Meals first and then my spending
Tuesday we had ham, potato salad, and butter beans for dinner/lunch. W was gone around suppertime so I ate chicken tender and tater tots. He ate some cereal when he came in.
Wednesday we had leftovers of the ham, potato salad, and butterbeans for dinner and a pizza for supper.
Thursday was tacos for dinner. I found a package of shells in the pantry and wanted to use those up. I managed to scrape together a bit of lettuce from the garden. That was a miracle considering the three inches of snow and several nights of hard freezing temps. For supper we went out to eat. I have started budgeting out night out a month. I enjoy cooking, but it was great to have a break.
Friday I honestly cannot remember what we ate for dinner. W was not hungry at supper so I ate part of my leftovers from the night before.
Saturday though Monday was W's usual foods in his lunch. I ate the rest of the leftovers and some random stuff from the freezer. I made a batch of Fruity Pebbles macarons to take to dinner with my parents on Sunday. W also took some of those in his lunch.
Now for the spending. I had $31.55 of my $150 budget left. I spent $31.35. That was milk, cereal, fruit cups, crackers, tomatoes, half & half, sour cream and bagels. Technically I am at the end of the official pantry challenge. I will most likely continue it - somewhat loosely though. I feel I have barely made a dent in the pantry. Shopping with cash definitely helped me stick to my goal. I even set aside the cash for my online purchases. That is definitely something I will continue as it forced me to stay on budget.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Monday, January 29, 2018
Weekly Goals Update: Week 4
1. Disaster Preparedness
Week 4 is communications. During the hurricane we kept up with what was going on through a battery operated radio. We also still had cell service so I was able to check in with various friends around the country through texts. I feel pretty good with this. We do live right beside the local volunteer fire station and would have access to that in a major emergency.
2. Makeover the Garden
W and I discussed some options for laying out the garden. I am going to add in permanent herb boxes made from scrap wood. I am continuing to get Lowe's gift cards through Swagbucks so I can buy boards for the new raised beds. In keeping with my grow what we will use vow, I planted tomato seeds and ordered some additional tomato seeds, eggplant seed, and tomatillo seed.
3. Organize Recipes
I slipped on this goal last week and did not do a single thing. I will refocus and make progress this week.
4. Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks
I am happy to have knocked two of these out month. I would love to aim for at least one a month from here on out.
5. Focus on Saving
I have been checking the blogs that have grocery store deals so I can take advantage of sales on things we need. This past week that was deodorant at CVS. I am focusing on things we truly need rather than just buying items that are cheap.
6. Have Fun
W and I went out to eat one night this past week. We went to a locally owned family restaurant. I enjoyed the break from cooking. We brought home leftovers, and I ate three additional meals.
Week 4 is communications. During the hurricane we kept up with what was going on through a battery operated radio. We also still had cell service so I was able to check in with various friends around the country through texts. I feel pretty good with this. We do live right beside the local volunteer fire station and would have access to that in a major emergency.
2. Makeover the Garden
W and I discussed some options for laying out the garden. I am going to add in permanent herb boxes made from scrap wood. I am continuing to get Lowe's gift cards through Swagbucks so I can buy boards for the new raised beds. In keeping with my grow what we will use vow, I planted tomato seeds and ordered some additional tomato seeds, eggplant seed, and tomatillo seed.
3. Organize Recipes
I slipped on this goal last week and did not do a single thing. I will refocus and make progress this week.
4. Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks
I am happy to have knocked two of these out month. I would love to aim for at least one a month from here on out.
5. Focus on Saving
I have been checking the blogs that have grocery store deals so I can take advantage of sales on things we need. This past week that was deodorant at CVS. I am focusing on things we truly need rather than just buying items that are cheap.
6. Have Fun
W and I went out to eat one night this past week. We went to a locally owned family restaurant. I enjoyed the break from cooking. We brought home leftovers, and I ate three additional meals.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Weekend Book Reviews
The Healing Powers of Tea by Cal Orey is a wealth of tea information. From black, green, and white teas to herbal teas, it is all covered. The book was well written with perfectly organized chapters. Thanks to Ms. Orey I have rediscovered my love of tea. I will be adding several new varieties to my pantry. The recipes and interviews sprinkled throughout added to the book rather than being a distraction. If you are a tea lover or simply curious about the benefits of tea, I highly recommend it. 
Samantha and Daniel Johnson are the authors of Chicken DIY: 20 Fun-to-Make Projects for Happy and Healthy Chickens. I expected these to be more silly than useful, but I was wrong. This book is full of wonderful chicken projects for both new and long time chicken owners. Both of the nest box projects were well designed. I think my favorite was the chicken swing. I have several chickens that love to swing. A very close second is the grazing box, and I am curious to try the wading pool with my flock. This book gave me several ideas setting up our updated chicken house later this year!
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Weekend Book Reviews
200 Ways to Make a Salad by Alfred Suzanne and Charles Herman Senn is subtitled The Handy 1914 Guide. You should not open this book expecting to find a modern day recipe book. However that does not mean it is not relevant. I marked several salads to make in my own 2018 household. It covers everything from green salads to meat to fish to finally fruit. If for nothing else, it is interesting to read recipes from 100 years ago.
Escape Claws by Linda Reilly is the first book in the Cat Lady Mystery series. Lara has returned to her hometown after 16 years to check in on her aunt. Aunt Fran is dealing with health issues and 11 cats all while being pressured to sell her land by town bully Theo. When Theo is found murdered on Fran's property, Lara adds solving a murder to her to do list. This was a wonderful start to a new series. I look forward to seeing how the characters (human and feline) develop. The mystery was strong, and the ending leads well toward a second book. 
