tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32923658161541283142024-03-12T20:51:04.127-05:00Mommy Stays HomeHelping mothers fulfill their roles as keepers of the home with inspiration for a more natural yet frugal lifestyle.Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-11603045578079342232011-09-12T16:54:00.004-05:002011-09-12T17:06:12.225-05:00WAH Idea-Before And After School Child Care<p align="center"><a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/school/inezpictures2/overig/school-1.gif?o=6" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 284px; HEIGHT: 402px" border="0" src="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff370/inezpictures2/overig/school-1.gif" width="414" height="498" /></a></p><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/school/inezpictures2/overig/school-1.gif?o=7"><span style="font-size:78%;">photo credit</span></a></p><br /><p><br />It sure seems like I all my WAH ideas lately havehad something to do with children. I promise that soon I will have something for you that does not involve having extra children in your home.<br /><br />Today I would like to focus on before and after school care for children in your neighborhood. If you call your local schools and ask them what their rate is for latch key you should be able to set your rates just slightly lower to make yourself more appealing to parents.<br /><br />By watching kids only before and after school you should only have children in your home for 2-3 hours per day. Make sure to check with your state to make sure there are not any restrictions on how many children you can have in your care at one time or if there are any mandatory licenses that you may need. </p>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-74553830660402166632011-09-10T22:59:00.002-05:002011-09-10T23:13:56.286-05:00So Let's Get Going- Income Earning Idea<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L5ixa3KC7sQ/Tmw05fORKTI/AAAAAAAAA-w/8FTv_QAXTJI/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 59px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650949794681661746" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L5ixa3KC7sQ/Tmw05fORKTI/AAAAAAAAA-w/8FTv_QAXTJI/s320/header.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>My friend, Crystal, over at <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/">Money Saving Mom </a>has a series going every Wednesday on <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/09/how-to-significantly-increase-your-income-without-working-harder-part-2.html"><span style="color:#6633ff;">how to make more money without working harder.</span></a> I have to say that it is a wonderful series. She made a suggestion last week about starting businesses that will result in residual income. I<span style="color:#666666;"> am</span> still researchers more ideas on how to go about starting these type of businesses, but in the mean time Crystal suggested a really interesting idea for making some money while still staying home. It is called <span style="color:#6633ff;"><a href="http://www.startapreschool.com/">Preschool In A Box.</a> </span></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Basically the idea is this...I am sure many of you have considered starting an in home daycare to make some extra money, but you really don't want to have kids in your home 8-10 hours a day. Joy Anderson is the genious behind preschool in a box. She shows you how you can start an in home preschool and only work 2.5-5 hours a day and make more money then you can with daycare. I checked out her site and it is completely legit. In fact, I ordered her free informational cd. I think she has some great ideas. So go<a href="http://www.startapreschool.com/freecd/"><span style="color:#6633ff;"> check it out for yourself.</span></a></div>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-61704106088603017772011-09-10T22:43:00.002-05:002011-09-10T22:46:05.092-05:00Let's Try This AgainZOOOOM EEEKKK!! That is how I feel I run this blog. Run as fast as you can and then come to a sudden halt! Ugh, one of these days I might get it right. Let's try once again to get things going.<br /><br />I have so many ideas to share on making some extra income as lots of homemaking ideas. So here we go again.Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-64218192364189390682010-09-22T22:09:00.002-05:002010-09-22T22:11:44.493-05:00Is It Ever Too Late To Become A Stay At Home Mom?<div class="post-header"> </div> <center><a href="http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u59/keeperofthehome/clip%20art/?action=view&current=Noontimerest.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u59/keeperofthehome/clip%20art/Noontimerest.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><br />Once again it is late and I have run out of time and energy to write anything new. Here is a post I wrote answering a readers question. </span><br /><br />I thought I would share these questions with everyone because I am sure that there are others who are wondering the same thing.</span><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Reader Lisa asked,</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >"I wonder is it ever too late to become a SAHM?" and "Is it possible to give up high paying job and live on a teacher's salary?"</span></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >I think it is NEVER too late to become a SAHM. Our children need us no matter what their age. I am sure that you would love to be able to go on field trip, games, and other events with your children during their school age years and not have to worry about taking time off of work. I would refer you to Titus 2. I am sure many of you have already read it, but it only confirms that the Lord meant for the wife to be at home taking care of her family.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >I know that many woman worry about the loss of income that would come with them quitting their job. I would advise you to take it to the Lord in prayer and trust him to take care of your finances. He has said that he will provide for all of our needs.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >I can understand how busy a mom gets with her job and taking care of a family. My mother is the Facility Administrator for 3-4 dialysis units in our city. She is in her 60s and has know idea when she will be able to retire. She is stressed and tired. At her age this should not be the case. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >I heard a preacher say once that husbands should do everything they can to support their wives being at home because asking her to work and take care of a household is literally slowly killing her due to increased stress and lack of rest. I realize that there are circumstances when a wife must work or her husband is not supportive of her decision. This is when I would again recommend prayer. Ask the Lord to soften your spouses heart. He sure did a number on my husband.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >As to the question of being able to make it on a teacher's salary I can say first hand that YES you can. My husband is a teacher at a technical college. We are able to take care of our monthly bills and still have some money left for paying down debt.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >The way we are able to do that is by the choices we make. Often times we are asked to go out to dinner or on vacation and we have to say no. We are sometimes looked down on, but we know that 10 years down the road we will be debt free, car payment free, and mortgage free, and our friends will still be in the same place they were.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >In conclusion, remember that you can fulfill your dream of becoming a SAHM at any stage of you life and you can learn to live on one income. It is all a matter of where your priorities are. When your children are on their own are they going to remember the "stuff" you bought them or the quality time you spent with them.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >I would love to hear back from you. Let me know how things are going on your journey. No matter what choice you make you have to do what is right for you and your family. Remember to take it to the Lord in prayer. He knows your heart.</span></div></center>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-19770917712163652622010-09-20T22:34:00.004-05:002010-09-20T22:41:40.205-05:00WAH Home Job- Consignment SalesI was hoping to post the third part of the work to home series, but time did not permit that today. I still wanted to post something, but since it is very late I will just give you a quit WAH job idea.<br /><br />Have you noticed that kids clothing consignment sales are popping up everywhere? These can be a great ways to bring in a little extra cash with minimal effort. You may be thinking that you do not have anything to consign. How can you make any money? Well, by flipping clothing. People make money flipping houses. Why not kids clothes and toys? A friend of mine said she knows of a woman who has profited $400 on the last 2 sales she has flipped clothes at. She told me that this woman will go to garage sales and ask people if she can fill a bag for $1. Most people will tell her yes. She then turns around and tags these clothes to be consigned and makes a nice profit. I am sure this could be done with many childrens items.<br /><br />So there you have it. I am sorry if this is not well written. I am falling asleep at the keyboard.<br /><br />For more ways to learn about saving money check out my other blog <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com">Natural On A Budget.