Goals Update Week 2

1.  Save all of our Change (coins) for the Year

More coins were added to the jar this week.  I decided to wait and do one total at the end of the year. I think it will be more of a big reveal that doing a monthly total. 

2.  Plan Ahead for My Business

I am excited to have already met my earnings goal for the month.  I know that will not happen so early every month, but I am hoping that it balances out over the year.  This week I am going to finish up at least three orders, make more things for the shop, and add flamingo cup cozies to my Etsy shop.  I want to do two more colors and wait for the sun to show up for pictures.

Another lady in the shop is offering candles and bath items.  I approached her about cross marketing some of her items with some handmade cotton spa items of mine - soap saver, facial rounds, and spa slippers.  I hope it will benefit us both.

3.  Get Back to Basics

• We ate mainly from the pantry, and I focused on eating the leftovers.

• I foraged clover and other greens for the rabbits to eat.  I also picked some extras for the chickens.

• I watched the weather forecast so I could keep up with line drying laundry.

• I won a grape leaf ornament in an online instant win game. I plan to use it as a ring holder.  Wins are fewer lately but still fun. It only costs a few minutes of my time.  It is much nicer than the picture appears.  Cloudy days are awful for photos.

Sunday Book Reviews

Two Bites Too Many by Debra H Goldstein in the second book in the Sarah Blair Mystery series.  Sarah has settled into her new home with her inherited cat RahRah while continuing to work as the receptionist at a law firm.  Her mom, Maybelle, drags her to the bank to fight Sarah's sister's loan request rejection.  When the bank manager is later found murdered, Maybelle is the only suspect.  I enjoy the southern setting but have a bit of trouble connecting to the characters.  I realize it is a fictional book, but I still expect them to act moderately reasonable.  Sarah's sister Emily needed to be sat down for a good talking to over many of her actions.  The mystery was strong.  While I had my suspicions, I was not certain until the very end.

The third book in the Beyond the Page mystery series by Lauren Elliot is Murder in the First Edition.  Addie has donated an 1843 copy of A Christmas Carol to the hospital charity auction.  When Addie stops by the hospital to give the authentication paperwork to Teresa, the woman over the auction, Addie finds Teresa dead and the rare book missing.  The mystery was interesting, but Addie comes close to completely ruining the book.  She refuses to act with any ounce of maturity, and I wondered over and over why the two men interested in her just did not cut their loses and move on.  I am confused by a grown woman who crosses her fingers behind her back when lying.  This is the first book in the series that I have read so I will give it at least one more try.

Christmas Cow Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan is the first book in the Buttermilk Creek Mystery series.  Brynn is beginning her new like at Buttermilk Creek with her three cows and a few new friends.  When her dearest friend, Nancy, dies after her home burns under suspicious circumstances, Nancy cannot help but get involved.  It soon begins to feel as if some of her new neighbors dislike not only Nancy but Brynn as well.  I have mixed feelings about the book.  On one hand it was full of various events from fires to mourning cows.  On the other the actions of the characters were a bit "off".  I get that Brynn was crushed by her husband's betrayal, but I was weary of the whole thing before I got halfway through the book.  I will take into account that this is the first book in the series and will give a second book a try before writing off the series.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Pantry Challenge - Days 1-7

Saturday we had pizza.  I make a Detroit style pizza which we settled on as being our favorite.  I use the crust and sauce recipes from the link.  The sauce makes 4-5 pizzas worth so I freeze the extra.  I mix the dough by hand, in the Kitchen Aid, or in the bread machine, and it turns out great no matter which I use.  I also made two small salads.  Neither one of us was hungry that evening and just had a snack.

Sunday was clean out the fridge day.  We had leftover potato soup and crackers for dinner (lunch).  Supper was the leftover pizza from Saturday.

Monday I needed to cook.  I tried a new to me recipe for Mongolian beef which did not impress W.  I divided the leftovers into single serve portion and froze them for me to eat later.  Our evening meal was Loaded Chicken Salad.  I had a pack of chicken thighs in the freezer so this was a good way to use them up.  We ate it on leftover hamburger buns and had chips on the side.

Tuesday we had sandwiches when we came in from running errands.  I try to have something on hand to eat soon after we walk in the door.  It prevents temptation to stop at a fast food place or grab something extra at the grocery store.  Supper (dinner) was an "on your own" type of meal.

Wednesday I put Brunswick stew in the slow cooker.  We ate it with crackers.  For supper I had a snacky plate of cheese, vegetables and ranch. W ate a ham sandwich.

