A Celebration

On Sunday my princess turned 4.  We did have a little birthday celebration with my nephew and his family here at the house, and later our old neighbor from our leaky apartment came over with her kids to see my daughter too.

We started the day with breakfast at Steak N Shake (that is our favorite place, we love the burgers and put cheese on our fries, and it's one place you can go and have ice cream with your breakfast!)

We later went to church and before we left everyone sang happy birthday to the princess.  For dinner my nephew brought home three very big marketside pizza's from Walmart in different varieties and we baked those and ate them.

She openened her gifts

The gifts from her dad and I were a Tinkerbell bath set, and some lady bug dress up items (i got them off of a local facebook yard sale type site spent 5.00 total)

and she had also asked for her own lizard....both her brother and I have our own lizards and she came to me one day and said she would give up princess dresses and barbies for her own baby lizard. 

With that said...meet Minnie

(no staged pictures here...you get water spots and all...lol)  This is the item my nephew found on craigslist that I talked about a couple weeks ago.  We got the whole set up for 40.00, instead of just paying 40.00 for the animal. )  Now we are going to look into planting a garden this spring, and growing some of the foods that our lizards can eat.  Eventually of course Minnie will need a much bigger habitat, but we are looking at possibly building one ourselves. 

My baby girl also got an Anna doll (from Frozen), and la la loopsy doll,  a frozen themed pillow and cup for her birthday along with two tinkerbell books.  Her favorite item I think is the Anna doll.  She was definitely handing out big hugs and thank you's to everyone.


 We sang happy birthday and served an Oreo ice cream cake, and watched the movie Maleficent (rented from Redbox) that evening.  Over all I believe she had a really nice day. 

Did you celebrate anything special this week?

Life Unscripted

It is Thursday and by the end of the day it has been a tough emotional day I guess.  The day felt promising in the beginning, I took the kids for a quick stop at Dunkin Donuts for some Munchkins as a treat, and I dropped my son off to school, and headed to the vet.  We go to a local clinic that does not take appointments, you have to wait your turn to be seen, but the prices are much more affordable then a vet that takes appointments.

We waited for maybe two hours which really wasn't that bad, I have waited longer.  When you have kids in tow though, I learned you must have snacks and drink.  I was prepared today.  (there were times when we went over the summer for the little dog's broken leg that i was unprepared.)  I only had my three year old with me though, and we survived.  We took the kitten and the little dog Chewy...he has had some issues, turns out he has a hookworm infection.  It has caused him some health issues.  Well let's hope that the treatment makes him better.  Anyway all poo has to be cleaned out of the yard every day.....the overwhelming part is with extended family there is a total of six dogs on property.  I just let my dogs out to go potty do who knows where they go.  So preventing any further infestations may prove challenging...we don't know if any other dogs have it etc.  (It would be cheaper not to have pets....i know...)  I did some reading on hookworms it's gross. 

I had to comb through my daughters hair again for head lice.  I give up just going to dry blankets and pick hair every day.....and my son came home early with a stomach ache.  We talked over some recent health issues he had at a 3:30 doctor's appt , and his bloodwork came back and the poor kid is allergic to alot....ALOT.  He has lost some wieght...doctor isn't happy about that....and he can no longer have peanuts, wheat, corn, or soy.  There was a big list of environmental things too....so it is time for me to do research.  We are going to start by modeling a gluten free diet....that was the doctor's suggestion.  My nine year old can only see all the stuff he can't have right now though.  I told him we would get through it and change together. That we would pray and ask God to show us things he might like. He just is upset right now, and said he doesn't want to watch other kids eat what he can't......so i have just asked him to help me pick out some new things to try and to keep an open mind.

At the close of my evening when i came home, my husband was upset....he has been struggling with the price of our electric, and there is a financial disagreement between us and extended family.  It turned into a fight, and my nephews wife went walking somewhere with her five kids.  I guess the two men can't reach an agreement, I have said I am not involved, that my husband needs to get this issue off his chest, because it is what burdens him the most.  I can't say exactly what details have unfolded or what the resolution will be.  My nephew feels that he pays enough each week and puts some food in the house and that should be enough, and my husband feels it is not enough.  There is just no agreeing.  I don't know what that means. 