Ellie Alexander's Another One Bites the Crust is the seventh book in the Bakeshop Mystery series. Jules, owner of Torte, has a full plate with the shop renovations and her mom's wedding. When her best friend Lance appears on the verge of a breakdown, she wonders what else can go wrong. She finds out when the star of the local theater's production is murdered, and Lance is the prime suspect. I always enjoy this series from the characters to the setting to the mystery. This book did not disappoint. The book moves along quickly. Even though there are several sub-plots, the story flows so well. I am already looking forward to the next in the series.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews!
Friday, January 26, 2018
Five Frugal Things
1. I made a batch of homemade laundry detergent. I will be saving those laundry pods until summer when even the cold water coming out of our well is hot. It takes very little of the homemade stuff to clean well so this should last about 4-5 months.
2. I reused the containers from W's fruit cups to plant pepper seedlings. They are sturdy, and it is easy to write the type of plant on the container. I will be reusing these over and over. I also reuse the plastic containers mushrooms come in to start seeds for the same reasons.
3. I used coupons and a sale to get 3 deodorants from CVS for $2.56 and earned $4 in extra bucks.
4. I ordered just the seeds I needed - two types of tomatoes, tomatillos, and eggplant - from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I get free shipping on any order. I had the rest of the tomato seeds left from last year. Ordering just the seeds I need as I need to start them is better for my budget as I can space out my spending.
5. I used some Amazon credits to save on a Kindle cookbook. I like to choose No Rush Shipping when I can get either a digital credit or a Prime Pantry credit.
2. I reused the containers from W's fruit cups to plant pepper seedlings. They are sturdy, and it is easy to write the type of plant on the container. I will be reusing these over and over. I also reuse the plastic containers mushrooms come in to start seeds for the same reasons.
3. I used coupons and a sale to get 3 deodorants from CVS for $2.56 and earned $4 in extra bucks.
4. I ordered just the seeds I needed - two types of tomatoes, tomatillos, and eggplant - from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I get free shipping on any order. I had the rest of the tomato seeds left from last year. Ordering just the seeds I need as I need to start them is better for my budget as I can space out my spending.
5. I used some Amazon credits to save on a Kindle cookbook. I like to choose No Rush Shipping when I can get either a digital credit or a Prime Pantry credit.
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Pantry Challenge Week 3
I skipped grocery shopping again last week. I did not need anything at all and opted to just stay home. One of the bags of Sun Chips I ordered from Amazon arrived busted open so I got a credit of $3.73 for that. I added that to my money left to spend and now have $31.55 for the rest of this month.
Tuesday we had a pasta bake for dinner/lunch. I cooked some elbow macaroni and mixed in homemade spaghetti sauce from the freezer and mini pepperoni. I topped it with cheese and baked it. I made bread sticks to go along with it. I skipped a salad since the sauce was full of vegetables. Supper/dinner was cheeseburgers and chips.
Wednesday through Friday W was out of town. I ate frozen meals - some bought last week and others already on hand. I had to get a bit creative once the microwave died. Plus it was really cold for two days which meant no water until close to noon. I do not know how y'all up north handle subfreezing temps for weeks on end. This southern gal is happier with 90+ degree weather. We did have a homemade pizza Friday evening since W did not stop to eat on the way home.
Saturday I had found two partial containers of taco meat in the freezer so we had nachos for dinner. W was going to cook sloppy joes for supper, but he took a tumble while cutting up part of the fallen pecan tree in our yard. I told him we would have tomato soup (homemade from the freezer) and grilled cheese.
Sunday and Monday W took his usual stuff in his lunch. Sunday was hectic. I had coffee and peanut butter toast for breakfast. Dinner was a smoothie since I only had an hour to eat and walk Toby before going back to church to play the piano for a funeral. I had chicken tenders and tater tots for supper. Monday was more normal for me. I had macaroni & cheese for dinner and a sandwich and chips for supper.
Tuesday we had a pasta bake for dinner/lunch. I cooked some elbow macaroni and mixed in homemade spaghetti sauce from the freezer and mini pepperoni. I topped it with cheese and baked it. I made bread sticks to go along with it. I skipped a salad since the sauce was full of vegetables. Supper/dinner was cheeseburgers and chips.
Wednesday through Friday W was out of town. I ate frozen meals - some bought last week and others already on hand. I had to get a bit creative once the microwave died. Plus it was really cold for two days which meant no water until close to noon. I do not know how y'all up north handle subfreezing temps for weeks on end. This southern gal is happier with 90+ degree weather. We did have a homemade pizza Friday evening since W did not stop to eat on the way home.
Saturday I had found two partial containers of taco meat in the freezer so we had nachos for dinner. W was going to cook sloppy joes for supper, but he took a tumble while cutting up part of the fallen pecan tree in our yard. I told him we would have tomato soup (homemade from the freezer) and grilled cheese.
Sunday and Monday W took his usual stuff in his lunch. Sunday was hectic. I had coffee and peanut butter toast for breakfast. Dinner was a smoothie since I only had an hour to eat and walk Toby before going back to church to play the piano for a funeral. I had chicken tenders and tater tots for supper. Monday was more normal for me. I had macaroni & cheese for dinner and a sandwich and chips for supper.
Monday, January 22, 2018
Weekly Goals Update: Week 3
1. Disaster Preparedness
Week 3 involves medical supplies. This area has multiple lists, and this is just the first one. I have not looked ahead to the other lists. This one is fairly basic supplies. We keep a well stocked kit with multiple sizes of band-aids, gauze, pain relievers, etc. I make my own salves: healing for cuts, comfrey for bruises, and black salve which is a drawing salve. This year in my herb garden I am adding the herbs that go into these salves so I have a ready supply for drying.
2. Makeover the Garden
Thanks to the busted waterline from this past week my garden water system can get a makeover. W set something up quickly to get me through the garden season last year. We are seriously thinking about putting in drip systems for the raised beds. When my uncle capped off the line, he cut it closer to the main spigot. This will allow us to think through setting up the water spigots.