</a>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-46685432303951303132010-09-16T22:22:00.001-05:002010-09-16T22:25:36.263-05:00Transition From Work To Home-Part 2<div class="post-header"> </div> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SJpqGf00LfI/AAAAAAAAABY/sWdIAIedoV8/s1600-h/lynher-river%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231610576999034354" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SJpqGf00LfI/AAAAAAAAABY/sWdIAIedoV8/s320/lynher-river%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><strong>Part 2-</strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><strong>Ask yourself these questions...</strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not </span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">lean on your own understanding. In all your ways </span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Proverbs 3:5-6</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Do you find it heart wrenching every time you have to leave your precious children in the care of someone else (sometimes a stranger) everyday as you leave for work? Do your children beg you to stay home and not leave? Do you cry all the way to work? Do you simply want to follow the teachings of the Lord and become a keeper of the home? </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If you answered yes to any of these questions then you need to read this series. I decided before I had children that I wanted to be a SAHM. When career day would come around in high school people would ask me what I wanted to do for a living. The only thing that I could ever imagine was a mother. Oh, I had dreams and interests in other fields, such as medicine, but nothing ever felt as right as being a wife and mother.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">After I got married I knew that I would have to plan in advance if I wanted to make my dream come true. Unfortunately the man I married did not understand my desire and expected that I would always work. I had to do a lot of praying for the Lord to change his heart. After the birth of our first child my husband had come around and I am now doing what I had always said I would do as a child.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So how did I get to where I am today? Planning and Prayer. I can not emphasize enough that you must plan ahead or you will most likely fail. The first thing you need to learn how to do is adjust to living on one income before you quit your job. Sit down with your spouse and plan out a budget using his income alone. For great information on budgeting visit <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Dave Ramsey's site</span> </a>on money management. </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The second thing you need to do is set a realistic date to quit work. If you have a goal in mind you are more likely to reach it.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Next you need to build an emergency fund to cover anything that may happen that you will need to pay for once you actually quit work. I would also recommend using your current income to pay off debt. You are learning to live on just your husband's income alone so you should be able to put anything extra toward paying of debt. You want to make sure that you can have the least amount of bills possible for you husband's income to pay. </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The last thing you need to do once you have come home is try to get into a routine. It is really easy to just let yourself become lazy and get nothing done. You will find yourself at lunch time still in your PJ's and the house a mess and your husband may stop in for lunch. He will wonder what you have been doing all day and if having you home is really going to work. You managed to keep up the house when you were working. You need to be able to do the same thing once you are at home. Your new "job" is to make sure that you spend time with God daily, then your husband, then children, and then the house. Find someone who has been a SAHM for awhile and get her advice.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Next time I will begin to go into each of these steps a little more in depth. Keep praying about your decision. God will provide a way if this is truly the desire of your heart. </span></div>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-74408170653730096262010-09-15T08:10:00.003-05:002010-09-15T08:15:34.285-05:00Transition From Work To Home-Part 1<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231250657988620642" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 255px; height: 148px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SJkiwdBwsWI/AAAAAAAAABA/IIOGE41ZrLY/s320/bluebells8%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" width="132" height="148" /><br /><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><strong>Part - 1</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Is staying at home for everyone and why do you want to do it?</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"></span></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord,' plans for your </span></div><br /><div align="center">welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."</div><br /><div align="center">Jeremiah 29:11</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />I thought that since I had taken some time off I would start the transition from work to home series over again. I am sorry if any of you have already read it, but I did not want to leave anyone out. If you are looking for some inspiration about transitioning from work to home you need to read Larry Burcket's book <em><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802491650?ie=UTF8&tag=naonabu-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0802491650">Woman Leaving the Workplace</a>. </em>This book is where I have found a lot of my info for this series.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />I have always loved this verse. It has helped me through many difficult times. When there are days that I do not know how my husband and I will be able to afford for me to stay home I think on this verse and remember God's promise to take care of his children. If you are struggling with the decision to come home, you are not alone. God can and will take care of those who put their trust in him. </div><br /><div align="left">I hear of more and more women lately that are wanting to leave work and become a SAHM. Unfortunatly many of them do not see how this can ever be possible. As a nation we have come to believe that to make it in life we need to be a dual income family. Some women have supportive husbands and others do not. It is possible financially to live on one income. I am not going to tell you that this will come easily. As with anything worth having you have to work at it.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Statistics show that the number of women quitting their jobs is on the rise. Mothers are looking at what has happened to our nation's children when their mother's are taken out of the picture and not raising them at home under their loving care. </div><br /><div align="left">There are many mothers today, especially in the Christian community, who feel that they are supposed to stay home, yet they feel like they are letting their families down because they work out of the home full time. There are many mothers who have tried to quit, yet have had to return to work because they did things out of order and did not completely prepare themselves and their families for the transition.</div><br /><div align="left">I can only give suggestions to help you with your transition in this series. There is no guarantee that this will work just like there are not gurantees that staying at home with your kids will ensure that they grow up to be model citizens. Please do not take your decision lightly. Make sure that you pray with your husband before any final decisions are made. Only God knows the plans that he has for us. </div><br /><div align="left">Through out this series I would like to touch on the topics of having a supportive spouse, fears, budgeting, homeschooling, income earning ideas, and when to return to work. Stay tuned until next time for the actual planning process and what steps to take first. </div>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-44467725394356670822010-09-15T07:37:00.003-05:002010-09-15T07:46:08.985-05:00Eversave: Greeno Bambino $26 for only $13<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/TJC-o-Xte2I/AAAAAAAAA0E/0icvjwuIF-o/s1600/Greeno-Bambino-On-Eversave.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 172px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/TJC-o-Xte2I/AAAAAAAAA0E/0icvjwuIF-o/s400/Greeno-Bambino-On-Eversave.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517119154675350370" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.greenobambino.com/">Greeno Bambino</a> is on <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://eversave.com/share/u0s7">Eversave today only. </a>The deal is for $26 worth of product for only $13. If you are new to Eversave you can sign up and get an instant $5 credit making your purchase total only $8.<br /><br />Greeno Bambino has a flat rate shipping fee of only $5 which you can use your Eversave purchase toward.<br /><br />I noticed in their <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.greenobambino.com/greeno-on-sale-s/44.htm">sale section</a> that they had LOTS of items well under $26! This could make for a very inexpensive gift.