Getting Cleaned Up & Organized In 2016

I thought this sounded like a great idea.  Simply scheduling a task or two every day for a month to help get a jumpstart on purging, deep cleaning and organizing the home in the new year.

Here is the calendar I came up with:

  

What do you think?  Would you find something like this to be helpful?

Last Week's Thrifty Moves

Christmas greetings

I put all the beans and rice I had bought at the dollar store away in mason jars to store in our pantry and reorganized each shelf to rotate my stock and ensure I know what I have.  This helps me tremendously when I go to make my grocery list.

I love my vintage jars

Sunday afternoon we cleared out all of the leftovers in the fridge and enjoyed a mini buffet for lunch.

Neighbor gifts

We listened to a ton of Christmas music on YouTube for free.

Our family Christmas present this year was to renew our Netflix subscription.  I let it go about 3 years ago and I thought it would be nice to have it again.  The girls agreed.  I opted for the basic $7.99 a month plan.  Our first month is free and we can put our membership on hold or cancel it anytime we like, which is nice.

I washed out two one gallon Ziploc bags to reuse.

Christmas Eve Dinner

I also reused a large black trash bag we were given to bring something home in.  I used it to wrap a Christmas gift in for stability, because I didn't have a big enough box, and then wrapped that in gift wrap.  A little ingenuity at work. J

I told all of my friends and co-workers about the hams on sale at Albertson's for 88¢ a pound and most of them went out and bought two!  I was so glad to share that little tidbit of information and see how excited they got.

 

I wish I could have gotten a clearer picture

I swear, I take the worst pictures.  My girls are sure pretty though.

Despite the cold weather, we bundled up and took a long walk through our neighborhood on Christmas Eve night and enjoyed the full moon and our neighbors lights.  It was fun to walk through the crunchy snow and check out the pretty decorations.  We were the only ones crazy enough to venture out on such a cold night.  It was really fun.

On Christmas morning I made homemade cinnamon rolls and a sausage & swiss cheese quiche (using cheese left over from Horse Doover Nite) for our brunch.  When I made the icing for the cinnamon rolls I replaced the milk with eggnog (also a leftover).  Oh my gosh!  It was the best icing ever!

Sausage & Swiss Quiche

I saved only a few gift bags, four sheets of tissue wrap and a couple of bows this year for reuse.  The rest were trashed as they had done their duty well, for who knows how long.  I think we get a lot of mileage out of our gift wrap supplies.  I am happy to report I have plenty left for next year too.

Look at all those gifts under our tree.
We are so fortunate,

This is what Santa brought the girls.  Full stockings.

Adult coloring books and a game for their Wii
Now we officially have a bowling alley in our house and tennis courts.

I made the chickens a suet cake for their Christmas dinner.  I used beef fat saved in a container in the freezer, melted it and mixed it with a cup of scratch grains.  I had some leftover tortilla chip crumbs I added in too.  Then I put it in the freezer to harden.  They absolutely loved their special treat.

In addition to that we gave them fresh bedding in their nests, a quick clean up in the coop and a couple slices of fresh bread.  Not to mention a lot of hugs and loving.  They were pretty happy ladies.

On Christmas morning we set out a full can of wet cat food for the kitties and let them eat as much as they wanted, whenever they wanted.  We also got them a packet of catnip at the dollar store and stuffed all of their mouse toys inside to infuse.  They were in heaven!  Then they were comatose and it made for a quiet afternoon while they slept it off.

Ooooooh, catnip

Saturday I ordered some supplies from Amazon.com for a project I want to do that is just for me.  I am excited to share this with all of you in a later post.  So stay tuned…..

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

We wrapped up the week by enjoying a repeat of our Christmas eve dinner by finishing up the leftovers - clam chowder, garlic cheddar biscuits, tossed green salad with homemade dressing.  Yum!

How thrifty were you last week?  During Christmas no less?!

Merry Christmas

Our family wishes you and your family 

the Merriest Christmas ever!

Super Easy & Delicious Homemade Hot Cocoa

It doesn't get much easier than this folks!

Homemade Hot Cocoa

1 quart milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbs. baking cocoa

Dash of salt

Microwave milk on high for three minutes.  Add sugar and cocoa.  Whisk to blend.  Microwave three additional minutes, careful not to allow it to boil.  Whisk again and heat longer, if necessary.

Pour into mugs and serve with miniature marshmallows or dollops of whipped cream if desired.

You can also make this in a pan on the stovetop.

Simple, delicious and perfect on a cold winter's night.

It's Almost Christmas!

I always seem to get so excited this final week leading up to Christmas.  I want to cook and bake and squeeze my kiddos every chance I get.  I love that they are out of school and I get to spend more time with them.