3. Organize Recipes
I did not do anything toward this goal last week. This week I need to start setting up my recipe books. I am thinking I will have several smaller books rather than one large one.
4. Have 13 No Spend Weeks on Groceries
I knocked another off this goal. W was out of town for three days last week, and it was very cold again. I had stocked upon things the week before and just stayed at home. I have 11 weeks to go!
5. Focus on Saving
I shopped around before ordering a microwave to replace our broken one. I made sure to get free shipping and used some gift cards to bring the price down a bit more. Staying home helped save money. The microwave was my only purchase for the week.
6. Have Fun
I watched two episodes of "The Crown" this past week. It took me until the second episode to get into the show, but I think I will enjoy it. I also have "Victoria" on my watch list.
Week 3 involves medical supplies. This area has multiple lists, and this is just the first one. I have not looked ahead to the other lists. This one is fairly basic supplies. We keep a well stocked kit with multiple sizes of band-aids, gauze, pain relievers, etc. I make my own salves: healing for cuts, comfrey for bruises, and black salve which is a drawing salve. This year in my herb garden I am adding the herbs that go into these salves so I have a ready supply for drying.
2. Makeover the Garden
Thanks to the busted waterline from this past week my garden water system can get a makeover. W set something up quickly to get me through the garden season last year. We are seriously thinking about putting in drip systems for the raised beds. When my uncle capped off the line, he cut it closer to the main spigot. This will allow us to think through setting up the water spigots.
3. Organize Recipes
I did not do anything toward this goal last week. This week I need to start setting up my recipe books. I am thinking I will have several smaller books rather than one large one.
4. Have 13 No Spend Weeks on Groceries
I knocked another off this goal. W was out of town for three days last week, and it was very cold again. I had stocked upon things the week before and just stayed at home. I have 11 weeks to go!
5. Focus on Saving
I shopped around before ordering a microwave to replace our broken one. I made sure to get free shipping and used some gift cards to bring the price down a bit more. Staying home helped save money. The microwave was my only purchase for the week.
6. Have Fun
I watched two episodes of "The Crown" this past week. It took me until the second episode to get into the show, but I think I will enjoy it. I also have "Victoria" on my watch list.
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Weekend Book Reviews
The Dr Sears T5 Wellness Plan by William Sears and Erin Sears Basile promises to change your health with five changes over five weeks. I am not sure that any of the information in the book is particularly new. It is presented in an easy to understand manner and the why of the changes is thoroughly explained. The book does include some soft selling of the accompanying products, but it is not the main focus. It is worth checking out if you are interested in being healthier and need some extra encouragement.
Karen Rose Smith is the author of Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes, the first book in the Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series. Daisy, widowed mother of two, and her aunt Iris are the owners of a tea garden. Iris, who has never married, is in love with the almost divorced Harvey Fitz. The romance comes to an abrupt halt when Harvey is found murdered at the tea garden. This is a great start to a new series. The characters, setting, and strong mystery were all assets. I look forward to more in this series.
Stowed Away by Barbara Ross is the sixth book in the Maine Clambake Mystery series. I have read previous books in the series. While it is not necessary, it is helpful. Julia is busy getting ready for summer clambake season for her family's business. An old school acquaintance of Julia's comes to look at the old family home with the possibility of renovating it. Wyatt invites Julia to the yacht of her reclusive, very rich boyfriend. When the man is found dead the following day, Julia is pulled into the mystery. I like the Maine setting for this series. The characters are strong and always evolving which is important as a series progresses. The mystery in this book had many twists and turns right up until the end! disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Weekend Book Reviews
A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert is the first book in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. Amy leaves her academic library job, moves in with her aunt, and becomes the librarian of a small town library. This book is a mix of mystery, (fictional) history, and romance. Events of long ago become entangled with current events including a couple of murders. Amy and her new next door neighbor Richard are pulled into the mysteries - both past and present. The setting and characters are wonderful. I look forward to the second book and seeing what changes take place in the town and in Amy's life. 
Nancy J Parra's A Case of Syrah, Syrah is the first book in the Wine Country Mystery series. Taylor left her advertising job to move in with her aunt and start a wine tour business. On her very first tour a participant is killed and Taylor is the prime suspect. In order to save her business as well as her aunt's, she sets out to solve the murder. My problem with the book began there. While this is the usual premise of nearly every cozy mystery, Taylor's behavior comes across as just plain stupid. Rather than going through her lawyer with everything she find, Taylor goes to the police, a reporter, and every other person imaginable. The book had a good premise. I just hope the author smartens up Taylor for future books.
Crust No One by Winnie Archer is the second book in the Bread Shop Mystery series. I had read the previous book, but it is not necessary. Ivy is continuing her work at Yeast of Eden, a wonderful bread shop in Santa Sofia, California. The mystery in this book for the majority of the time is a missing person. Mustache Hank was last seen at Yeast of Eden but no one can find a trace of him after that. While the mystery in this book was a bit weak, the characters more than make up for it. Crust No One is a good addition to the series, and the ending left me anxious for the next installment.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
Friday, January 19, 2018
Five Frugal Things
1. A cousin is working in Puerto Rico to help restore power and is among the first crew in one area. He asked for a few things he needed/wanted. I ordered through Amazon and it shipped for free with my Prime subscription. The prices were comparable to what I would have spent in a store, but I saved at least $13 on shipping!
2. I got a Lowe's gift card from Swagbucks. I am saving them to buy things I will need to makeover the garden.
3. I had the worst time using the laundry pods as they refused to properly dissolve about half the time. Rather than not use them, I started dissolving them in hot water. I no longer have to worry about bits of gummy laundry pod being stuck to clothes.
