Life Unscripted - Pulling out of No Spenduary

There is nothing like getting out of bed and realizing your dog has puked on your bed unbeknownst to you.  You have apparently laid in it, and now you need to wash the bed sheets and yourself...Yuck!

My daughter has what I suspect is some kind of viral rash or something but we have waited it out a few days, and prayed and there hasn't been any improvement for her.  It seems to be getting worse.  So we are going to the doctor this morning....I want confirmation that I shouldn't worry, and I am curious if there is any cream or something that could alleviate symptoms.  We did eventually make it to the doctor and she has fifths disease, which despite it's name is not a disease it is a virus....and once you reach the rash portion you aren't contagious anymore, but the doctor says the rash could last for up to two weeks.

There has been two deaths within about a week of each other in an extended branch of our family.  At this point, we are going to attempt to travel back to Delaware to show those that are hurting some love later this week.  So I am officially pulling out of the No Spenduary Challenge, it isn't going to be a month of saving much for us at this point.  Gas prices are the lowest they have been in a long time, so it should cost us much less to travel then it has in the past. I also hope to pack most of the food we will eat.  There won't be funds to go out at all.  We will have funds for gas, and that is about it.  I am open to any ideas that you guys might have for easy foods to take on the road.  I figure I can make egg salad and tuna fish for the ride, as well as pb and j.  Might take some cereal for snack. 

I carefully spent the grocery money we had for the month and am keeping careful track of what we are eating to see how i can improve on our spending and menu planning.  My budget was 129.00.  I spent 131.00.  Not too bad.    To save money this week we had a free lunch at the local senior center, and participated in the bread basket giveaway at a local church.  This helps our food in the house go further.  I will also later this week be able to get WIC items because my daughter is eligible for the program until she is 5.

My daughter and I went on a small road trip yesterday to Tallahassee with Aunti L to see her daughter perform in a gymnastics event.  We were treated to lunch at Wendy's and had a very nice dinner at a place called Harry's, which is a New Orleans' themed restaurant.  That was an unexpected expense, but I drank water, and the food was really good.  Unexpected things do happen in life, and you never now where a day can take you.

I am sorry I have no photos to share, I accidentally deleted them all when I was reformatting an SD card for use.  I hope everyone had a great week.  I won't be posting anything else this week as I have some work to do with the unexpected travel and what not.  Thank you for hanging in there with me.

2015 Goals

Well i decided it might be nice to have something to work towards and pray about and see where we end up...

In 2015 I.....

want to pray more, and find what works for us to ensure my family gets devotional time(I can't keep waiting on my husband to lead but I hope to pray him to have that desire) and me personally too...

would like to learn to knit or crochet

learn to sew...something....anything......

Read through the First Place 4 health books

Though I know there may always be things to declutter I would like to be done with the bulk of our decluttering and have created a space we love!

Spend more intentional time with my husband and family

Grow something edible

learn about taking better pictures 

Decide about virtual school or continuing allowing my son in public school.  He feels he is not being challenged enough, and the day just takes to long (his words, he feels he could do more with his time.)  We home schooled before but life was so out of control it was difficult for me.  Two years later, things are better, but we need a lot of prayer regarding my son's schooling.

I can't commit to losing weight, I am never successful, but I would like to at least get my health under control...so for the health part

I need to....
*see an endocrinologist
*gastroenterologist ?
* GYN (we all need those check ups ladies)
* a dermatologist. ( I have not had a skin check in a few years and I should have one yearly)
*cardiologist. (gotta have a check up, but i know they will be disappointed, I have not regularly exercised or lost any weight...no perseverance...I struggle, i want immediate results, and often give up when i don't get them)


Oh and I need to remember to take my pills everyday...I just realized a bottle of pills that should be empty every month, I have not filled since October...I have to do better.  It is medicine I should take every day.


My bottom line is to learn to live well, (very well would be nice) on less.  I want to do better, and it would be nice if the savings account wasn't empty at the end of the year.  We did budgeting for a bit and it it worked somewhat but then it was like so many unexpected things happened, I could not keep up.  I don't want my life and relationships to be just about surviving....but THRIVING! 



Verse of the year for me to remember : AND MY GOD WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS.  PHILIPPIANS 4:19

I chose this verse, which I have shared before because sometimes circumstances arise, and I have forgotten this truth.  So this is how I am beginning.......

What will you be working towards in this New Year you have been blessed with?
 

Sharing Ways We Save

Here is our week:


*Accepted a free box spring for my son's bed.  He decided he did not want the smaller room with the bunk bed, so he accepted the bed frame my husband got from a customer instead that we were originally going to use for our daughter.  I was blessed when my best friend had one in her attic.  With the bunk bed he had not needed a box spring for his mattress.

