Sundays At Our House

Those that know us well, know that we are pretty much off limits on a Sunday.  It is the one day of the week where we come together as a family and stay home.  Sundays are pretty sacred to us.

The girls sleep in and I only recently discovered that once they wake up they have developed a routine of hanging out together in one or the other's bedroom and visiting.  I had no idea they had been doing this ever since we moved back into the house and I think it is the neatest thing that they do together.  Here I thought they were really sleeping in late.  It truly touches my heart.

While they sleep in I get up and begin my day making by a fresh pot of coffee and starting a big load of laundry.  I like to bake on Sunday mornings too.  It has become one of my favorite routines.  The smell of whatever I'm baking is usually what finally brings my girls downstairs.

From that point on we have a handful of chores to do, beds to be made up with clean sheets, laundry to fold and animals to feed.  We try to keep the chore list to a minimum.  Then we end up doing stuff together, like watching a movie, going for a walk, playing games or just reading.  I like to sew or work on a project and the girls will usually hang out with me while I do that.  It is just a time for us to be together as a family.

I make special, fancier meals on Sundays and we eat earlier in the day too.  I usually make a dessert as well.  We work together to get dinner on the table and to clean up afterward.  Then it is back to whatever it was we were doing.

Quite often we won't even get dressed and Sunday becomes a pajama day.  Another reason it is good not to have people coming over, ha, ha. 😆 

All too quickly, however, the day flies by and before we know it, it is already time to start getting our showers done and to climb into clean pajamas and clean beds for a good night's rest.

I love Sunday.  I wish there could be more of them each week.

Last Week's Thrifty Moves

While I heated up a cup of coffee in the microwave Sunday morning I purged the junk drawer and tossed a couple handfuls of garbage into the trash.  I was saving that why exactly.... ???  Yeah, anyway, then I straightened up everything and relocated two items that didn't even belong there in the first place.

I made the best ever Orange Cranberry Scones for Sunday breakfast and a beautiful fruit salad to go along with.  I'll be posting the scone recipe on Wednesday so be sure to watch for that.

I had a Christmas candle that burned off center leaving a good sized gob of wax left after it had burned down.  I put the glass candle jar into a pan of simmering water and allowed all of the wax to melt down and then poured it into a pair of glass votives I had saved.  For wicks I used some spent birthday candles from my daughter's birthday cake.  They look a little funny initially, but once that part sticking up burns down it will look like a normal candle.  So now rather than throwing a way the wax I now have two very usable candles to enjoy.

We spring cleaned our upstairs bathroom.  I used a little bleach water to wash down the ceiling and walls (we had a little mold starting in a couple spots) and then I super scrubbed the toilet.  My oldest took on the job off the tiles and the bathtub.  We cleaned the sink and mirror and washed the decorative towels.  Nice and sparkling clean!

I also spring cleaned the silverware drawer in the kitchen.  I took everything out, washed the silverware tray, sprayed down and wiped out the inside of the drawer and put everything back in order.  Slowly but surely I am making my way through the kitchen.

I mixed up 3 tablespoons of cheap grapefruit scented dish soap from the dollar store with a cup of warm water to make foaming soap solution and refilled my kitchen dispenser.

Tuesday the youngest and I went to the library to drop off books and select new ones.  We waited there until the oldest was ready to be picked up from her robotics workshop at BSU so we saved a little gas.

On the way home we stopped at Home Depot to pick up some home improvement supplies I ordered online and had sent to the store.  It saved me time shopping and shipping costs by having it sent to the store.

I joined the Sizzler Real Deal E-Club and they sent me a coupon for a hamburger meal.  Nice!

The girls finished up a jar of grated parmesan so I removed the lid and washed it up.  Once it was dry I put it on one of my favorite jelly jars and set it aside with some other things I've collected for the new house.  I plan to use it to keep yeast in for when I bake bread.

Friday evening I bartered a home cooked steak and potatoes dinner for some electrical work with a friend of mine who just happens to be an electrician.  Turns out it is going to be a bigger job than he was expecting so it is still a work in process.  I hope he really liked dinner.  Yikes!  I'll update you on how it all turns out.

Saturday morning was my youngest's Orchestra Festival.  She played in two different quartets and boy oh boy was I a proud mama!  I literally almost cried, but that would have embarrassed the heck out of her so I held it in.  It was hard!

To celebrate she and I had a mommy daughter day just like her sister and I had the week before...  and I had coupons!  First stop was the mall and See's Candies.  Had to have a truffle after all of that superb violin playing.

Then we went to JC Penney to use the two $10 OFF $10 coupons they gave me the week before when I was there with the oldest.  I wasn't about to not use them.  We got her another pair of school uniform pants.  They were still on sale for $14.99 (regularly $30.00) so I got those for $4.99!  I used the other coupon to get her a black sweater also on sale for $14.99, so after the coupon it was only $4.99, and a darling long sleeved top off the clearance rack for $4.97.  For $15 we literally left the store with a brand new outfit and she was tickled pink.