Ah well I am off to burn some pillows in the dryer and hopefully kill any lice eggs that could be lurking.....hope you all are having a great week.  I know all of this is treatable, I just have a complex where I wish I could make everyone happy and fix everything for everyone which makes things emotionally overwhelming.....oh yeah i took care of dinner, my husband was trying to help me and it got dropped all over the ground and got dirt in it.....he wasn't happy....tough day all around is what we care going to call it.

Sharing ways we save

* This week I got my daughter's antibiotics for free from a grocery store called Publix.  If you have one in your area they offer certain medications for free whether or not you have insurance.  Some oral antibiotics are free there, and I recently discovered that the metformin I take for diabetes will be free to fill there.

* I combined as many errands as possible to keep gas usage low.

* The household made laundry detergent (I still think our extended family is not cool with using just one to two tablespoons of it yet.)  It disappears a lot faster then it does when we use it so I assume more is being used.

* Purchased a new litter box ( I love the Tidy Cats Breeze system) and found a 7.00 off of one coupon online.  I ordered it online through Petsmart and got free shipping (saved gas didn't have to drive to pick it up, I can wait a day or two for delivery ;) )  It was also 8.00 cheaper at Petsmart then it was anywhere else.

* We participated in a trunk or treat and fall festival at a local church....costumes were made from things we already had on hand

It is hard to see but my son wore torn and tattered clothing and carried a can that read "will work 4 candy"  My photo editor seems to be down so I can't make the picture better.

My baby girl dressed up as a witch and we made the outfit from things she already had.  This was our favorite trunk because I love the sign that reads "Don't let your heart be frozen, let Jesus in."

In the kitchen I have been making homemade dumplings.  I still don't like cooking because it makes a mess and I really don't enjoy cleaning, but I am learning. 

I participated in the weekly bread basket giveaway at a local church.

I cut my son's hair....shaved his head....I found head lice in his hair after round two of an outbreak in other kids in the house.  (it's getting old.)  and because of what they are it makes you feel like you must be dirty no one wants to touch them...etc....i hope the epidemic is over........

Not related to savings......

Let me tell you where we went today.....we went back to church!!!!!!!  My husband finally gave in to the desire he had been feeling to go back, and we went.  It was so good to go back.  We attend a local Calvary Chapel.  We choose to attend this particular church because they love like Jesus, take you as you are, and they absolutely are a Bible teaching church.  We love the fellowship there.  What an answered prayer that my husband finally wanted to go back! 

That is all I can think of.  Sadly this week we had a cold front this weekend and turned the heat on for a night or two.

Grandma Joan passed away earlier this week.  A week or two ago I shared about two women in our lives fighting cancer.  Joan was Aunti L (my best friends) mother.  She did give her life to Jesus a few days before she passed, so that does bring her daughter some comfort, but the grieving process won't be easy for her as she adjusts to life without her mom and her kids to life without their grandma. 

Hope everyone had a great week!!!!

Life Unscripted

I guess if life came scripted it would be predictable and boring right?

Today is Thursday October 30th, and well the week has been interesting, my daughter needed a visit to see the doctor for a pretty nasty ear infection that was causing her to cry and scream at bed time.  I only by God's grace discovered this morning that we met our financial goal, I can pay the current rent, old landlord etc, and still have a few bucks left over.  This is so the Lord's provision.  We have had unexpected prescriptions and doctor's appointments, another unexpected 80.00 bill automatically deducted from my checking account, and my husband's paycheck was short 180.00.  ( His employer is working on fixing it but as of yesterday morning, I was 150.00 short of being able to pay everything.)  Yesterday morning I resolved not to worry about it and simply prayed and admitted that I am at the end of me, worrying all month did nothing.  I told myself I really don't care anymore...That there are worse things, that i would just go to each person I needed to pay with what I had.

