See my apartment really isn’t all that big. I could clean it up really rather quickly if I just DID it. And I a m not even talking about giving up time playing and snuggling with my kids. (I wouldn’t give that up even for a clean house!) I’m talking about after they are fast asleep. You can ask Jason, I am a much pleasenter person when I have a clean house.

It will change though. Confession is the first step. I am not going to be perfect, but I am going to work on it. First thing I am going to do, is make a schedule for myself, and stick to it.

Now, these are both very powerful messages. Please don’t think I have trivialized them by applying them to my housekeeping skills. And please don’t think that this is the only area of my life to which they apply. This is merely the only area I am willing to share with everyone.

I challenge you, what are you deceiving yourself about? And what are you giving up for your “bowl of soup”?