<br /><br />Thanks <a href="http://www.organicdeals.blogspot.com">Organic Deals</a>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-75543441611906970892010-09-14T12:51:00.003-05:002010-09-14T12:56:26.346-05:0050 Bean/Lentils And Rice Recipes<a href="http://photobucket.com/images/dry%20beans" target="_blank"> <img style="width: 435px; height: 229px;" src="http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc117/maggiesmindblogpics/WkWinDec012007/09b70c13.jpg" alt="Dry Beans Mixed Pictures, Images and Photos" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">This is something I wrote for my other blog <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.natruralonabudget.com/">Natural On A Budget </a>last fall. It was such a hit over their that I thought I would repost it here. Beans and rice meals are a great way to save money when you are a stay at home mom and needing to stretch your grocery budget.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">After buying a lot of bulk beans and rice last week I decided I needed to look for some inventive ways to use them so we do not get bored with just beans and rice. I have obviously not had a chance to try all of these, but I have made a few. All of which were quite good.<br /><br />I tried to look for recipes that did not include meat to make these more frugal, but there may be some that do have it in the ingredient list. Of course you can always adapt the recipe to your taste and budget.<br /><br />I also tried to find recipes that did not require strange or expensive ingredients, but were still varied and interesting, including two desserts. (Check out the recipe for chocolate hummus at the bottom.)</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><br />Italian and Mediterranean</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jamies-Minestrone/Detail.aspx">Minestrone</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pasta-e-fagioli-ii-2/Detail.aspx">Pasta e Fagioli</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.recipekey.com/therecipes/Italian-Black-Beans-and-Rice">Italian Black Beans and Rice</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/06/hummus-recipe-and-more-about-whole.html">Hummus and Veggie With Pita</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/some-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Falafel</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Indian</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,curried_lentils,FF.html">Curried Lentils and Rice</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/01/28/chola-chana-masala/comment-page-7/#comment-12509">Chola</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (Channa Masala)</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Butter-Chickpea-Curry-318607">Butter Chickpea Curry</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/more-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Lentil Curry Dip</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/more-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Lentil Curry Snack</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.bigoven.com/160313-Dhall-recipe.html">Dhall</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Southwest</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1696625">3 Bean Chili</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Taco-Salad-I/Detail.aspx">Taco Salad</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bean-n-rice-burritos/detail.aspx">Rice and Bean Burritos</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Taco-Soup-IV-4755">Taco Soup</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,taco_pizza,FF.html">Taco Pizza</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mexican-lasagna-recipe/index.html">Mexican Lasagna</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://elise.com/recipes/archives/000040spanish_rice.php">Spanish Rice</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> With </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-Bean-Dip/Detail.aspx">Bean Dip</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bean-quesadillas/detail.aspx">Bean Quesadillas</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/2009/04/layered-chicken-black-bean-enchilada.html">Layered Bean Enchilada Casserole</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/seven-layer-tortilla-pie/Detail.aspx">7 Layer Tortilla Pie</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/more-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Pintos With Mexican Spices and V8</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.whats4eats.com/desserts/arroz-con-leche-recipe">Arroz con Leche </a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(Mexican Rice Pudding)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Southern</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/red_beans_and_rice/">Red Beans and Rice<br /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Soups and Salads</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Moroccan-Chickpea-Soup-104356">Chickpea Soup</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pasta-chick-pea-salad/detail.aspx">Chickpea Pasta</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lentil-Soup/Detail.aspx">Lentil Soup</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/vegetarian-split-pea-soup-recipe.html">Split Pea Soup</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/black_bean_soup/">Black Bean Soup</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/tuscan-white-bean-soup-recipe.html">Tuscan White Bean Soup</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lentil-curry-soup/detail.aspx">Lentil Curry Soup</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://homecooking.about.com/od/vegetablerecipes/r/blv302.htm">Moros y Christianos</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chickpea-salad-recipe/index.html">Chickpea Salad</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/more-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Pasta Bean and Veggie Salad</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Indian (American)</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/NavajoFryBread.htm">Indian Fry Bread</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (Tacos)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Asian</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/beef-pho/detail.aspx">Pho</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Chinese-Fried-Rice-38748">Chinese Fried Rice</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Caribbean</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/carib.html">Caribbean Rice and Beans</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold;">Misc.</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Brown-Rice-and-Lentil-Casserole-74629">Lentil and Rice Casserole</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (Easy, cheap, and YUMMY!)</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/more-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Lentil Soup With Mashed Potatoes</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (Think shepherd's pie)</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/black-bean-rice-burgers/detail.aspx">Black Beans and Rice Burgers</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Bean Chili Over Baked Potatoes (Just like it says. Leftovers over baked potato)</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/more-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Caramelized Onions and Beans</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/more-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Lentils In Butter With Veggies and Cornbread</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/02/crispy-roasted-chickpeas-garbanzo-beans.html">Sauteed Crispy Chickpeas</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://dinner-recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/savory_lentils_and_rice">Savory Lentils and Rice</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.naturalonabudget.com/2009/10/some-beans-and-rice-recipes.html">Chickpeas With Sweet Potato ans Summer Veggies</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/three-bean-potluck-casserole/detail.aspx">3 Bean Casserole</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/black-bean-tortilla-casserole/detail.aspx">Black Bean Tortilla Bake</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.recipezaar.com/chocolate-hummus-397936">Chocolate Hummus</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (I think this sounds interesting)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">OK, after putting this together I am hungry!<br /><br /></span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-80191149542053593992010-09-11T20:21:00.003-05:002010-09-11T21:15:52.669-05:00Income Earning Idea: Personal Grocery Shopper<center><a href="http://photobucket.com/images/grocery%20cart" target="_blank"><img src="http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/chirkyblog/Grocery-Cart1.jpg" alt="grocery cart Pictures, Images and Photos" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://photobucket.com/images/grocery%20cart%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/chirkyblog/Grocery-Cart1.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22grocery%20cart%20Pictures,%20Images%20and%20Photos%22/%3E%3C/a%3E">Photo Credit</a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I am sure that I am not the only mother out there who wished that there was some way to make money while still staying home with the kids. I have searched and tried so many things. Some that have worked and some that have not. Today I am starting what I hope will become a weekly feature on income earning opportunities that can be done either from your home, with kids in tow, or as your own business.