* My husband was given a sack of snacks from a coworker that had like 8 or 9 bags of chips that my daughter and I can eat during the week for snack or lunch

* I inventoried our cupboards and freezer and I made a MEAL PLAN!  It is just a little two week one....but it's a start.  We are just using up what we have for a bit, but I have already made a shopping plan for our tiny grocery budget for the month ( I won't shop till the 15th)

* We continued to make some home made dog food out of stuff we have on hand.

*Collected a few feathers from the chicken pen to use on craft projects


*Made homemade stain remover using blue Dawn, and peroxide.  It did a decent job.  I rubbed it in with a toothbrush and put a little baking soda on top and let it sit for an hour.

*Have gotten my daughter to drink more water...she always says she hates it but here is what we did.  One day she was throwing a fit about how she didn't want water...well I always stick a glass in the freezer cause I like mine as cold as it can get....it froze some and I told her that Elsa must have snuck out of her room and froze my water.  So now we pretend and call it Elsa water.  She likes the thought, and she will drink it.

Frugal Flop:  I fell off the No Spenduary band wagon and bought two little Ceasar's Pizza's the other night....I was disappointed in myself, but here is my confession in an effort to "keep it real."  Even though this happened, if this is the only thing we do it's still a huge difference compared to what we usually might spend.

Things to consider.  I also belong to a group where we are doing a declutter challenge....and I usually just donate the stuff to get it out of the house, but I can't decide if I want to try and sell any of it to make extra cash....it's not always easy....the kids see stuff of theirs and they want it back etc...so is it worth the hassle, or should I just donate it to the church thrift store where they sell each bag for $1.00 and let it bless someone else.

How was your week?

Sharing Ways We Save

Used coupons to get a bogo on train rides in St. Augustine saving us about 27.00.  The coupon was from an entertainment booklet we bought from a fundraiser earlier in the year, so the use of one coupon paid for the book.  There is another set of coupons to do the same thing again, and we will later in the year.


I am very proud of us...we went to St. Augustine and walked our favorite shopping street (St. George's) looked at the shops and spent nothing.  We purchased only consumables at meal time, and the kids had gift cards that covered all but 8.00 of it,(it was at McD's) and because of the wait we got free ice cream.


I was given a bottle of J.Crew shampoo

Used grocery points to ear .25 cents off per gallon of gas.

 Made dog food

I did check the Christmas clearance isle at Walmart...and spent 5.50.  4 items are for gifts next year, and 4 are to use to decorate my daughter's room.  I also bought a Christmas scented thing of wax things that you melt for scent in a warmer.  I was sure to put the decorations to immediate use...so they wouldn't just be sitting around...here they are with the pictures I made my daughter for Christmas.

We went on a date....i traded with another mom time when i would watch her kids for a date if she would watch mine.  We paid for the date with our Christmas money from my mom mom and pop pop...(I know it could have been used in other places, but we needed it...we went on our date during the day while my husband was off for the week.

On our date...we did stop by a local Salvation Army thrift store that has 50 percent off on Wednesdays....we had fun...it's the first time my husband has gone to a thrift store with me in a while...he had an eye for things I would not have seen.  That was our last thrift store run done on Dec 31st.  Now we have joined Danielle in the No Spenduary challenge over at http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com/2015/01/starting-year-off-right-with-no.html

I hope everyone had a great new year...my post is lagging behind...I rang in the New Year from the E.R. I just needed treatment for a kidney infection apparently.  I thought I just had some symptoms of a UTI but as the day went on, I got through our date, and once the kids went to bed...I was in so much pain I couldn't sleep.  I am happy to report that $30.00 in prescriptions later, I feel much better.  We are still working to recoup our "Pig Sty" but one thing, one day at a time.  How has the New Year been for you so far?

Life Unscripted-

Well a couple days after Christmas, I had enough, and a fight erupted over petty things between us and our extended family...I snapped ended up looking like a stark raving mad lunatic....but I don't care..(I do care that I couldn't say things with the love of Christ, I let my temper flare big time)...At least I think my point is across that I won't be walked on.  We will have to agree to disagree...they have physically left, but are still cleaning out their stuff, and pets.  Some are gone, but several still remain.  In the long run in order to preserve any chance of a relationship it is best for us to not live together.  The way we each prefer to live our lives is not compatible under the same roof.

