Making Hay

 Hello friends, it's been a few. While I've been away I've been busy making hay while the sun shines. 

If you follow Annabel from The Blue Birds are Nesting on the Farm I imagine you've heard her use that phrase often. I'm sure we could all feel a shift in the world recently. 

When things feel heavy I do two things... turn to God and turn my thoughts toward my home and family. I looked it up and the Bible mentions multiple times that we are not to live in fear. I can't remember exactly, but it was something like 365 times!

What can I do to change things when the world is on fire? Really, nothing. I can pray and I can prepare. Here are a few things I've been doing to make hay while the sun shines.

I planted the last of my vegetable seeds.  

A week after sowing the seeds, most of them have sprouted. 

We (meaning mainly Chuck and me as his cheerleader and helper) have taken on a project. We are removing and installing new kitchen cabinets for our next door neighbors. They are also helping with labor. 

They were quoted $24,000 to complete this project. We were approached and asked if Chuck would help them (which means basically to do this project). They are paying him for his help, even with paying him they are going to save a bunch of money. Over the weekend this is the section we were able to complete. 

There is still lots of work to complete, but in the end it will be a win, win for all of us. They will save money and we will earn some. 

For even when we were with you, this we command you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10

With things feeling a little uncertain I decided I needed to do some stocking up. I may not work outside of my home, but what I do in my home is just as important. 

 The first stop was to get bedding and extra feed for the girls. 

Next I added to the pantry. Now, as I've mentioned before I keep a well stocked pantry, so I did a little topping off. 

The first stop was to stock up on my tea. Only one store carries the kind I like. I did splurge and purchase a frozen pizza that was on sale. That will save us from take out on a crazy or lazy night. 

I stocked up of flour and sugar. There is so much that can be done with these two items. I also needed to top off my chicken supply. 

Now that most things have been topped off I will need to be prudent to watch sales and ensure my stock doesn't dwindle. 

While making waffles for breakfast I whipped up a double batch and added some to the freezer. 

Chuck finished the window boxes to the point that I was able to give them their first coat of paint. 

The plan is to finished them this week and then Chuck will be able to add the trim to the top. 

It's spring break which means I won't have to care for Ben for the next two weeks. I have a lot of hay to make while the sun shines!

Keep those home fires burning and continue to pray, that's really all we can do!

Wendi 

What a Week

The week began with melted snow, rising temperatures and the most beautiful foggy morning. 

 

I spent Monday morning cleaning and putting away all of my Valentine decor.

Early that evening we were at the neighbors house helping them with ideas for their kitchen remodel. By the time we finished chit chatting it almost 6 pm. We decided to run out and get some dinner. While on our way to the restaurant we saw an officer from a neighboring town go flying by, and I do mean flying. Since he wasn't in his town, Chuck joked that he must have slipped away for his area and was about to get busted by getting a call. 

Later that night we found out that wasn't the case. An officer in that little community lost his life while responding to a domestic dispute. As sad as that was, the next morning we found out the officer is the cousin to our next door neighbor. (The neighbors house we had been visiting.) 

It's been a really hard week for our community and especially our neighbors. 

Joy in the Ordinary

 Some ordinary, yet joyful moments from my week. 

A new rug and mat for the front door. 

All of the Christmas decor has been tucked away for another year. I enjoyed laying out the decor and putting it back in place.

I find joy in the simplicity of the every day decor. After all of the extras that Christmas brings it feels like a breath of fresh air. 

Surprisingly, our girls are still laying well. I thought it would have dwindled more since it's turned cold.  

This makes Megan happy since selling eggs is her side hustle. She currently has two regular customers and another one that wants on the egg list. 

Have I mentioned one spoiled cat lives here? 

For Christmas he received a heating mat specifically for a cats. It's set up so he can't chew on the cord. The blanket Megan put on him is just too much! *smile* Oh yes, he's one spoiled kitty. 

The tradition of appetizers on New Year's Day continued this year. 

Chuck usually works on New Year's Eve and we are generally sound asleep by midnight. It's nice to have a day when we can munch and I don't have to worry about providing lunch and dinner. 

The bonus is that we were able to eat the leftovers for lunch all weekend!

You would think with all the decluttering that took place last year there would be nothing left. Ha!

As I've been organizing I've found plenty to donate. One thing I have learned is that decluttering and organizing are two things that always need a little attention. 

Look around, really look around and you will find joy... joy in the every day, joy in the ordinary. 

Wendi 

Back to the Grind

Well, we did it! What you might ask. We cleaned out our barn, shed, garage, and house. It was quite a chore!