<br /><br />Today's income earning idea is to become a personal grocery shopper. I have actually considered doing this one myself many times. In fact I asked several friends what they thought of the idea and had a very positive response.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">There are so many people out there who could use help getting their groceries...</span><br /><br /><ul><li>New moms</li><li>Elderly</li><li>Home bound</li><li>Working professionals</li><li>Working moms</li><li>Those who have recently had surgery</li><li>The list could go on and on</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Here are a couple of places that you could possibly advertise...</span><br /><ul><li>Country clubs</li><li>Doctors offices</li><li>Grocery stores</li><li>Office buildings</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Some of the ideas that I have had to help stream line this business would be...</span><br /><ul><li>Ask each client to provide a pre-paid visa or store gift card so that you are not having to pay anything out of your pocket.</li><li>Get different colored shopping bags so that each client could have their own color and tag them so that you can easily make deliveries.</li><li>Get a professional catering cooler so that you are able to keep cold things cold and hot items hot. This would be extremely important. Nobody wants to receive melted ice cream.</li><li>Make up a flyer highlighting what you do, your prices, and the reason why having a personal grocery shopper may benefit the individual. Don't forget your business cards. <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/default.aspx?GP=9%2f11%2f2010+9%3a41%3a56+PM&GPS=1303926533">Vistaprint </a>often has offers for free business cards. </li></ul><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">If you still have questions about running your own personal grocery shopping business I have listed several sites below that I have found that explain how to get this business off the ground in much greater detail.</span><br /><br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li><a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Start-a-Personal-Grocery-Shopping-Business">How to start a personal grocery shopping business-</a> This article has great info including sample pricing and a ready made flyer.</li><li><a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/Brochure-Templates">Brochure-Templates and Youtube video for making your own brochures.</a></li><li><a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2481902/how_to_become_a_personal_grocery_shopper.html?cat=46">Another great article with a different perspective.</a></li></ul><br />Let me know if anyone decides to try this and how things go. I am sure others would love to hear as well.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /></center>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-61895486339571289562010-09-09T22:31:00.002-05:002010-09-09T22:34:13.574-05:00That Still Small VoiceI can not believe it has been a year and a half since I last posted on this blog. I am sure there is no one still reading it, but the last couple of days I have been praying and asking the Lord to show me a way that I can be a blessing to others and have a ministry while still being a full time wife and mother. I really feel that I am being led to pick up this blog again. We will have to see where things go, but my heartfelt prayer is that in some small way I will be able to touch the life of even just one person.Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-55530258351377836232009-03-24T14:52:00.002-05:002009-03-24T14:55:39.425-05:00I am about $500 Short Each Month From Staying Home<a href="http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u59/keeperofthehome/clip%20art/?action=view&current=Noontimerest.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u59/keeperofthehome/clip%20art/Noontimerest.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><div>This is an old post that had quite a few comments. I thought it was worth posting again. We are all looking for ways to cut back. Hopefully this will help....</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I had a reader mention recently that she was about $500 short per month from being able to balance the budget and stay home. I hope that this post will somehow help others see that you can make this work. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">How much are you willing to sacrifice to stay home with your children? This is a question that I often have to ask woman when they ask me how I manage to be a SAHM on my husband's teaching salary. The other statement that I often get from people is "Oh, you are so lucky to be able to stay home with your children. Your husband must have a good job." I have to make sure that I am polite and say thank you I know I am lucky, but what I want to say to them is luck has nothing to do with it. I stay home by choice and I make choices daily that keep me there. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">What are some of the luxuries or so called "needs" that you may have to sacrifice to stay home? I have decided to put together a list of things that my family felt we did not need and truly have not really missed. I realize that some of these things we may be able to have again in the future, but for this season of our lives they are not necessities.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I am going to put an approximate dollar amount to the things on this list so you can see how quickly you can "find" that extra $500 in the budget. It may not seem that you will have any material comforts left at first, but I think you will soon realize, just how little you really need to be happy. The Lord said that he will make sure that we have food to eat, clothes on our back, and a roof over our head. This is the ultimate picture of true contentment. To be happy with the simple things in life. I will not say that I am not still struggling daily with contentment, but I am trying. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Cable tv <span style="color:#ff0000;">Total we saved $100/month going with minimal cable, phone and internet.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">High speed internet (We do have DSL, but a slower version)</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Call waiting</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Caller ID (Ok this one I miss)</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Long distance telephone service</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Cut Blow money <span style="color:#ff0000;">$50/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">NO eating out except special occasions <span style="color:#ff0000;">$50-$100/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Gym membership <span style="color:#ff0000;">$50/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">OnStar<span style="color:#ff0000;"> $15/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Budget groceries <span style="color:#ff0000;">Depending on your family $100-$200/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Try to get your electric and gas on an average payment plan <span style="color:#ff0000;">For us this saved about $50/ month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Use less water, shower every other day. <span style="color:#ff0000;">$5-10/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://mommystayshome.blogspot.com/2008/10/no-more-trash-bill.html#links"><span style="color:#6600cc;">Eliminate trash bill</span> </a>(A little radical, but it can be done.) <span style="color:#ff0000;">$30/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Cut back on your driving to save on gas (If you don't work this should be easier)<span style="color:#ff0000;">$50-$100</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Cut family clothing budget. Try garage sales and thrift stores. <span style="color:#ff0000;">$25-50/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Coupon shop or make your own cleaning supplies <span style="color:#ff0000;">$10-15/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Put a $5 limit on gifts. This can force you to be creative. With coupons I still am able to come up with some nice gifts. <span style="color:#ff0000;">$25-$50/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Cancel magazine subscriptions. <span style="color:#ff0000;">$10/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Come up with free or cheap entertainment. Keep an eye out for coupons or free events, or try having a family night at home. <span style="color:#ff0000;">$25/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Possibly sell one car <span style="color:#ff0000;">$300/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Before quitting your job eliminate debt. <span style="color:#ff0000;">$100-$300/month</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;">As you can see these numbers can very quickly add up.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Realize that some of these changes will not be permanent. They are just some things you may have to sacrifice for a season to make your dreams come true. You can eventually start adding some small things back in. See Crystal's post <a href="http://money-saving-mom.blogspot.com/2008/01/financial-shape-in-2008-challenge.html"><span style="color:#6600cc;">here</span></a> about living on a very bare bones budget of $1000 a month. It is amazing.