4. Our microwave had been on its last legs, and it finally quit this week. I shopped around online and found one like I wanted. I got free shipping and used some gift cards I had to save $20. It will arrive at the house before my next planned trip into town next week.
5. In spite of turning off the water and draining the pipes with the most recent hard freeze, I had a pipe spring more leaks than a soaker hose. I had everything to fix it (saws all and pvc glue) except a cap. My uncle called to let me know he had a cap, and he came over to help me fix it. The pipe is in the garden, which I am not using right now, so I was fine with just capping it off for the time being. I will buy him a cap to replace his which will make for a cheap repair!
2. I got a Lowe's gift card from Swagbucks. I am saving them to buy things I will need to makeover the garden.
3. I had the worst time using the laundry pods as they refused to properly dissolve about half the time. Rather than not use them, I started dissolving them in hot water. I no longer have to worry about bits of gummy laundry pod being stuck to clothes.
4. Our microwave had been on its last legs, and it finally quit this week. I shopped around online and found one like I wanted. I got free shipping and used some gift cards I had to save $20. It will arrive at the house before my next planned trip into town next week.
5. In spite of turning off the water and draining the pipes with the most recent hard freeze, I had a pipe spring more leaks than a soaker hose. I had everything to fix it (saws all and pvc glue) except a cap. My uncle called to let me know he had a cap, and he came over to help me fix it. The pipe is in the garden, which I am not using right now, so I was fine with just capping it off for the time being. I will buy him a cap to replace his which will make for a cheap repair!
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Pantry Challenge Questions/Comments
Obscure left this question yesterday: "Hi! So do you call lunch dinner and dinner supper? Trying to keep up ;)"
I am sure I have been confusing quite a few people with the dinner and supper meals. In the South especially the rural south we have dinner and supper rather than lunch and dinner. Dinner here is the noontime meal. The evening meal is called supper. I think those terms are falling away with the younger generation though.
Little Penpen commented on using Amazon to shop for food items. I will occasionally choose the "No Rush Shipping" option to get a $5 Prime Pantry credit. I also check the "Buy 5 Select Items" for free shipping but have never found enough to make that work for me. The credit makes shipping just 99cents. Do not forget about Subscribe and Save to order grocery items. Try to find at least five items to get the additional discount. You can always skip a shipment or cancel an item even after one delivery. It helps to know what a good price on items you regularly use.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Pantry Challenge Week 2
I did some grocery shopping this past week. I spent $68.83 at two grocery stores. I did stock up on several things so I can avoid shopping at all next week.
Tuesday W was out and about so he ate dinner out. I ended up not eating dinner. Supper was roast, rice and gravy, corn bread, black eyed peas, and collard greens from my mom. W skipped the collard greens.
Wednesday we were out running errands but had ham and cheese sandwiches and chips for dinner at home. Supper was a homemade pizza from the freezer.
Thursday I tried out a new recipe for beef stroganoff soup. We have an abundance of steak, roast, and stew meat in the freezer so I am looking for recipes to use that. Supper was leftovers.
Friday dinner was the leftover stroganoff soup. Supper for W was cereal. I had part of a frozen dinner.
Weekend plus Monday - I was under the weather most of the weekend and barely ate anything at all. W took his usual items in his lunch. For one of his snacks I worked on getting some odds and ends out of the pantry. His suppers are almost always cereal.
I spent $18.36 with Amazon Prime Pantry. I stocked up on some items for W's lunch. It was for some snacks he likes that are either not available or are cheaper through Amazon. I also spent $34.99 on our standing order of coffee from Camano Island.
That brings my total so far this month to $122.18. It leaves me $27.82 for the rest of the month. Since I only have one shopping trip planned for the remainder of the month, I should be just fine.
Tuesday W was out and about so he ate dinner out. I ended up not eating dinner. Supper was roast, rice and gravy, corn bread, black eyed peas, and collard greens from my mom. W skipped the collard greens.
Wednesday we were out running errands but had ham and cheese sandwiches and chips for dinner at home. Supper was a homemade pizza from the freezer.
Thursday I tried out a new recipe for beef stroganoff soup. We have an abundance of steak, roast, and stew meat in the freezer so I am looking for recipes to use that. Supper was leftovers.
Friday dinner was the leftover stroganoff soup. Supper for W was cereal. I had part of a frozen dinner.
Weekend plus Monday - I was under the weather most of the weekend and barely ate anything at all. W took his usual items in his lunch. For one of his snacks I worked on getting some odds and ends out of the pantry. His suppers are almost always cereal.
Monday, January 15, 2018
Weekly Goals Update: Week 2
1. Disaster Preparedness
Week 2 was all about stocking up on hardware. This is one area that we are prepared in. Out here in the country many people are used to doing things themselves. We have plenty of flashlights and keep rechargeable batteries on hand. I do want to get a hand crack lantern though. Otherwise we are in good shape.
2. Makeover the Garden
Last week was not as cold as the first week of this year but it was rainy. W did work on setting up the second gate for the garden. This will give us easier access to the compost area. I transplanted part of the pepper plants into bigger containers. I hope to be able to leave them in those until they are ready for the garden.
3. Organize Recipes
This week I worked on digital recipes. I cleaned out some that I had saved on Pinterest. A few were moved to permanent sections so that I can print them. Others I just deleted. Sometimes I wonder why I ever though a recipe looked good.
4. Have 13 No Spend Weeks on Groceries
I did a big grocery shop this past week. I have one of these knocked out though and plenty of time to get in the other 12.
5. Focus on Saving
I limited purchasing this week. I stuck to my grocery list. We also stopped by a second grocery store to take advantage of some deals and a coupon. I noted that the regular prices on many items were better than the store I normally shop. I plan to do at least a twice a month trip to this store. I saved the old pots (which I replaced with new ones) to use in the yard for chicken feeders/waterers. W had a clever idea for turning the lids into feeders for baby chicks.