To my surprise, I got a final paycheck from my previous employer, and it was more than expected.  To my unpleasant surprise this morning I discovered that my big dog had an accident in her crate, it was just urine but wow was it smelly so I have been mopping and cleaning a crate this morning.  Contemplating doing the dishes (again) I hate doing dishes.  I have become exhausted and overextended this week trying to take care of everyone and working on my own to prepare meals for 11 people.  Now some of you do this everyday and you don't bat an eye, and I say wow to you, keep up the great work.  I told both my nephew and his wife this morning, that I am taking the next couple days "off" so to speak.  I am not cooking.

My husband and I may sneak away with our kids tonight and eat a little Caesar's pizza at the park or something...and tomorrow if the fall festival doesn't have food, then we are doing .50 corn dogs at Sonic....that is their special for Halloween.  I will take our own bottled water and we can eat dinner away for 1.50. (((SHHHH I AM GOING TO BE WASTEFUL)))))))

I did do some thinking and reflecting as well, and my husband and I did some more talking this morning.....I said I think it was a mistake to take in our nephew and his family, that while we were working to live within our means, that is all that we have, is enough for us to live within what we have (and as alot of you who live like that you know it takes work, and sacrifice) and we took on another family and we just are not able to support them.  We are only a little more than a year into really looking at what living within our means is exactly for us.  We were not strong enough to do this.  Looking back over the years though, we always want to help someone and play rescue ranger and I think we have to stop.  Whether it is taking in homeless or financial struggling people in or lives or animals.  We have to stop saying yes. 

We also talked a little about money, and he says that despite what living within our means with his income only means we have to do or not do....he is happy that I am home.  He says when I went back to work, he learned he needs me here.  I make a difference.  That is nice to hear, and I will have to come back and read this on a day I struggle with depression and think I don't make a difference.

So if you are struggling thinking life is difficult or mundane, or too full of surprises, what you are doing does make a difference.  You are important to the people in your life.  You are important to me.  Just an encouraging thought.......and a nice warm fuzzy....

Sharing ways we save

is really short and sweet this week....


I participated in a local church's bread basket program again....we get left over panera bagels and some other goodies stores couldn't use or sell before they go bad, but those bagels sure do fill 11 hungry tummies with a side of eggs on Sunday morning!

While at the bread basket a lady had stuff in the back of her trunk asking everyone to look and see if there was anything anyone wanted.  She gave me a dress that had some funky colors and a pair of nine west heels that match.  I tried on both today, they fit, with the dress being great but would be better if i work on my waist line, in the mean time i plan to wear it with a sweater or dressy jacket!

I stayed home.

Unplugged things and turned off switches for things when not in use.

Found what my daughter wants for her birthday on Craigslist with the help of my nephew and can get everything for 40.00 instead of $100.00.  (don't worry i wouldn't have really spend the 100.00 we were just pricing things.)

Frugal Flops:

My husband bought his lunch out one day...it was only 5.00 but still it was supposed to be a no spend week.

One more week and I will total up everything hoping to find that I have enough to pay both my rent and the bill to the old landlord.  One more week.  Stay home...and save.



What are your budgeting plans....

Life Unscripted....the green eyed monster

I have officially been bitten....by the green eyed monster....otherwise known as jealousy.....


Does anyone else have this problem.  Everywhere I go lately I see ladies dressed nice, hair done, nails done, and the family that is staying with us was just awarded 1675 in child support so they will be bringing in over 3000 a month between that and my nephew's working income.  I find myself jealous and coveting wishing we brought in that much money a month.  (I mean it's a good thing because they should be able to move out of our house soon.)