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Think of saving money as your new "job." You are not technically being paid for it, but you are sort of making money. Remember all the expenses you will no longer have by not working out of the home. The average mom only makes a couple of dollars an hour after all the expense are paid so she can work, unless you have a very high paying job. That hardly seems worth it to me. </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Work Clothes <span style="color:#ff0000;">$25-50/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Dry Cleaning <span style="color:#ff0000;">$25/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Work Lunches <span style="color:#ff0000;">$50/month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Daycare! <span style="color:#ff0000;">$400-500 per child per month</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Gas <span style="color:#ff0000;">$100/month</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-size:130%;">Things you will gain as a SAHM...</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Seeing all your child's firsts and not hearing about it from the sitter</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Being able to go to all school events and field trips</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Showing your children by example how to live a Godly life</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Seeing those beautiful smiles first thing in the morning and knowing you will not have to leave them with someone else.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Being able to stay home with a sick child and not miss work</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Home cooked meals</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">A happier family because mom is not stressed out</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Time to plan a menu, shop, and save money</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Quality time with your husband</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">This list could go on forever. You can add some of your own perks.</span></li></ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:18px;"><br /></span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-72654721241092223422009-03-19T15:21:00.003-05:002009-03-19T15:48:02.122-05:00Making Your Own Groceries: Butter<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ok I have to start out by apologizing for not getting pictures of my butter making adventure for you. I know it helps to see the steps as they are described. This is the first in my series of making your own groceries. The cost of a gallon of raw milk for me is $2.50. I used 2 gallons to make about 8 oz of butter. So for $5 I will have milk, butter, cheese, and whey. Not to bad, plus it is much healthier.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Here is what I am planning for future posts...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bread</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Yogurt</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tortillas</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mozzarella cheese (I will be making this for the first time)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pita</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">More as they come to me. I have lots of ideas.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> My husband and I are striving to either make, grow, or raise as many of our own groceries as possible to save money, and also this will help us know exactly where our food is coming from. I think it is kind of a fun adventure to learn so many things that women used to do everyday without even thinking it was anything abnormal. I want my children to know how we get food and not to just think it comes from a grocery store. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One thing I find interesting is that from 2 gallons of raw milk you can make butter, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. <br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I forgot to mention that I finally found a source of raw milk about 30 minutes from my house for $2.50 a gallon! That is a steal compared to the $6 a gallon I have been paying for organic milk. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Here are the steps for making butter..</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1.)Skim the cream off of the top of raw milk. You can buy cream if you want, but it will defeat the purpose of saving money. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2.)Fill a food processor 1/3 full of cream. I filled mine to the max liquid line.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3.) Set the food processor on high and let it run for about 10 minutes. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">4.) At this point you should have the fat separated from the milk. You should see chunks of butter in the milk. Scoop all of the butter out into a clean bowl.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">5.) Run COLD water into the bowl and squeeze out all the excess milk with a spoon. Repeat this step until the water is clear. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">6.) Squeeze out all the excess water and you should have a nice ball of butter. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For a much better tutorial on this with pictures go to </span><a href="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/how-to-make-fresh-butter"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Heavenly Homemaker.</span> </span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I promise for the next post I will remember pictures. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-54316408163627314242009-03-17T08:41:00.003-05:002009-03-17T10:47:55.693-05:00I Finally Have A Dryer!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><div> <img src="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/gratituesdayspring3.jpg" alt="gratituesdayspring3.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Our dryer decided to quit drying clothes about 3 or 4 months ago and ever since I have either line dried them in the house or have taken them over to my parent's house and used their dryer. I tried hard not to complain, but it was getting to be a little old considering I have 2 small children and I babysit 2 more on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can imagine the size of my laundry pile. </div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">We thought we would have enough to get a used one, but February was an expensive month. Jack had pneumonia twice, Madison and I both had doctors visits, and I had to go to the dentist 4 times to have old fillings redone. To top it all off our insurance was supposed to cover Jack's nebulizer in full, but we later got a letter stating that they would be applying it to our deductible and we would be responsible for paying the entire bill. Thankfully we do have insurance so a lot of the above was covered. In total we paid nearly $1000. We do have money in savings to put toward paying off our car, but we hated to spend it. So I just kept drying clothes without a dryer.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I now have 3 things to be thankful for...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">1.) We are all healthy again</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">2.) We were able to pay cash for our medical bills. We did not have to go into more debt.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">3.)My dad showed up at my house yesterday with a BRAND NEW dryer in the back of his truck. Not used but NEW. He said he would be back later to install it and haul away the old one. To say the least I nearly started to cry. Especially when I found out where the money came from. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">My grandmother passed away nearly 2 years ago and my dad finally got her life insurance money. He had planned to buy himself a four wheeler to go hunting with, but instead he decided to pay off his credit card (this is a huge step for him), buy me a dryer, and put the rest in savings. So my grandmother sort of bought be a dryer. It was so nice to see such a selfless act. It makes me want to do something for someone else. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">What are you thankful for today? Head on over to </span><a href="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Heavenly Homemakers</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"> for more Gratituesday. </span></span></span></a></div>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-39803213629388032552009-03-17T08:17:00.004-05:002009-03-17T08:39:08.175-05:00Green Smoothies<div> <img src="http://www.tammysrecipes.com/files/kitchentiptuesdays.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I thought that for St Patrick's Day I would share my take on green smoothies. I got the idea from two of my favorite healthy blogs </span><a href="http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/02/the-wonders-of-green-smoothies.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Passionate Homemaking</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"> </span>and </span><a href="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/spinach-i-dont-see-any-spinach"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Heavenly Homemakers</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">. </span>They both have great recipes for green smoothies/slushies. I took both recipes and kind of made up my own yummy green smoothie. They are so good for you and even my 1 year old will drink them. Unfortunately my 3 year old will not, but she does not care for smoothies of any sort. Weird I know. Oh well. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Green Smoothies</span></span> (I tend to eyeball amounts)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Frozen strawberries<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Frozen or fresh banana</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A couple hand fulls FRESH spinach (Frozen tastes terrible)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A little juice (or water)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Yogurt or kefir (I use homemade for extra nutrition)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Honey if you like (I leave this out)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Put everything in the blender and blend very well. All of the spinach should completely blend away and leave you with a nice green colored drink. You can hardly taste the spinach. The fruit does a nice job of masking it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The nice thing about this recipe is that you can add any fruit you like as well as change out the greens. Experiment with what you like to eat. Start out with only a little spinach and eventually you can add more as you become accustomed to the taste. This is a great way to get some nutrition down picky eaters.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One thing I discovered is that you do NOT want to use frozen spinach. It does not blend well and will leave chunks in your smoothie. YUCK! It also leaved behind a strong spinach flavor.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Head on over to <a href="http://www.tammysrecipes.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Tammy's Recipes</span></a> for more of today's kitchen tips. </span></div><div><br /></div>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-1690833369213670302009-03-16T21:19:00.004-05:002009-03-16T21:44:10.386-05:00Healthy Coupon Links<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><div>Here are the coupon links I have find for healthy food...<br /></div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$.75/1 Fresh Del Monte Pineapple </span><a href="http://www.coupons.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> and </span><a href="http://www.fruits.com/coupons/#"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">here</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/Default.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Cascadian Farms</span> </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">(Great frozen veggies)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/Default.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Muir Glen</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> product </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$2/2 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Ians natural chicken nuggets</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Country Choice Oatmeal</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/2 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Odwalla Juice</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Biokleen</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"> </span>(Watch for this to go on clearance)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$.50/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Method</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> (At Target)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Lifeway Kefir</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Sunspire baking chips</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Maranatha Nut Butter</span> </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">(Watch for clearance sales)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Blue Diamond Nut Thins</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$.75/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Santa Cruz </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">(Hand on to these. Kroger often has large jugs of lemonade on sale for $2 in the summers. After the coupon double that makes it $1 for organic lemonade!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">$1/1 </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Organic Valley cheese</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Various </span><a href="http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Stoneyfield Farm </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">p</span>roducts </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Various </span><a href="http://www.horizonorganic.com/coupons/index.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Horizon Organic </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">coupons (These are nice when the gallon milk is marked down)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I will try to add to this list as I come across coupons. You can eat healthy with coupons you just have to plan. I know you can do it!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:18px;">Just as a side note I found organic butter at Target today for $3.50 a pound. This is about $1 more then Kroger brand, but about $2-3 less then national organic brands. I feel that butter is a place I can splurge when I have the extra money to do so since most of the antibiotics and growth hormones are found in the fat of diary foods.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:18px;">I am hoping to start a series on how to make most of the items we eat or buy weekly in the grocery store. It is so much cheaper and healthier to make your own. If there are any request as to what you would like me to start with let me know.</span></div>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-427531467427114702009-03-16T20:54:00.004-05:002009-03-16T21:19:10.238-05:00Todays Healthy Grocery Trip<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I went shopping today and was able to use some coupons toward produce, organic bread, and other things. In another post I will try to share some links to some great natural coupons. I had hoped to show you a picture of my shopping trip, but my sweet husband had everything put away before I had a chance. I can tell you that I only spent around $41. Coupons can be so helpful. Sometimes it is worth it to buy something that you do not plan to use just to get an overage toward the items you do plan to use. You can always donate the extras. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Since I could not get a picture here is a list of what I got...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3 # organic apple</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">organic lettuce </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2.19 # organic banana</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Nature's own organic bread</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 # organic beef</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Kroger natural peanut butter <br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 jars Classico spaghetti sauce (I liked this brand because it did not have high fructose corn syrup or soybean oil)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 Large can V8</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 can green beans</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 can peaches</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 cans pears</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 can madarin oranges</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Daisy sour cream (This brand is cream only without additives)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">apple juice (I prefer not to buy this, but my daughter needs to have as many fluids I we can get down her)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 packs strawberries</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Local whole wheat flour</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 boxes freezer bags</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 bag garbonzo beans</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 bag frozen stir fry veggies</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 bag frozen bell pepper and onions</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 sm container plain yogurt (To make my own yogurt with)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 cucumber</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 bag Nature's own buns</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">World Market olive oil (My favorite brand)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 box Always Infinity (I had a free box coupon, plus $2 came off that was already loaded to my card)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Coupons used...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 $.75 Nature's own (No longer available)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">$1 off V8</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 $.35 off Kroger frozen veggie (mailer)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">$2.50 off next order coupon</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Free Always Infinity</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">$10 off next order coupon (This was a Walgreens Register Reward. I read at <a href="http://www.commonsensewithmoney.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Common Sense With Money </span></a>that if you ask your store some will take them as a competitors coupon. I decided to ask the cashier. She just said she would see if it would scan. Guess what it did!