6. Have Fun
Other than reading (again), I did not spend any time doing something fun. This will probably be the hardest of my goals as I have a hard time relaxing. I think I will take time out this coming week to watch a movie.
Week 2 was all about stocking up on hardware. This is one area that we are prepared in. Out here in the country many people are used to doing things themselves. We have plenty of flashlights and keep rechargeable batteries on hand. I do want to get a hand crack lantern though. Otherwise we are in good shape.
2. Makeover the Garden
Last week was not as cold as the first week of this year but it was rainy. W did work on setting up the second gate for the garden. This will give us easier access to the compost area. I transplanted part of the pepper plants into bigger containers. I hope to be able to leave them in those until they are ready for the garden.
3. Organize Recipes
This week I worked on digital recipes. I cleaned out some that I had saved on Pinterest. A few were moved to permanent sections so that I can print them. Others I just deleted. Sometimes I wonder why I ever though a recipe looked good.
4. Have 13 No Spend Weeks on Groceries
I did a big grocery shop this past week. I have one of these knocked out though and plenty of time to get in the other 12.
5. Focus on Saving
I limited purchasing this week. I stuck to my grocery list. We also stopped by a second grocery store to take advantage of some deals and a coupon. I noted that the regular prices on many items were better than the store I normally shop. I plan to do at least a twice a month trip to this store. I saved the old pots (which I replaced with new ones) to use in the yard for chicken feeders/waterers. W had a clever idea for turning the lids into feeders for baby chicks.
6. Have Fun
Other than reading (again), I did not spend any time doing something fun. This will probably be the hardest of my goals as I have a hard time relaxing. I think I will take time out this coming week to watch a movie.
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Weekend Book Reviews
The Trouble with Murder by Kathy Krevat is the first book in the Gourmet Cat Mystery series. Colbie is a single mom who has moved back home to keep a closer eye on her ailing father. Her gourmet cat food business is taking off thanks in part to participating in the Sunnyside Power Moms group. Unfortunately Colbie discovers one of the Power Moms murdered and herself being framed. She has to juggle raising her son, caring for her father, and solving a murder. I loved the characters especially the neighbor with the chickens. Trouble the cat is the star however. I look forward to reading more from this charming series!
Greta McKennan's Historically Dead is the second book in the Stitch in Time Mystery series. Daria is sewing the clothes and curtains for a home being featured on a history themed reality show. She thinks it will be a good for her business. She begins to have doubts when a professor doing research is murdered and an attempt is made on one of the homeowners. It hits even closer to home when strange things begin happening at her own house. I liked getting to know Daria's roommate Aileen more. The mystery was good and the historical portion was a nice touch. I had read the previous book, but it is not necessary to enjoy this one.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Weekend Book Reviews
And Death Goes To... by Laura Bradford is the third book in the Tobi Tobias Mystery series. I had not read either of the previous books, but I have no problems following the characters in this one. Tobi owns an ad agency and is nominated for the top prize in the St Louis Advertising Awards. She is happy just to be nominated and even more so when the winner plummets to her death when the platform collapses. A tragic accident is soon discovered to be an intentional murder. Tobi and her grandfather set out to solve the mystery. I enjoyed this book both for the characters and for the mystery. There were several twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I was most surprised that this cozy mystery was not focused on the police which was a nice change.
Healthy Meal Prep by Stephanie Tornatore and Adam Bannon offers 12 make ahead weekly meal plans. Each meal plan is a mix of four recipes to feed one person for six days. None of the meal plans are overly involved, and everything is laid out step by step. Plenty of helpful tips are offered throughout the book. This would be an excellent resource for a single person who does not want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. With a little prep in advance these meals are as simple as a frozen single serve dinner and much healthier.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
Healthy Meal Prep by Stephanie Tornatore and Adam Bannon offers 12 make ahead weekly meal plans. Each meal plan is a mix of four recipes to feed one person for six days. None of the meal plans are overly involved, and everything is laid out step by step. Plenty of helpful tips are offered throughout the book. This would be an excellent resource for a single person who does not want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. With a little prep in advance these meals are as simple as a frozen single serve dinner and much healthier.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
Friday, January 12, 2018
Frugal Friday
This was a quiet week so I am sticking to five frugal things.
1. I ordered a free subscription to Real Simple magazine through Recycle Bank.
2. I read some free magazines using Amazon's Prime Reading program. You can have up to four items (books or magazines) borrowed at one time. I chose 4 to read this month. I do my best to take advantage of all the services available with my Prime subscription.
3. I found some sunglasses for the shoeboxes for 49 cents each. These will be perfect for the older boy boxes.
4. I put some bags of clean up trash in my parents' trash can.
5. My mom and I ordered together from Chewy as neither of us needed enough pet food to qualify for free shipping. Together we spent enough though. I get a better deal on everything than I can locally. Plus I only have to move the bags from my porch to the containers rather than dragging them home from the store.
1. I ordered a free subscription to Real Simple magazine through Recycle Bank.
2. I read some free magazines using Amazon's Prime Reading program. You can have up to four items (books or magazines) borrowed at one time. I chose 4 to read this month. I do my best to take advantage of all the services available with my Prime subscription.
3. I found some sunglasses for the shoeboxes for 49 cents each. These will be perfect for the older boy boxes.
4. I put some bags of clean up trash in my parents' trash can.
5. My mom and I ordered together from Chewy as neither of us needed enough pet food to qualify for free shipping. Together we spent enough though. I get a better deal on everything than I can locally. Plus I only have to move the bags from my porch to the containers rather than dragging them home from the store.
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Garden Update
Even though my garden looked like this last week
I have been working on my spring garden - indoors for the time being.