Our life slows down a bit for a couple of weeks.  We tend to get a little lazy as we hang out and watch movies, listen to music and eat too much stuff.  A lot of stuff we shouldn't.  Lots of sweets and rich food.

Final preparations are made for the big day.  We always go out on Christmas Eve night and troll the neighborhoods to admire the lights and yard décor.  It is one of those traditions we enjoy.

Today I will make a final trek to the grocery store for fresh produce to see us through the week.  All of the gifts are under the tree and I am all set to help Santa with the stockings after the girls are in bed Thursday night.  I can hardly wait to see them open their gifts.

I'm working all day on Christmas Eve but I am taking an extra day off Monday so I will enjoy a long four day weekend home with my girls.

More than anything I am feeling tremendously blessed and fortunate this holiday season.  I have so much to be grateful for and I truly, truly am.

How are you doing as the big day fast approaches?  What great plans have you made?  Anybody heading out of town?

Last Week's Thrifty Moves

This week flew by so fast I could hardly believe it.  Not very thrifty either, but then, as we all know, not all of them are.

I paid an entire year's insurance coverage on the new car and both girls needed new shoes.  The youngest needed snow boots for an upcoming field trip to the ski resort in January.  Fortunately I came across a great sale on the shoes and boots.

I went to Albertson's and bought another ham at 88¢ a pound for the freezer.  They also had a 10# bag of potatoes on sale for 99¢ so I grabbed one of those too, along with a gallon of milk for $1.88, two 10 oz. bags of fresh cut veggies - broccoli & cauliflower for 2/$3, bananas at 38¢ a pound, a package of crab meat $1.99, a sirloin steak from the markdown bin for $3.13 and a few other things.

I used the steak for our fajitas on the menu plan.  I had one in the freezer but had forgotten to set it out to thaw so finding the one in the markdown bin was fortunate.  Otherwise I would had to swap meals around.

My oldest daughter needed to pick up a few items at the dollar store so while she shopped I perused the grocery section.  It is growing quite a bit and I found a lot of newer items I hadn't seen before.  A lot of frozen fruit and vegetables that I think I'll be getting next month when I grocery shop.  I did buy three more bags of dry beans and three 2# bags of long grain rice.  Since I was there.

I finished my Christmas gift wrapping using supplies I already had on hand.

I made up a birthday gift for a friend.

I stitched up a hole in a pair of my daughter's favorite tights.  Now they are good as new.

Saturday we gathered at a friend's home for lunch and an afternoon of pinochle.  I made chicken noodle soup and a veggie plate to take along.  I had everything I needed already in the kitchen which made it nice and easy.

How thrifty were you last week?

Only One More Week Left Until Christmas!

 

My grandmother's bowl filled with old bulbs off her old strands.

I have made some serious progress in the last week!

Friday evening the oldest and I attended the annual Bunco Christmas Party/Taco Bar Potluck/Gift Exchange/Have A Good Time.  My oldest is now a substitute player and all the subs as well as the regulars attend the Christmas party.  Boy was it a full house this year.  And tons of fun!

We have decorated our home and set up our tree as you may have already noticed.   On Saturday the youngest and I went to the antique mall and shopped for a couple of new vintage ornaments to add to our collection.  The oldest had a school function that day and we really missed her.

Saturday night was our annual Horse Doover Nite where we eat lots of wonderful appetizers and decorate the tree.  It was a wonderful success, mainly because the tree it up and decorated.  Mission accomplished!

88¢ a pound!

I stopped at Albertsons to pick up a ham on sale and found beautiful looking New York Strip steaks on sale too.  They came home too.  Instead of our usual rib eyes we'll be enjoying those and I will enjoy the extra $8 I saved.  In fact, I put it toward a second ham for the freezer.  Easter is covered.

I got my rear in gear and finished wrapping gifts.  They are all nestled under the tree and ready to be opened.

 

My stash of new and recycled gift wrap items in the tote on top of those
drawers and rolls of wrap next to the how water heater.

Then I finally got the opportunity to sit for a couple of evenings at my sewing table and finish making the final gift on my list.  I worked from May through the end of September to gather all of the things I needed to complete this project (I even had to bid on eBay for some of it) and by then I needed a break to decompress.  After Christmas I'll share more about this project.  The recipient faithfully reads my blog every day so I can't give away the surprise.

I like to use the Brach's stars instead of kisses.

I plan to bake this weekend and relax on Saturday for some pinochle with my gal pals.  Then back to work (although, it really isn't) to get the final preparations done.  Which will include one more trip to the grocery store for fresh produce.  And most likely a bottle of wine.  Then feet up and wait for Santa. J

How are things coming along at your house?