My husband is off this whole week.  So we are working today to reclaim our house a little...but not overworking ourselves.  Taking it nice and slow.  We plan to give each of our kids their own room.  I realize, it's hasn't been the easiest year. (I know others have had it alot worse) but between downsizing and relocating from Delaware....living with good friends....finding a place and having to downsize even more....just to move again because of circumstances involving water damage and a not so great landlord...then losing hubby's brother in a violent way....then allowing extended family to stay and all that has entailed....i need to cut us some slack.

My house was called a pig sty several times this week...on social media and to my face so I have turned what was meant to hurt me into something laughable and loveable.....We are affectionately calling our home....Jimmy and Minna's Pig Sty. (Minna was a nickname I was given years ago by a small child who could not say my real name correctly)  I intend to even make (or have made) a wooden sign to hang over the door eventually that says just that.  (I do actually have a pig now...she was a Christmas gift.  We will see how big she gets to determine exactly what we will do with her.

                                                                     Ms. Piggy


Now with the extra room we will have as family moves out we will make this house a home.  I realized with all that happened, we never got a chance to do that completely.


We have gotten really serious about wanting to see how simple we can make things in 2015.  I am going to try making even more things at home, like shampoo, deodorant. growing more things and seeing if I have any talent that I could use to make extra money from home. Please feel free to share any tips or pointers you may have.  My husband works six days a week most weeks to take care of us, and his job is strenuous and alot of weeks he work 10-20 hours of over time.  While this is great and provides alot of things for us, we want to do well with less, so maybe he can find another job that is closer to home or is just a straight 40 hours where he can have at least two days off a week.  My kids and I talked we told my husband we would happily give up all the extras like cable, internet, breakfast out and dance class...if it would increase his time with us.  He is always too tired to do things..you know worn out from the day.  I told him I did not want a new car, furniture,camper or little trips, I wanted time with him.  We can make due with what we have.  We have taken some steps to do just that. ( I will share more about that after the new year probably)


This thought process was triggered by me getting angry on Christmas day....he was in our room watching tv...I felt like we were not really spending time together...our daughter wanted a toy put together and he seemed grumpy about helping....so I snapped at him too...and I thought about it and was like I really don't want to be married anymore...I even told him that after family moved out I would just share a room with our daughter.  I prayed that night alot....we did get past our angry moment after a few hours, but the next day I realized it isn't my husband that I don't want.  It's that he is always tired (I guess from work.)  I sometimes feel like a I am married but a single parent if that makes any sense at all.  The next day when he went to work it dawned on me I just want him to be a more active part of our lives, and if his job is taking him so much out of him then maybe we need to pray about how to change.  We will see where this journey and prayer takes us.

 I probably won't get another post in this week.  Hubs and I are going on a date with money we got from Mom Mom and Pop Pop for Christmas.  He is paying for lunch, I am taking him to a movie.  We haven't been on a date since the summer.  With everything going on I certainly have not attempted to have a date night at home either.   

Do you have any new plans on the horizon...anything special you are praying for.   "SEE" you in the New Year!!!!

Sharing Ways We Save

I think one of the hardest things about being frugal is any mocking or name calling people like to do.  I recently discovered someone was calling us "trailer trash" and telling people if they want to aspire to be more they should hang out with people who have money....(instead of us apparently)  Ok.  That stung a little, but you know the person doesn't even personally know my family.  To be told yeah you live but not well etc...etc. While the comments irritate me, it was just what I needed for the discontentment I was feeling to be obliterated.  When I thought about it, I love learning new ways to be creative within what we have.  So I guess I should tell them thank you for sharing their opinion.

Here was our week.


A friend found lots of wrapping paper in her attic, and allowed me to choose what I wanted.  I selected two rolls.(Though I have been using brown paper bags for wrapping paper too.  I appreciate all the tips everyone gave me about ways to decorate them etc!)

I made book marks using cereal boxes, scrapbook paper, and other craft supplies I already had on hand.

Saved left over veggies, gravies, and meatballs from meals and have put them in freezer for future use in soups.

My husband cut my daughters bangs

He also received from a customer a twin size wooden bed frame and three boogie boards that she did not want anymore.  We will use the bed frame for my daughter's bed.....(once my nephew and his wife move out we are separating the kids into their own room...and all we have is a bunk bed set right now.)

The church had some overgrown plants...I trimmed them and brought the clippings home to make a new plant.

We baked dog treats, peppermint sugar cookies, and peanut butter balls.  I boxed these up in a really cute Mickey and Minnie tin for my husband for Christmas....

This will be my final post before Christmas comes, so from my household to yours...We wish you a very                                                     MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Sharing simple gift ideas as we get ready for Christmas

Well many of you have been such an encouragement to me as I have transitioned from the Grinch...to a happy mom, wife, and friend helping to prepare for Christmas.