I always plan to plant my garden the week after Easter. The date varies depending on when Easter falls. This year it is on April 1 (I prefer the years when it is in March, but you gotta take what you get.) Peppers take the longest so I started them first. I am growing 10 varieties this year: red bell, yellow bell, violet sparkle, pepperocini, jalapeno, black Hungarian, baby bell, pimento, poblano, and cubanelle.
The ones in the back were started a couple of weeks before the ones in the front. I saved seeds from peppers I grew so those got an earlier start. The ones in the front are from seed I ordered from Baker Creek, my favorite seed source.
Now that some are getting their true leaves, I will be transplanting them into larger containers.
I love watching the little plants pop up. It makes the cold outside bearable.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Pantry Challege Update
Thanks to the snow day last week on Wednesday I stayed home rather than venture out grocery shopping. Then it was terribly cold the next day so I did not go anywhere. I did not spend any money on groceries last week. I should also add that due to the cold we only had water about 4-5 hours per day. The south simply cannot handle what y'all in the north put up with on a daily basis. We ate but not particularly well. On a day or two it was questionable if we would have water at all, and I did not want a kitchen full of dirty dishes. I apologize for the lack of pictures. It was cloudy all week and no food pictures turned out well.
Tuesday W had cereal for breakfast, and I ate a pop tart. We had a late dinner. I made a big pot of ham and potato soup using ham from the refrigerator and potatoes from the pantry. Supper ended up just being some snacks from the pantry.
Wednesday W ate the last pop tart, and I had peanut butter on toast. Dinner was chicken sandwiches with chicken tenders and homemade hamburger buns both from the freezer. Supper was a homemade pizza from the freezer.
Thursday We had eggs and toast for breakfast. Dinner was nachos as the plan was to use up an avocado that had finally started to soften. Unfortunately this particular avocado went from not ready to rotten completely skipping the ripe stage. Supper was leftover soup from Tuesday and crackers. I have a seemingly endless supply of the club type crackers. While cleaning at the church late last year, I found a big box of them. I knew that we would not use them up at the church so I set them out for everyone who was helping to take. At the end I took what was left. I know we are making progress but I wonder if we will ever use them all up.
Friday was eggs and toast again for breakfast. We do not get as many eggs in the winter months but we generally have enough for our own use. Dinner was hamburgers and chips (leftover from Christmas). Supper was a mixture. W ate a can of ravioli from the pantry. I had a snack plate: hummus and crackers, cheese, mixed nuts, and dried fruit.
Saturday through Monday are W's work days. I pack his food. This week he took grapefruit juice, a fruit cup, raw almonds, hummus and pretzels, oatmeal, crackers, granola bars, and snack size candy bars as a treat. I end to eat leftovers for dinner. Suppers are generally cereal for him and a snack plate for me.
This week though he was home for dinner on Monday. I took some barbecue out of the freezer and we had barbecue stuffed potatoes. I chopped up some green onion tops that I regrew in the kitchen window. I try to keep at least one easy meal on hand.
Tuesday W had cereal for breakfast, and I ate a pop tart. We had a late dinner. I made a big pot of ham and potato soup using ham from the refrigerator and potatoes from the pantry. Supper ended up just being some snacks from the pantry.
Wednesday W ate the last pop tart, and I had peanut butter on toast. Dinner was chicken sandwiches with chicken tenders and homemade hamburger buns both from the freezer. Supper was a homemade pizza from the freezer.
Thursday We had eggs and toast for breakfast. Dinner was nachos as the plan was to use up an avocado that had finally started to soften. Unfortunately this particular avocado went from not ready to rotten completely skipping the ripe stage. Supper was leftover soup from Tuesday and crackers. I have a seemingly endless supply of the club type crackers. While cleaning at the church late last year, I found a big box of them. I knew that we would not use them up at the church so I set them out for everyone who was helping to take. At the end I took what was left. I know we are making progress but I wonder if we will ever use them all up.
Friday was eggs and toast again for breakfast. We do not get as many eggs in the winter months but we generally have enough for our own use. Dinner was hamburgers and chips (leftover from Christmas). Supper was a mixture. W ate a can of ravioli from the pantry. I had a snack plate: hummus and crackers, cheese, mixed nuts, and dried fruit.
Saturday through Monday are W's work days. I pack his food. This week he took grapefruit juice, a fruit cup, raw almonds, hummus and pretzels, oatmeal, crackers, granola bars, and snack size candy bars as a treat. I end to eat leftovers for dinner. Suppers are generally cereal for him and a snack plate for me.
This week though he was home for dinner on Monday. I took some barbecue out of the freezer and we had barbecue stuffed potatoes. I chopped up some green onion tops that I regrew in the kitchen window. I try to keep at least one easy meal on hand.
Monday, January 8, 2018
2018 Goals: Week 1
1. Disaster Preparedness
I did not go anywhere last week to purchase any items so I looked to what was already in the pantry. I set aside two containers of juice and two jars of peanut butter. As we use them I will replace them so I can keep a rotating stock. Since I live so far out in the country, I do my best to keep a well stocked pantry. Water is the area I need to work on although we do have four Life Straws which we can use. I set aside some money in an emergency fund. I did hear that following the hurricane people were allowed into stores one at at time and only allowed to use cash in small bills.
2. Makeover the Garden
It was way too cold here last week to do anything in the garden. This is what it looked like in the middle of last week.
I did not go anywhere last week to purchase any items so I looked to what was already in the pantry. I set aside two containers of juice and two jars of peanut butter. As we use them I will replace them so I can keep a rotating stock. Since I live so far out in the country, I do my best to keep a well stocked pantry. Water is the area I need to work on although we do have four Life Straws which we can use. I set aside some money in an emergency fund. I did hear that following the hurricane people were allowed into stores one at at time and only allowed to use cash in small bills.
