I first broached the subject of joining The Compact and not buying anything new for an entire year with my family on December 26th. We were all excited for a day or two and then panic set in. On December 29th, I remembered that I was planning on redecorating the main bathroom. My husband observedRead More
Resolution – Buy Nothing New in 2010
When I first heard about The Compact, I was intrigued by the concept of not buying anything new for an entire year. However, I did not think that I could join on my own and did not think I could convince the rest of my family to join with me. I have since learned thatRead More
Ideas for Stretching an Empty Pantry
I mentioned in an earlier post that I am participating in the Eat from the Pantry Challenge and will be feeding my family from the pantry and freezer for the month of January. My original enthusiasm has turned to a mild panic as I have realized that my pantry and freezer were not as fullRead More
The Staycation
When you live in a winter wonderland it would be crazy to go on vacation elsewhere in December. Today we went spent the afternoon sledding on a hill near our house. I picked up the sleds for $1.00 each at a local thrift store a couple years back. Lots of frugal fun was had byRead More
Freezer Tip for Prepping Soup in Advance
I have shared my Minestrone Soup before. I love it because it is naturally vegetarian, low fat, dairy free and can easily be made gluten free, so just about any house guest can safely eat this soup. And it is so good that I could eat it every day for lunch and never get tired of it! IRead More
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is celebrated quite differently in my house than it is in the United Kingdom. December 26th is the day I inventory and organize the Christmas windfall: the boxes, ribbons, bags, and cards. I am a connoisseur of fine boxes. I was able to rescue the the prewrapped gold boxes from a slow deathRead More
Menu Plan –The Pantry Edition
We have a lot of leftovers and a fairly full pantry, so I have decided to join Crystal at Money Saving Mom and Jessica at Life as Mom and make January an Eat from the Pantry month. My plan is to only go to the grocery store 3 times in January. When I go shopping, I willRead More
Use Kids Art to Make Note Card Sets
Here is a semi-handmade gift idea that is popular with grandmothers: take your kids artwork and turn it into custom sets of note cards. The picture above is of note cards I created using some of my children’s art work for the grandmothers and aunts. I rummaged through my kids’ artwork and found a coupleRead More
Outdoor Wednesday
We have already had several snow storms this year. I think the desert is so much prettier when covered by a layer of snow! Andrew’s first snow shoes. He is only two, but he is a natural. We finally got a snow that was wet enough to make a snowman. Rew convinced his big brother toRead More
Green Gift Wrap Ideas And A Badly Photographed Bow Tutorial
There have been several great posts on frugal, eco-friendly gift wrap solutions, so I have really debated whether another post on the subject was needed. However, I realized that I do a couple things that I haven’t yet seen so I have decided to go ahead and share some of my gift wrap solutions. IRead More
Putting A Little More Green in Your Christmas
A Few Gift Ideas That are Both Frugal and Eco-Friendly. Quick Dry Towels can be found in almost every department store. They are made of 100% cotton, but have a special twist which reduces the amount of time it takes them to dry by 20 – 33%, depending on the brand. They are also veryRead More
Frugal Christmas Crafts
I always try to have craft projects lined up for Christmas break. I find that my children have a difficult time transitioning from having hours of school work to hours of free time. Crafts this year will be a little simpler, but even more fun, because Rew is finally old enough to join in. TheRead More
Easy Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake
Two weeks ago I gave a dinner party for 15 and on the day of the party we had 80+ wind gusts that did significant damage to my back yard and the pasture fences. Instead of making the elaborate homemade dessert that I had planned for the party, I was being blown about trying to makeRead More
Menu Plan – Week of November 16th
I realized today that I make the first four dinners on this week’s menu about once a month. They are easy fall back meals for busy times or exhausting weeks. I am still getting my strength back after a nasty flu, so I am content to rely on the old standards; my kids are justRead More
Pantry Party: Turkey Tetrazzini
Jane at The Thrifty Countrywoman is having another Pantry Party. This month’s party features recipes that are made from Thanksgiving leftovers, as well as items commonly found in the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. I think everything in this recipe, except the mushrooms, are commonly found in the kitchen. A lot of the ingredients will beRead More
Menu Plan – Week of November 2nd
Monday – Tomato Basil Pie and Garden Salad Tuesday – Penne with spinach and Chicken Wednesday – Roast Beef, Rice, and Glazed Carrots Thursday – Use leftover Roast and Rice to make Chinese Orange Beef Friday – YOYO Dinner Saturday – Teriyaki Chicken, Asparagus and Lemongrass Risotto, and Garden Salad Sunday – Use leftover chickenRead More
My Husband’s Great Grandmother’s Recipe for Meatballs
My mother-in-law takes her nursing duties very seriously! When she has come to help out after I have had a baby or surgery she packs her cookbook, her favorite cooking tools, and the pink plastic gloves she wears when she cleans. She believes that by feeding me hearty meals I will regain my strength andRead More
Fickle Toddlers and Food Waste
This week my toddler decided that he no longer likes peaches or corn. Unfortunately, the rest of us did not get the memo in time to eat up his leftovers. How I Minimize Food Waste with my Finicky Toddler: 1. I give him small servings initially and then follow up with seconds and thirds. ItRead More
Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe and Menu Plan
There are several family recipes that call for a can of cream of mushroom soup. I am sure my grandmother loved the convenience that canned soup provided her, but I never really cared for the taste. The canned variety also contains flour, soy and MSG, which means my daughter and I should not eat it.Read More
Food Waste Friday
This probably should have been included in last week’s awful food waste picture, but I was holding out hope that when opened it would still be useable. It wasn’t. The coleslaw was an impulse buy several weeks ago, when it was a loss leader at our local store. It is a good example of whyRead More
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