As we cleaned we sorted and marked everything we wanted to sell. We had a massive yard sale. I don't have any pictures because we were suppose to start at 8 a.m. on a Thursday and had people showing up at 7:15! They continued to show up until about 1 that afternoon. We then did it again on Friday and Saturday. We got rid of a bunch of stuff.  The bonus is that we made a good amount of cash. Win, win. 

We wrapped this up just in time to get back to the grind. Do the organized toys give any indication of what is happening? *smile*

School started which means my great-nephew will be spending his days with me. We're going to have a busy year as we are adding one day of early intervention therapy for speech. 

I have been busy preparing. I started by going through my pantry. 

I took everything out. Made sure things were in order and pulled out the things that needed to be used. I then made a huge grocery list and did a large shop. 

During the summer months things get lax around here and one of the big things I loosen up on is menu planning. I spend a few days making a master menu list. 

This is a work in progress as I noticed a few more items to add. Once complete I will type it up to help keep me on track in those busy moments when my brain might not be firing on all cylinders. Ha!

I made a change and am no longer running my menu Sunday through Saturday. Megan gets her new schedule on Tuesdays and it runs Wednesday through Tuesday. I found that it didn't always work when she was scheduled for an evening shift. 

Once the menu was planned I grabbed my apron did some meal prep. 

Afternoon/early evenings can be hectic with taking Ben home, Megan coming home from work and trying to get dinner made before Chuck gets home. I saw that pulled pork was on the menu so I prepped Cole slaw to go with that meal. 

There is no way I would have time to chop the cabbage and carrots and get it on the table in time.  Having it ready to pull out and mix the day I need it is a time and sanity saver. 

I also try to as much prep as I can in the morning or during naptime. 

 Casseroles are one thing that is easy to prepare ahead of time. I will pre-heat the oven while I run Ben home and then whomever walks in the door first puts it the oven. Megan and I  usually arrive within about 10 minutes of each other. 

It's always sad for me to see the easy days of summer end. I'm hopeful that planning and prepping with make getting back to the grind easier.

Wendi 

Day in the Life

It was a little after 8:30 when I woke up. Generally I wake between 7:30 and 8:00.  I hadn't slept well the night before. I have been limiting my access to news and social media since the flooding in Texas.  Although I know I need to stay abreast of things happening, it has been very hard on this Mama's heart. I spent some time on the computer Sunday night and that resulted in my poor sleep.

Number one the loss is heart wrenching. Number two I read a couple negative things that people are saying. One that really bothered me was a women who made this sad, sad situation about race and politics. I generally refrain from mentioning any of those things on my blog. I was really bothered and upset by the comments. I'm sure you have all seen some stories of blame and just plain stupidity. That's all I will say about that.

I start my day be having a cup of tea and time in the Word on the back porch. It was such a pleasant morning. The humidity was low and the temperatures very pleasant. After praying about all the mess in the world we live in I decided to do what women have been doing for centuries. What you may ask? Focusing on what is most important... my family and home.  As Mother Teresa said, "If you want to change the world, go home and love your family."

With the pleasant weather I decided to focus my energy on the outside of my home. I began in the front landscape. The daylilies were pretty much spent and I spent a couple hours cutting all of the stems off.

When that was complete it was after 12:30. I made a quick trip out to pick up a prescription and to drop something off at my parents. Once home I made a simple lunch. While eating my neighbor popped through the back gate and we chatted for a few.

Next on the list was mowing the lawn. We have a large yard and it takes an hour to an hour and forty-five minutes to finish. It just depends on how detailed the job is done. 

See those brown spots? Did you know that if you spray your grass with bug spray it will kill it?  I didn't. On the Fourth I sprayed some during fireworks. Oops! Dumb, dumb, dumb!

As I finished cutting the neighbor came back over. Could I watch the twins, as it was baby time! They are having a second set of twins!! Soon there will be six little boys living next door to us. 

While the boys played I watered my flowers. Since it was Monday that meant it was time to feed them while giving them a drink of water.

This basket looks happy to me!

The boys were here for a little over an hour. We were waiting for grandma to pack a few things and head over. 

I had been cycling laundry through out the day and made a quick trip inside to fold a basket. 

I then went back to cleaning up the front landscape. I pulled all of the dead out of the lilies and then weeded. I was still at this when Chuck pulled in at 5 p.m.  He did a little weed eating while I finished up. 

The front was now in full sun and I was hot by the time I finished. So, into the pool I went for a little cool down. 