Thursday was leftover Brunswick stew.  I also put two containers in the freezer for future meals.  W had a sandwich for supper.  I ate another snacky plate.

Friday I took some taco seasoned chicken out of the freezer.  I like nachos while W prefers to eat it as tacos. Supper was snacky again.  We have gotten out of the habit of eating a big supper/dinner.  I guess it really shows this week. 

Grocery Spending - Week 1

I thought it might be interesting to keep track of my grocery spending this year.  I try to keep my grocery budget at $50 per week.  January should be much lower since I am doing a pantry challenge.

This week I spent $17.48.  My purchases were:

Half & Half
Coffee Creamer - 2
Bread
Chocolate Chips
Toaster Strudel - 3

The coffee creamer was on sale, and I had a coupon.  That should last me a month or more.  I am slowly getting over the Christmas rush but have yet to get back in the habit of baking bread.  The toaster strudels were cheap with a sale and coupon making an easy (if not healthy breakfast). The chocolate chips are for a birthday cookie cake for one of the youth in my Bible class at church. 

2020 Grocery Spending:  $17.48

Garden 2020

I know many of you are freezing with absolutely no thoughts of a garden yet.  Here in the south I am actually a bit behind.  My seed order should be arriving this week.  I did have a few pepper seeds on hand.  When my peat pellets came in yesterday, I immediately got the first three trays started.

I am using some mini foil trays my aunt picked up on clearance to keep the varieties separate.  These are three different colors of mini bell peppers.  I have them under some led lights in our living room. 

To get them closer to the light for right now, I am using a box.  I had good luck starting pepper seeds under these lights last year.  I decided to see if having them closer to the light would help them grow better.

I also decided to start cleaning in the garden while the weather was nice.  I got two tires cleaned out.  The wood bed around the stevia rotted, but W found a tire to put around it just to keep the chickens from completely scratching the dirt away from the roots.  It is not much, but at least it is a start to 2020's garden.

Goal Update

Goals first...

1.  Save all of our Change (coins) for the Year
I found a large jar in our pantry to put all of our coins in.  I can easily count the change right now, but I hope in a month or two it is less obvious how much money is inside.

2.  Plan Ahead for My Business
I have spent the past few days working on items to put in my shop.  I am focusing on more general items rather than a specific holiday.  These are things that could be used for any occasion.  I am working with yarn leftover from other orders to make these items.  I am still plugging away on orders too.  I am listing a unicorn coin purse on Etsy later today.  The sun is finally out so I can take some decent pictures.

3.  Get Back to Basics

• I started a pantry challenge and planned meals based on what is in the pantry/freezer.

•  I found a forgotten Amazon gift card that I used to buy peat pellets for seed starting and a set of smaller crochet hooks for some projects. 

• I waited a day to order yarn needed for January orders and cut my shipping charges in half.  The closest craft store is at least an hour one way.  It is much cheaper for me to order online even if I have to pay a bit of shipping when I factor in the time and cost of gas.

Sunday Book Reviews

Death by Jack-o'-Lantern by Alexis Morgan is the second book in the Abby McCree Mystery series.  Abby is on the planning committee for the upcoming Halloween festival.  While out picking up an order of pumpkins, she finds the farmer dead instead.  The police immediately zero in on a homeless veteran as the suspect, but Abby has her doubts.  The mystery in this book was strong.  Even though I have not read the first book in the series, I had no trouble following along with this one.  I appreciated that the author brought a focus on a social issue without coming across as forcing an agenda on the readers.  I will be reading more in this series!

The first book in the Cajun County Mystery series by Ellen Byron is Fatal Cajun Festival.  The local Cajun festival promises to be the event of the season.  B&B owner Maggie is thrilled that her friend Gaynell will be taking the stage along with her band The Gator Girls.  The main attraction is a local girl who hit the big stage.  Tammy has an attitude to go along with her singing voice.  When Tammy is murdered, Gaynell tops a long list of suspects leading Maggie to start her own investigation.  This is a wonderful start to a new cozy series.  The mystery was strong, and I look forward to reading more about the characters in future books!

Last Pen Standing by Vivian Conroy is the first book in the Stationery Shop Mystery series.  Delta is the new co-owner of a stationery shop.  While at a crafting party at a fancy hotel, a guest is found murdered.  To make matters worse Delta's friend is the prime suspect.  Delta finds herself running the business alone while trying to clear her friend's name.  I loved the idea of a stationery shop, and the characters were well developed.    I am anxiously awaiting book two.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!