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Total OOP $41.22</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Total saved $34.72</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I obviously could have saved more if I had gone to Aldi's to get my produce. I decided that I would rather spend a little more for better quality especially since I was planning to use the $10 off catalina. </span></div><div><br /></div>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-17685527877352697402009-03-13T23:11:00.006-05:002009-03-14T08:06:54.429-05:00Homemade Laundry Soap<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I found a great recipe for homemade laundry soap on the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.duggarfamily.com/recipes.html">Dugger</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> website. I have been playing with the idea of trying it for myself. When I saw that this recipe worked well for a family of 20 I new that it must work well. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I have also found that using plain white vinegar in the rinse cycle makes a very frugal and natural alternative to fabric softener. Don't worry it does not leave a vinegar smell behind. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I am really excited to try this recipe for 2 reasons </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />1.) It costs much less then any prepackaged laundry detergent. According to the recipe each batch only costs about $2 and makes 10 gallons. Depending on the type of washing machine you have this will do anywhere from 180-640 loads of laundry!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />2.) It is all natural and a very green alternative. I have children with very sensitive skin, and the fact that this recipe does not have any dyes or perfumes is a plus. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This recipe was taken directly from the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.duggarfamily.com/recipes.html">Dugger's website. </a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I felt it was best not to mess with any of the wording so that you can achieve the same results. I am not sure how to give proper credit for this. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(12, 12, 69); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16;"><p><strong><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP:</span></strong><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We use Fels-Naptha bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">4 Cups hot tap water<br />1 Fels-Naptha soap bar<br />1 Cup Washing Soda<br />½ Cup Borax</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Powdered Laundry Detergent- Top load machine</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">1 Fels-Naptha soap bar<br />1 Cup Washing Soda<br />½ Cup Borax</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Make sure to check out </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.duggarfamily.com/recipes.html">this website</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> for tons of great frugal recipes and incredible parenting advice. </span></span><br /></span></p></span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-73072364972551536662009-03-13T20:57:00.006-05:002009-03-13T22:34:55.649-05:00My $.87 Shopping Spree<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;">After sales, coupons, and $$ off your next order I got all of this (plus a few things not pictured) for a grand total of $.87!!<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SbsPhxnLDQI/AAAAAAAAAQs/ZAHLsea5jdk/s1600-h/100_2717.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SbsPhxnLDQI/AAAAAAAAAQs/ZAHLsea5jdk/s400/100_2717.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312857258341371138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I just realized I got a picture of my sweet husband making gnocchi for dinner.</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;">I had such a great shopping trip today. After reading <a href="http://www.moneysavingmom.com/">Crystal's</a> tip about the Huggies coupons being used for single packs of wipes I decided I needed to go shopping today. I had already used all of my $5 coupons on diapers at Walgreens, but I had 11 $3 coupons left. I had access to 4 printers for these coupons in case you were wondering how I managed to get so many. The above picture was in 3 transactions. I am planning to donate all of the wipes and cereal to my church's food pantry. I am well stocked on wipes from Walgreens earlier this week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Transaction #1...Dillons/Kroger</span><br /><br />6 boxes Huggies wipes $2.50 each -6 $3 coupons<br />2 boxes Glucerna cereal $3.99 each -2 $5 coupons (I received 2 $2.50 OYNO coupons)<br />1 gallon Horizon organic milk marked down to $3.90<br />1 Big K gingerale<br />1 box Fruitabu organic fruit snacks marked down to $2<br />1 Russell Stover Private Reserve marked down to $.75<br /><br />Total out of pocket $4.35<br />Received $5 back off of my next order<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Transaction #2 Dillons/Kroger</span><br /><br />4 boxes Huggies wipes $2.50 each -4 $3 coupons<br />3 Russell Stover Private Reserve $.75 each - Buy 2 get 1<br />1 large can Muir Glen tomatoes marked down to $1.75 - $1 coupon<br /><br />Total out of pocket $1.13<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold;">Transaction #3...Leekers</span><br /><br />1 can Pringles - Free item coupon (Special treat for family)<br />1.96 pounds bananas $1.31<br />-$1 off next order coupon<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Total out of pocket $.39</span><br /><br />Total out of pocket $5.87<br />Recieved $5 off your next order coupons<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold;">Grand Total $.87</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Total savings $45.94</span><br /><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-36153315372127644622009-03-12T13:59:00.005-05:002009-03-12T15:09:38.376-05:00Coupons Are Only For Junk Food<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If I had read the title of this post 2 years ago I would have completely agreed, and for the most part I still do. That said I would like to show you that there are some coupons out there that can be used for organic or natural foods. I still think that buying organic ingredients and making your own food is definitely cheaper, but not everyone is able to spend time in the kitchen cooking every meal. Later this week I will try and post some recipes that use whole foods that are frugal and easy to prepare. </span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />I am always on the lookout for organic coupons. I seem to find them everywhere. If you have a health food store anywhere nea</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">r you make sure to check them out. They often have coupons in their magazines or in my case a whole book of coupons that comes out every couple of months. I always grab several. The nice thing is that the coupons are for REAL food like butter, milk, veggies... A couple of weeks ago I was able to get 2 bags of organic carrots for $.99! I have also been able to get Cascadian Farms fruits and veggies for $.50 a bag buy combining coupons and sales.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Make sure to keep an eye out in your local grocery store as well. In either March or April of</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> last year they had coupon books for Earth Day. These came in very handy. I always check to see what items might be on closeout in the health food section and then see if I have coupons for them.</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />If you remember to buy your produce in season you are usually able to get organic items for the same price or less then conventional. <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"> </span></span><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/">Here </a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">is a good list of seasonal produce in yo</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ur area. Also see if you can buy locally at a farmers market. Or better yet grow your own. Even if you only have room for a</span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.squarefootgardening.com/"> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">container gar</span></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.squarefootgardening.com/"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">den</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> you can grow fruits and veggies. </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/Sblqb3OSWMI/AAAAAAAAAQk/8-cfJ9bJlbY/s1600-h/100_2681.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/Sblqb3OSWMI/AAAAAAAAAQk/8-cfJ9bJlbY/s400/100_2681.