2. Makeover the Garden
It was way too cold here last week to do anything in the garden. This is what it looked like in the middle of last week.
3. Organize Recipes
I decided to start with my cookbooks. I chose a few to get rid of as I never used them. I set some aside that were maybes. If I do not use them in the next few months they will also go into the sell/donate pile.
4. Have 13 No Spend Weeks for Groceries
I had not planned to knock one of these out right away. With the snow and cold temperatures I opted to stay home and did not purchase any groceries. One down and twelve to go!
5. Focus on Saving
I ordered a set of cookware using gift cards and cash back rewards. I worked on earning some Swagbucks and Microsoft Rewards. I found a coupon for the fruit cups W likes to take in his lunch. I looked at purchasing a few things but decided our project goals were more important.
6. Have Fun
I know some people might think of snow as fun, but I am not one of them. Honestly I was just miserable with the cold and being stuck indoors all week. I did take some extra time this week to read.
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Weekend Book Reviews
Cannoli to Die For by Peg Cochran is book five in the Lucille Mystery series. Lucille decides to lose weight before her best friend Flo's wedding. She joins Weigh to Lose but after one meeting the leader of the program is found murdered. When the police have no suspects, Lucille and Flo decide to solve the crime themselves. This book like the others in the series is not necessarily serious, but it is fun. I read it in less than a day and found myself laughing out loud at times. A great mystery when you need something light but entertaining.
The second book in the Irene's Closet series by Paula Paul is Accessories to Die For. I had read (and enjoyed) the first book in this series although it is not necessary. This book missed the mark for me. The story was disjointed and simply did not flow well. The amount of criminal/illegal activity by everyone involved was unbelievable. The wrap up seemed to be an afterthought to the rest of the book. I did not enjoy this particular book, but I am not giving up on the series.
Bel, Book, and Scandal by Maggie McConnon is the third book in the Belfast McGrath Mystery series. This is the first book in the series that I have read, but I had no trouble following the characters. Bel is forced back to the past when she sees a newspaper photo of her long missing high school friend. Bel must balance her cooking duties at her family's manor with searching for her friend. I loved the characters including Bel's mix of brothers. While the book contained several story lines, it flowed very well. I am looking forward to reading more from this series!
Good Food, Strong Communities by Steve Ventura and Martin Bailkey discusses the problems faced by people in urban areas with regards to fresh fruit and produce. Having always living in a rural, farming community this book was eye opening for me. It discusses the multiple problems and possible solutions. I wish the book had a better flow from topic to topic, but otherwise I enjoyed it.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
The second book in the Irene's Closet series by Paula Paul is Accessories to Die For. I had read (and enjoyed) the first book in this series although it is not necessary. This book missed the mark for me. The story was disjointed and simply did not flow well. The amount of criminal/illegal activity by everyone involved was unbelievable. The wrap up seemed to be an afterthought to the rest of the book. I did not enjoy this particular book, but I am not giving up on the series.
Bel, Book, and Scandal by Maggie McConnon is the third book in the Belfast McGrath Mystery series. This is the first book in the series that I have read, but I had no trouble following the characters. Bel is forced back to the past when she sees a newspaper photo of her long missing high school friend. Bel must balance her cooking duties at her family's manor with searching for her friend. I loved the characters including Bel's mix of brothers. While the book contained several story lines, it flowed very well. I am looking forward to reading more from this series!
Good Food, Strong Communities by Steve Ventura and Martin Bailkey discusses the problems faced by people in urban areas with regards to fresh fruit and produce. Having always living in a rural, farming community this book was eye opening for me. It discusses the multiple problems and possible solutions. I wish the book had a better flow from topic to topic, but otherwise I enjoyed it.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Weekend Book Reviews
Ditched 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is the second book in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series. Sophie (Phee) is living full time in Arizona but with a bit of space from her mom's retirement village. Phee is working with a former co-worker Nate at his private detective agency. Her job entails mainly bookkeeping but she seems to get pulled into investigations anyway. In this book she gets coerced into helping plan her 74 year old aunt's outlandish wedding. When murder victims start being linked to her aunt's fiance, he goes on the run. Phee must solve the mystery and save the wedding or face her eccentric aunt's drama. This is a fun series, and I adore Phee. She has endless patience for dealing with her crazy family.
The fifth book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series by Catherine Lloyd is Death Comes to School. I had not read any of the previous books but had no trouble jumping right into this one. I will admit that I am not normally a fan of period cozy mysteries, but Ms. Lloyd's book is an exception. I was immediately drawn to Lucy, the rector's daughter and wife of Sir Robert Kurland. The serenity of Kurland St. Mary is disturbed when several people including Lucy receive letters accusing them of horrible things. It gets worse when the local teacher is found murdered. Lucy is a strong woman especially for England in the late 1800s. The book was well written, and I can easily see this series becoming one of my favorites!
Sweet Revenge: Passive-Aggressive Desserts for Your Exes & Enemies by Heather Kim would be a great gift for a girlfriend dealing with a breakup. The book is geared more toward teens, and that is evident from some of the ingredients. The monster cookies include nacho cheese chips, and an ice cream sandwich is made with hot Cheetos. I opted not to try any of the recipes. Not all of the recipes include weird ingredients, but that is not the only problem. The ingredient list of the cinnamon rolls in particular as well as the cakes left me questioning if they would even work. The ratios of ingredients for many of the recipes would never yield good results. While it is a nice idea, as a cookbook I am not impressed.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
The fifth book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series by Catherine Lloyd is Death Comes to School. I had not read any of the previous books but had no trouble jumping right into this one. I will admit that I am not normally a fan of period cozy mysteries, but Ms. Lloyd's book is an exception. I was immediately drawn to Lucy, the rector's daughter and wife of Sir Robert Kurland. The serenity of Kurland St. Mary is disturbed when several people including Lucy receive letters accusing them of horrible things. It gets worse when the local teacher is found murdered. Lucy is a strong woman especially for England in the late 1800s. The book was well written, and I can easily see this series becoming one of my favorites!