We put our purchases in the car and walked across the parking lot to Sizzler, her favorite restaurant.  We both had the 6 oz. sirloin steak and salad bar special for $9.99, since neither one of us are eating hamburgers right now.  We pretty much filled up on salad bar, ate a few bites of our steak and brought the rest of our meal home in a box to enjoy the next day.  Pretty good deal.

After lunch we stopped at Trader Joes and I picked up the produce I needed for the week ahead.  On the way home we stopped into Gordman's and she picked out a new pair of sneakers for only $12.99.  Solid black and gray plaid - Super cute!

That sums it up for us.  How was your thrifty week?

What We've Been Eating Lately - #1

I am about to begin the fourth week of more plant based meals and less meat and so far I am loving it!  So many delicious fresh fruits and vegetables have been coming into the house and I am trying things I had never before considered like almond milk, for instance.  At first I wasn't sure, but the more I've tried it the better I like it.  The girls are really liking it too!

Whole wheat waffles, bananas, blueberries

Homemade granola, peaches, blueberries, almond milk

Oatmeal with strawberries & blueberries

I'm actually shopping fewer days and I'm shopping at different stores too.  I take my time and spend a good share of my Saturday morning acquiring our food for the week ahead.  Grocery shopping has now become an event and as a result I have a new routine.

Cod, sauteed zucchini & yellow squash

Red beans, rice, avocado in a whole wheat tortilla

As I shop I read labels, a lot.  I find myself seeking out more organic items too.  I actually go to that section of the store first right after the produce department.  I shop the perimeter of the store the most and only a few center aisles for things like frozen berries, whole wheat tortillas and toilet paper.  It is awesome!

Stuffed bell peppers

A nice dinner salad

I'm drinking a lot more water too, and I thought I already drank quite a bit.  I slice up lemon, oranges and limes to float around in there.  A little bit of cucumber is nice too.  And I'm drinking a lot less coffee as well.  It wasn't a conscious decision either, it has just sort of happened.

Pasta salad

A garden salad

It seems like I'm eating all of the time, but I'm not, if that makes any sense, and the things I am eating are all things I love.  Avocados, nuts, berries, apples, bananas, all different kinds of salads, rice, beans and pasta, even some desserts and chocolate treats. 

Orange cranberry scone with a fresh fruit salad

Vegan chocolate cake

Last Sunday I baked a vegan chocolate cake that was fantastic.  The kids raved about it.  And they ate most of it too.  It didn't last very long.  Let me know if you want me to post that recipe.

One of the lunches I packed to take to work

And here is another one

I prepare a lot more from scratch, in fact pretty much everything, but I find I am actually cooking a lot less.  And I am really enjoying that too.  I'm excited about creating new things and eating them too!

Asian coleslaw with a nice peanut dressing

A snack of hummus & whole wheat tortilla wedges

I feel good, I'm sleeping better and I've actually dropped a little weight which has been a nice surprise.  Weight loss was not the motivation for this change, but I'll happily take it.

Another one of my lunches for work - soup, salad, chips & salsa

Vegetable lasagna with sauteed green beans

The biggest surprise of all is that my girls are eating what I am eating and they are enjoying it too.  I really thought they'd be preparing a lot more food for themselves but that hasn't been the case.  They might add an extra side dish to what I've already prepared, but they aren't making entirely separate meals like I thought might happen.

Loads of fresh produce!

I took this pretty bowl to work
Now I keep a fruit bowl at my desk for snacking

I'm beginning to think this new eating plan might be here to stay.  And that is probably a very good thing!

Fixing The Kitchen Sink

Plumbing is easily my least favorite task to tackle around the house.  It is messy and gross and sometimes rather unpleasant.  So when I went to empty the kitchen trash and found water in the bottom of the can I knew we had a leak.  Ugggggh.

It took a bit to figure out exactly where the water was leaking from.  Water leaks can be a bit elusive sometimes and in this instance it was the case here.  I poked around under the sink for quite a bit until I spotted were a teeny tiny trickle of water was seeping out around the drain basket in the base of the sink.

Fortunately I've had to make this repair before so I knew what to look for and how to fix it.  Over time the gasket that seals the drain basket to the underside of the sink becomes dry and brittle and will crack.  That turned out to be the case here.

Not only is this an easy repair, but it is als0 an inexpensive one too, under $5.  You just need a new gasket and some plumbers putty.

First I removed the drain from the basket by unscrewing the nut, then I unscrewed the big gasket nut, slid it down and removed the worn gasket.  Next I removed the basket from the sink, scraped off the old plumbers putty and using an old toothbrush to scrub it nice and clean.  I used a rag to clean the area around the sink hole too.

With the sink nice and dry I rolled a nice fat snake out of a gob of plumbers putty and fitted it around the edge of the hole in the base of the sink.  I used a nice liberal amount here.  After placing the basket back in place I pushed it down good and firm to seat it into place.  The putty squishes out a bit forming a nice seal.