I wanted to share some simple things that we did to stretch our gift giving dollars.  Some things didn't even cost money at all. On average we spent about $3.00 per gift that is being given out.  We didn't spend alot, but we found things that each person will love.  Simple can be effective!


You could write a letter.....

You can give someone something that you do not use.  Examples are this little snowman set.  This was Grandma Joan's and as Aunti L was going through her things.  This was found still in plastic.  She knew she would not use it, she offered it to us.  We happily added it to our Christmas decor.

 Another example is going through your purse or wallet stash...Do you have something you don't use, could you pass on something that is still in nice condition to a daughter, granddaughter, niece or son (my son love's to use my husband's old wallets)  Also I gave my four year old little girl a wallet I don't use.  She loves it.

I did shop at local thrift stores and some yard sales and was able to find some things for not much money.  I mean come on the dresses look brand new.  (Maybe it is too cold where you live for yard sales, but I am sure there must be thrift stores) We also shopped ebay and Facebook yard sale sites to find some items.  (not pictured are a small tv i got for my son and some video games using these types of sites, as well as books)

I shopped at Michael's here is what we found to use for gifts......

I purchased Journals and matching pens for $1.00 each and will add them to the Frozen jewelry  I bought on ebay to make gifts for 4 of the girls in our house.  We also found little tiny sewing kits for $1.00 that we will add to gifts for two children. (one is in a fashion class, one is in boy scouts)  I also found a shopping list and will use one of the pens as a teacher gift for my son's teacher.  I also found some pieces great for making earrings on clearance for $2.00 and will give those to my nephew's wife. 
 
I also got some princess stickers on clearance for $3.00 and used them to add to and redo some of the pictures I got my daughter from the yard sales.  The one on the end with note book paper has been designed to be a dry erase board type object for her.  You can get dry erase markers and write on the glass of the frame and wipe it off.

We went to the dollar tree.......

I found cologne for each guy in the house.  (I got my husband the one that says Hot thrills.) LOL  For the 14 year old boy in the house we will combine some cologne, hairbrush, and men's shampoo for a simple gift.  We also found some space and science themed kits and books to give to another boy we are close to.

We made wreaths using things we had on hand with the exception of the letters purchased from Michaels, and the sparkly paper we covered them in came from the dollar tree.  I made one for my house and one to give as a gift to my best friend.  The wreaths I had gotten from someone throwing them away when I did my curbside picking several months ago.  You don't have to have a wreath to make something like this though.  You can cut a big circle out of cardboard and decorate.  Your kids can help.  Aunti L loved the one we gave her.  It is on her door!  One year we did something like this, covered it with scrap book paper and family pictures and gave them as gifts.

We made another teacher gift using a Progresso soup can.  We reused tissue paper and ribbon from a package we received earlier this week.  We glued the paper to the can and the ribbon and added some scrap booking jewels I already had on hand.  I purchased some red pens for $1.47 at Walmart, and viola! We have a pen can!!! (this is something your kids can do with supervision.  My 9 year old son helped!)

I also purchased two finger nail polishes and a bottle of nail polish remover to give as a gift for a girl.

We handmade our gift bags out of paper sacks we had left from making home made microwave pop corn bags, and my kids colored them.

We made book marks using cereal boxes, scrap and construction paper, yarn and glue sticks.

You could also give the gift of a special family photo. 

They don't cost much to reprint.  I redid one of my husband's mother, and two grandmothers.  They all have passed on now.  I re-framed one for my husband and one for my nephew.  (I found the frames at thrift stores) I dressed them up a little with craft stuff I had.

One of the biggest things you can give someone and it will cost no money at all is.....YOUR TIME.  You can be creative and play with your kids, or grandkids, or any kids in your life. We set up and played war.......

 
...maybe your mother, friend, aunt, dad, husband or wife could use the gift of your time to get  a project done. Or maybe there is something they are unable to do for themselves that you could help with. 

This is what we have been up to.  This being posted.  Most of my Christmas stuff is now done.  I have three packages left to wrap.  We may at this point, skip holiday baking I am not sure.  We have a Christmas party to go to Saturday morning.  I do have to possibly shop for items for Christmas breakfast.  My son specifically requested breakfast, and I plan to make that happen.  We should be able to spend the upcoming days loving on each other and spending time, and doing some devotions as we wait to celebrate our Savior's birth.  I hope everyone is having a great week.  (oh and cleaning i musn't forget i gotta clean...bah humbug...LOL)