Sweet Revenge: Passive-Aggressive Desserts for Your Exes & Enemies by Heather Kim would be a great gift for a girlfriend dealing with a breakup. The book is geared more toward teens, and that is evident from some of the ingredients. The monster cookies include nacho cheese chips, and an ice cream sandwich is made with hot Cheetos. I opted not to try any of the recipes. Not all of the recipes include weird ingredients, but that is not the only problem. The ingredient list of the cinnamon rolls in particular as well as the cakes left me questioning if they would even work. The ratios of ingredients for many of the recipes would never yield good results. While it is a nice idea, as a cookbook I am not impressed.
disclosure: I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
Friday, January 5, 2018
Frugal Friday - Snow Edition
I have discovered the best way to be frugal - live in the deep south and get 3 inches of snow. I know for those of you up north that seems like no big deal. It was a major deal here though. Toby got his first look at snow and he loved it. He was aggravated in the first picture, because I made him stop playing long enough to get a good shot.
I did what every good southerner should do and stayed home. I cannot say that I accomplished much. I have read, crocheted a bit, wrote some letters, and spent way too much time online. Fortunately almost none of the online stuff was shopping. I did purchase some stickers for the Christmas shoeboxes, but I budget for that.
I cooked at home which was good for the pantry challenge.
We only ventured out once to pick up our (paid for) eyeglasses and bought nothing.
I received two new inserts for my doormat which were free with a gift card earned through Swagbucks. I am doing my very best to buy any extras this year with earned gift cards.
By Monday the highs here will be in the 60s again so life will get back to normal (no snow, no cutting off the water). I have no idea how those of you up north survive!
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
January Pantry Challenge
Jessica over at Good Cheap Eats is hosting a pantry challenge. I love that she does not have any hard, fast rules to follow. Participants are encouraged to set their own goals. I am doing just that.
1. Use up some odd and end items that are overtaking the pantry - I have one aunt who has a major shopping problem. She loves getting a good deal. If she asks if you want two of an item and you say yes, you will receive at least 5. I am saying 'NO' to all of her offers and using up the stuff we have.
Here are my three goals for this pantry challenge
2. Add some homemade meals to the freezer - With the hectic holidays I used up all of my homemade frozen convenience meals. I want to restock this section of the freezer. I also want to get back in the habit of doing some freezer cooking in advance of spring when I spend most of my time in the yard.
3. Spend no more than $150 this month on groceries - I am not doing a complete no spend month. I have some holes in the pantry that need filling. I know I will need to purchase items for W's lunch and will need milk for him. I expect that I will need some ingredients to go with items on hand to complete certain recipes.
That covers my goals. Are you planning a pantry challenge to start off 2018? Do you make specific goals or just try not to buy anything?
Monday, January 1, 2018
2018 Goals
1. Disaster Preparedness
I am not planning to go total prepper in advance of a zombie apocalypse. Last year's hurricane did make me think harder about planning ahead. I am going to loosely follow the weekly suggestions at this website. I had a glimpse at the shipment delays both for anything ordered online and for local stores. I want to make sure we are prepared just in case of another storm (or zombies).
2. Makeover the Garden
Last year's goal of making better use of the garden allowed me to see some of the problems. This year I want to make better use of the space and think more carefully about what I grow. Please tell me I am not the only one tempted by the seed catalogs that arrive in the dead of winter.
3. Organize Recipes
I have a recipe addiction. I love to collect them - either online or in paper form. This year I need to reorganize my recipes. I have some things that I just no longer cook. I have others that I have to pull up online every time that I need to add to my recipe notebook. I also have some saved online that I will probably never make. This is the year I get them in order!
4. Have 13 No Spend Weeks for Groceries
I want to make better use of the pantry and not shop just because I normally do. I expect that several of these weeks will take place during the summer when the garden is in full swing.
5. Focus on Saving
I hope this will take on many forms. I want to make better use of sales/coupons this year. I hope to take advantage of reward sites to fill in some wants. We have several projects planned for this year which will require funding.
6. Have Fun
Every year I find that holidays and summer especially pass me by while I am busy with stuff. I am not planning huge things. It might be something as simple as eating out once in a while or sitting in the yard with a book and a glass of lemonade.
I am not planning to go total prepper in advance of a zombie apocalypse. Last year's hurricane did make me think harder about planning ahead. I am going to loosely follow the weekly suggestions at this website. I had a glimpse at the shipment delays both for anything ordered online and for local stores. I want to make sure we are prepared just in case of another storm (or zombies).
2. Makeover the Garden
Last year's goal of making better use of the garden allowed me to see some of the problems. This year I want to make better use of the space and think more carefully about what I grow. Please tell me I am not the only one tempted by the seed catalogs that arrive in the dead of winter.
3. Organize Recipes
I have a recipe addiction. I love to collect them - either online or in paper form. This year I need to reorganize my recipes. I have some things that I just no longer cook. I have others that I have to pull up online every time that I need to add to my recipe notebook. I also have some saved online that I will probably never make. This is the year I get them in order!
4. Have 13 No Spend Weeks for Groceries
I want to make better use of the pantry and not shop just because I normally do. I expect that several of these weeks will take place during the summer when the garden is in full swing.
5. Focus on Saving
I hope this will take on many forms. I want to make better use of sales/coupons this year. I hope to take advantage of reward sites to fill in some wants. We have several projects planned for this year which will require funding.
6. Have Fun
Every year I find that holidays and summer especially pass me by while I am busy with stuff. I am not planning huge things. It might be something as simple as eating out once in a while or sitting in the yard with a book and a glass of lemonade.
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