Back under the sink I put the new gasket in place and screwed the big gasket nut back on.  Once it was snug I used a wrench to tighten it without over tightening.  You have to be really careful about that.  Then I lined up the drainpipe and screwed that nut back onto the drain basket to secure it into place.  A gave it a quarter turn with a wrench to make sure it was tight enough as my hands aren't that strong.

Once everything was back in place I ran some water for awhile and then filled the sink, checking for leaks.  Over the next few days I checked it a few more times.  All nice and dry.  Mission accomplished!

I used the trash can to catch water and plenty of rags to clean everything up and mop up any water.  Keeping it dry and well maintained is important as water does an amazing amount of damage to our homes if we don't stay on top of things.  When I was done I used spray cleaner and fresh rags to completely clean the inside of the cabinet and make sure there was no mess left behind to cause any additional damage.

I always feel really good when I can fix things around the house and know that I'm taking really good care of my home.

You can read about our under the sink renovation here.

Thrifty Meals Around $5 Or Less - Red Beans & Rice

I hadn't made this meal for quite awhile so it was definitely time to pull out this one out and dust it off.  This is my aunt's recipe and when she made it for us I absolutely loved it.  Thankfully she was more than willing to share her recipe and now I'm going to share it with you.

My Aunt's Red Beans & Rice

1/2 lb kidney beans

1/2 lb pinto beans

4 cups water

4 cups vegetable broth

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 bay leaves

1 can diced tomatoes w/ chiles

1 lg. onion chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 Tbs. parsley

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Sort beans, rinse and then soak overnight in a large bowl covered of water.  In the morning drain and rinse the beans.  In a large slow cooker combine all ingredients, stir well, cover and allow to cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours until beans are tender.

Serve on top of steamed rice.  Garnish with sour cream if desired.

This recipe makes a ton of food.  You could easily feed a small crowd or put up leftovers in containers and freeze for future meals.  If you aren't looking to keep it vegetarian you can also use chicken broth in place of the vegetable broth.  She also said it is really good with chopped kielbasa in it.  I've never made it that way, but I'm sure it is.

This is it how it breaks down:

Kidney beans - 69¢

Pinto beans - 50¢

Tomatoes - 59¢

Veg. broth - 99¢

Onion - 49¢

Rice - 50¢

Total = $3.76

Not too shabby is it?  A healthy, delicious and nutritious meal and there is still room in the $5 budget for a simple salad to go along with.  You could even boost it up a bit by stirring a couple good sized handfuls of spinach leaves into the beans before serving.

In some cases costs are approximated.  Groceries prices vary depending on where you live.  I don't include condiments, oils, herbs and spices when I figure the cost of a meal as it would be incredibly tedious to do so.  Plus condiments are subjective as each person uses more or less.

Goals For March - And A Challenge!

February went by in a flurry, holy cow!  Doesn't help when you get shorted a couple of days either.  I think times goes by plenty fast enough without that.

I'm always excited when I work on this post to share with all of you.  I love to make a list of goals and it gives me a thrill when I get to cross them off the list.  For me, nothing seems more satisfying then to accomplish the things you set out to do. 

Large or small, goals are important!

This is what I have planned for this month:

1.          Make or purchase a gift for someone

2.         Send a card or letter to someone

3.         Family Nite Out or Outing

4.         Be creative - sew or craft something

5.         Do some investment cooking

6.         Start walking outdoors again - rain or shine

7.         Learn to do something new

8.         Take my children out for a thrifty date

9.         Research some new hiking trails

10.       Try a new recipe

11.        Plant more seeds indoors for the garden

12.        Enjoy a Family Movie Nite or a Family Game Nite!

13.        Complete a small home improvement project

14.       Complete a retirement house project

15.        Invite guests over for dessert, appetizers or a meal

While most of these seem a bit repetitive, and they are, they also help me stay the course and get the things done that need to be done around here.  They also help me not to forget to have fun.  Having fun is a pretty important part of life, if you ask me.

This is how I did last month:

1.          Make or purchase a gift for someone

2.         Send a card or letter to someone - Valentines!

3.         Family Nite Out or Outing 

4.         Be creative - sew or craft something

5.         Do some investment cooking  chili

6.         Make Easter cards

7.         File my tax returns  already done!

8.         Take my children out for a thrifty date

9.         Create a new menu plan for March

10.       Try a new recipe

11.        Make a garden plan

12.        Enjoy a Family Movie Nite and a Family Game Nite!

13.        Complete a small home improvement project wet, cold and rainy

14.       Complete a retirement house project

15.        Invite guests over for dessert, appetizers or dinner

I didn't get everything done on my list but I'm happy about the things I did get done.  Hopefully this month I'll hit it right out of the park!

Challenge:  Make a list of 10 things you would like to complete in the month of March and share them in the comments.  Next month when I post my April goals I hope you will share how you did and have a new list ready for April.

What do you say?  Are you up for it?!