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312394262373095618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If you have noticed from some of my shopping trip pictures I rarely buy cleaning products or processed foods. I will admit that I cave and buy a few junk food products when a craving hits or I can get something for free. These items are either saved as treats for my kids or donated to my church's food pantry. Sometime I feel bad donating food that I prefer not to feed my family, but I also want to help as much as my budget will allow. I would hope that if I ever were in a position to need help that someone would help me. When I do donate I try to make sure the food is at least somewhat healthy. </span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />If you are looking for coupons for "real" food there are numerous sites that you can go to. Often if you will go to a manufacturers web site they will offer you a coupon. For example </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.seventhgeneration.com/coupons"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Seventh Generation</span> </a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.muirglen.com/club/default.aspx"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Muir Glen tomatoes.</span> </a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Here are some great articles on buying organic food with coupons.<br /><br /></span> <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/10/guest-post-how.html">How I Buy Organic Fresh Food For Pennies</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/10/guest-post-tips.html">Tips For Saving Money On Organic </a><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/10/guest-post-tips.html">Foods</a> <br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://affluentpauper.blogspot.com/2009/01/organic-coupons-where-to-find-them.html">HUGE List Of Organic Coupons</a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"> (I mean </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">HUGE</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">)</span> </span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-77992659300529968902009-03-10T21:21:00.002-05:002009-03-10T21:31:29.890-05:00Tweaking The Purpose of This Blog<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I have really been thinking about stopping blogging altogether, as I am sure you have noticed by my extreme absence. For some reason I keep coming back. I seem to miss it. If I still have anyone reading I think I will try to take this blog in a new direction.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I do not like just posting about deals and grocery trips. To me that seems to defeat my original purpose for starting this blog. I still have lots of friends asking me how on earth I find such great deals. This also seems to be the top thing that people visit this blog for. We are all trying to cut back and simplify these days. My goal will be to help those who are interested learn how to still eat a natural whole foods diet and stay within their budgets. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> I think I will still post about the good deals when I see them, but not everything. There are so many other bloggers who already have this covered and do a great job. I would really like to concentrate on helping wives and mothers take care of their families in the most frugal yet most natural and healthy way. It is a passion of mine to learn about Biblical principals for raising a family, being good stewards, natural health care, healthy cooking (especially for kids) and more as decide what will work with this new direction.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I will still be posting on how to make the transition from work to home, but also adding in some things about how to live a more natural yet frugal life. </span></span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-49022942500984626922009-03-08T16:48:00.003-05:002009-03-11T08:26:10.615-05:00Couponing For Diapers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SbQ9aZWCgmI/AAAAAAAAAQc/yoz-wZ4W0LM/s1600-h/100_2701.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SbQ9aZWCgmI/AAAAAAAAAQc/yoz-wZ4W0LM/s400/100_2701.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310937384265876066" border="0" /></a><br />This is a picture of my Walgreen shopping spree this last Sunday. I was down to 2 packs of diapers so I decided it was time to restock my supply. I have considered going to cloth diapers recently for a greener alternative. I even have a friend who has offered to loan me her's. I am still trying to decide what direction to take. I guess I figure that since Jack is 16 months I will hopefully be able to start potty training in a couple of months. His sister was finished potty training my 22 months. I have heard that boys are harder.<br /><br />Total for the above....<br /><br />6 bag diapers<br />5 184 count bags of wipes<br />2 packages of raisins<br />1 Glade Sense and Spray<br /><br />Total oop about $24<br />I received $30 in Register Rewards<br />Total saved over $60<br /><br />I could have saved $6 more off of my total making it $18, but Walgreens only had 1 Sense and Spray. I needed 2 to get $4 overage. I also had to use a $3 coupon instead of a $5. I could have printed another one at my mom's, but I decided it was not worth the drive to her house and then another store. Considering 1 pack of diapers is on sale for $10 I think I did pretty well.Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-6426309471275935732009-02-02T21:37:00.003-06:002009-02-02T21:53:53.392-06:00$10 off $10 at QVC<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SYe-0uVRYSI/AAAAAAAAAQU/WNQ7LySPeAc/s1600-h/iQdoU.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 97px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_D4Op29K5z5s/SYe-0uVRYSI/AAAAAAAAAQU/WNQ7LySPeAc/s400/iQdoU.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298413299624403234" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I have never bought anything from QVC before, but I decided to go for it when I came across this great deal. I love it when places offer $10 off of $10 order. If you hurry and go<a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.thethriftymama.com/2009/02/get-10-free-from-qvc.html"> here </a>you can get all the details on how to get in on this. I also noticed that there was free shipping on many items today. I am not sure if free shipping continues tomorrow or not. There were several items at or a little above $10 so you could get a great deal.<br /><br /> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I bought some Mrs. Meyers cleaning supplies that I have been wanting to try. They ended up costing me about $6.88 for 4 items. This included tax and shipping. I will also get money back from using my husband's <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=CTpWiLmZoFg9nKovbVtrVg%3D%3D">Ebates</a> account. If you already have an <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=CTpWiLmZoFg9nKovbVtrVg%3D%3D">Ebates </a>account don't forget to go through them to get 3% cash back on your QVC order to make this an even better deal. If you have any plans to order something online soon make sure to use <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=CTpWiLmZoFg9nKovbVtrVg%3D%3D">Ebates</a> to get coupons and cash back. They will be sending out checks on Feb 15th so now would be a great time to order if you have plans to. </span></span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-39350215219705852812009-01-29T10:13:00.001-06:002009-01-29T10:18:33.716-06:00Thanks For Helping<a target="_top" href="http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=184806"><br /> <img alt="Search & Win" title="Search & Win" src="http://prodegebanners.sitegrip.com/images/swagbucks-468x60.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /> <br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I wanted to say thanks again to everyone who has signed up for <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=184806">Swagbucks</a>. It is amazing what referrals can do. I am currently saving to get a $50 Lowes gift card to use on the house this summer.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >Would you like to learn how to get <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">FREE</span> gift cards just for surfing the web? It is just like google only you get "paid" to do it. Find out more <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=184806">here. </a></span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3292365816154128314.post-45931176648506769662009-01-29T10:02:00.004-06:002009-01-29T10:09:51.859-06:00Dillons Deals Jan 28-Feb 3<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I have not been able to get up my Dillons deals the last several weeks due to being sick and then having both kids catch it. Right now Jack is fighting pneumonia and possible RSV. I have not been getting much sleep. Thankfully he is doing much better and is off the prednisone which was making him sssooo hyper. We were quite worried for awhile when the Dr checked his oxygen levels and it was only 93. God has been good and he is on the mend. Now if I could only get some sleep.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Anyway since Dillons has decided to extend the Mega Event for another week I thought I would direct you to </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://sarahsbloggreatbend.blogspot.com/2009/01/dillons-121-127.html"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Sarah's site for the match ups</span> </a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">since I have not had a chance. Thank you so much Sarah for sending me these. Don't forget that these deals will work at Kroger stores as well.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I should have taken a picture of the cheese I was able to get last week. They had a blinkie right next to the cheese for $.75 off which doubled to $1 making each bag only $.49 each!! I bought 20 and my husband went back later and got 10 more. I am so glad that cheese freezes well. </span></span>Lorriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17396124827853586912noreply@blogger.com1