I floated for about ten minutes before I went in to make dinner. Tacos were on the menu. Since I had been outside most of the day I opted for a taco salad. 

After dinner was cleaned up I took a walk to look at the garden. I collected a few goodies. 

I know some may question why I cut grass. One reason is that I enjoy it. The other is that as a help meet to Chuck I want to make things easier for him while he is home. There are times when he will cut, or we will do it together. By helping out instead of cutting grass that evening he was able to take us to Rural King. 

The chickens needed a few thing and the plan had been for Megan and I to go the next day. It was sure handy having him along to lift these things for us!

Once home I took a couple of these and sat down about 8:30. 

I may have over done it just a little. I spent the rest of evening chilling out while Chuck dozed while watching TV.  It had been a full day and by 10 I was tucked in bed. 

The world around me may be broken, sad and on fire. I can't fix those things, but tomorrow I will start the day the same way... a cup tea, time in the Word and prayer.  Then once again I take care of my home. Making it a safe haven for the family I love beyond words. 

Wendi 

Utilizing Your Freezer

I use to be a once a month shopper. Finances have changed and now I shop every two weeks to coincide with payday. I generally do a smaller shop at the beginning of the month and then two weeks later a larger shop. The following is a larger shop.  

I know that many of us are feeling the pinch of high prices. One of my best frugal tips for saving on food is to use your freezer. There are many ways you can utilize it to save money. 

#1 Buy in bulk. Not always, but many times buying in bulk will save you money. Although the larger package of pepperoni is less expensive there is no way we will eat it before it goes bad. I lay it out on a cookie sheet and flash freeze. I then put it back into the package it came it. By doing this the pepperoni doesn't stick together and I can easily retrieve what I need. 

Now some might question if it really saves money to repackage the cheese into baggies. The trick to this is to save the bag and reuse it. I've been using the same bags for cheese storage for years. The exception for reusing baggies is that if it contains meat it goes into the trash. I refuse to chance that. 

#2 Stock up on loss leaders. The butter was part of a weekly digital deal at Kroger. I purchased my limit of five and placed them in the freezer. At 99 cents for the Land O Lakes it was less expensive than the larger size I usually purchase on sale. It pays to know your prices and to use your calculator to figure prices per ounce. 

#3 Freeze your leftovers. We never use an entire jar of liquid cheese before it molds. It is frozen in muffin tins and then placed in to a baggie. We then pull out the number of "blocks" needed and reheat. 

If I make pizza for lunch I don't need a large amount. I will make my dough and then divide it in half. Half goes into the freezer for another lunch. 

When I bake a turkey or ham I like to package up leftovers into portion size bags. It make for an easy lunch. 

This day I cleaned out the pantry and refrigerator.

I pulled the buns I needed for dinner and then froze the rest. I had some produce that was almost on its last leg. I bagged it up and earmarked it for future stock. There was leftover chicken that I packaged into lunch portions. 

I freeze tortillas often. 

I add wax paper between each one and then place back into the original package. I leave the wax paper in the package when I pull what is need out. That way I am able to use it again. 

#4 Make sure that you label your items and keep your freezer neat. If not it's easy to find mystery packages. It make no sense to go to the trouble of packaging  and saving items just to have to throw it away. 

If you're buying groceries and throwing them in the trash, you might as well be throwing dollar bills away. As keeps of the home this is one way to keep an eye on our home economics. I'd love to hear your best frugal tip. 

Wendi 

Living Room Reset

Another week, and another room deep cleaned. When I started to take before picture I snapped this. 

Hum, can you guess what holiday those picks are from? Oops! 

The first thing I did was wash curtains, pillow covers, and blankets. 

It was a gorgeous day, so on the line they went. The first lined dried laundry of the year. That makes me happy!

Thankfully Chuck was home to help me out some. He would pull out the furniture and I would clean. Once finished I would call him back inside to help put it all back in place. 

I asked him to take the cold air return vent down in the living room and the hallway. Now, I vacuum these frequently. Apparently the vacuum doesn't get into all the grooves. Yuck!

The area that needed the biggest reset was the closet. Everything was taken out and gone through. 

Things were purged and Chuck added an additional shelf on the side. We even made a trip to H*bby Lobby to buy a few more storage containers. They are in place on the side shelf and I will be adding toys that are currently stored in my shed. (That will happen at a latter date.)

Everything has been purged, organized, and is fresh and clean. 

Awe, I love a clean, tidy space.

The next three weeks I won't be providing childcare, so my plan to knock some more spaces off of my list. 

Wendi