This week has brought and outbreak of lice in 4 of my nephew's five kids which brought on head lice a day or so later in my daughter, and my son was emotional because he feels like my nephews kids have different rules, and there came arguments about bed times etc.  We have had talks about how doing the right things whether or not someone else does can at times be difficult.  My nephew also has a point in that he says just because they don't do things our way that it does not mean that their way is wrong.  There have been arguments about what shows are allowed to be watched in the house etc.  We do not allow horror shows etc and that is what my nephew and his family like to watch despite the fact that in my opinion his kids are too young.  So they want to stay up late in our house and watch them.  This is making it difficult for two families to live together.  I guess I just don't have the loving heart Christ would want me to have when it comes to helping others right now.

So now a second tent is being put up in the yard because my nephews older kids do not want to go along with our rules, so my nephew is moving them out to a tent in the yard. 

A bright spot in the week was that my daughter did not have to get a cast, but just a brace that we can actually take off at bath time and she only has to wear it for three more weeks!  She is much happier with the arrangement.  I had a picture to share but I have satellite internet and I advised our house guests it was not for streaming but they streamed until I have no more data left and I cannot load a picture.  I barely have dial up connection speed because of the streaming. (I think that is my  husband's problem, it isn't so much the sharing of our stuff, it's the stuff being taken, used, not replaced, and used without the courtesy of asking......)


 ( I know I need to start making that list of things I am thankful for, we are healthy, we have a home, my husband has a job)  Sorry I just needed a moment to reprogram my thinking......  Everyone has bad day...days when we are selfish right?


I talked to my husband about how I was feeling and he said he would rather have exactly what we have then to go through whatever someone else has to experience to get what they have.  It was a good and comforting point that is pulling me out of my grouchy state.  So I guess I have an ugly heart, but at least I am honest, and I am not pretending to be something that I am not today.

“Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. ”


― Carrie Fisher

and so I am giving up that resentment :0)


How has your day or week been?  Do you have "Debbie Downer," moments too?

Sharing Ways We Save

It has been a while since I have shared, or maybe even taken in account anything we did to save money.


Now to reign it all in.

This week we were able to glean some hay from a local feed store.  As long as you pick it up off the ground or clean off the stairs it was free.  We got 4 walmart bags full of it, and will use it for the chickens to lay in and maybe our dogs (if we ever get a pen built.)

I was given a free pair of very nice dress shoes with Dr. Scholls inserts in them by my nephew because they don't fit his daughter.

Aunti L gave me a shopping bag full of hand me down clothes for each of my kids.

We decided not to order school pictures for my son, but experiment and take some of our own or find a way to get nice pictures done for less.

I also participated in a local church's bread basket giveaway and took advantage of a food bank that another local church offered.  With 11 of us in the house, we were not prepared quite enough to feed everyone and this will help us become better prepared.  The local schools have been sending home a sack of  snack items for each of the five children that live in our house that are considered to be homeless. 

We worked on our budget, and I tried to help my nephew with his using what I have learned in the past year and a half.  I know he payed his bills for the week, but blew what was left on a night out at a local bar instead of socking it away so they can find another place to live.  Then they realized they have a couple more bills they forgot they have to pay, and my nephew feels he needs to budget in for new shoes, but they must be name brand.  I am not sure how to help him.  My husband is feeling overwhelmed and like his home is being taken over by the other family. 

Sorry, got off track.  We (my family of 4) personally ate every meal at home. 

I made some dog food in the crock pot.  We have worked very hard to make sure no food is wasted or ends up in the trash.

I have unplugged items when they are not in use.  We have regulated how many loads of laundry can be done.....1 load per family each day if needed.  I have also ensured all lights are turned off when not in use.  That is all I can think of.  My financial software finally says we are living within our means again.  (We probably have not been since my husband's brother passed away.)

The last two weeks of this month are no unnecessary spending weeks for us.  We have some serious goals to meet with having to pay my old landlord.  I did end up resigning from my job, we realized we really weren't losing that much money after paying for gas and the babysitter.  My  husband feels like I am needed more at home.

Do you live a frugal life style....do you ever have times that chaos still reigns and realize you stopped doing some of the things that save you money?

How was your week, what did you do to save money?