Thrifty Thursday: Work Harder, Smarter and Produce More

 

Thursday:  Last night when John made breakfast for supper, he used the last eggs, save one.  He said to me, "We'll go shopping tomorrow and get more."  I noted to myself that I was low on lettuce, Caleb's yogurt was very nearly done, and we were getting low on cheese, fruit and a few other things.   It does seem that just about the time I'm thinking it's time to cut back on groceries, I realize we're out of a LOT all at once.  And it's never near a fresh pay period, nor while the budget is full.   It's just life, isn't it?  I realize I'm extremely blessed that I can afford to go to the grocery when I need something instead of having to wait.   But I'm also conscious of the fact that once upon a time, I wasn't able to run to the grocery just because we were out of something.  There were many a week that went by without a purchase, or we had to borrow from money we'd set aside for an upcoming bill...Oh yes, I remember those days too well!

June 2023 Goals

 

A new month looms.  It's been my experience, that once we hit June, time flies every single year.  January is fresh and new, February and March generally drag a bit, April is a new season and then we have May.  Time travels at normal speed it seems in those months but June...June is like a fast forward of the year.  

I accomplished enough of my goals in May that I am quite satisfied to begin a new month.  I'm hoping that we're going to have a fairly mild month.  We shall see.  I will tell you that come the hot months of the year, what gets down is entirely and fully dependent upon how hot it is.  Outdoor jobs and indoor jobs are all affected by weather once it gets hot and icky.  Truth, I get far more done in January than I generally do in July.   June is a month that can go either way.

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Tying Up Loose Ends

 

In my home this week, we begin the big Birthday Rush.  All month long we have family birthdays nearly every single week, and more often than not, it's two per week. 

Officially with this weekend, Memorial Day, summer 'begins' but I don't expect anyone is going to be swimming this year.  We woke Saturday morning to a chill 56F.  I had planned to have coffee on the back porch and read my book for a bit, but even sitting in the sun, it was chilly.  Coffee didn't help warm me up.  I was soon back indoors looking for a warmer spot to sit!    

The Homemaker Plans Her Menu

 

I was thinking the other night of the people I typically follow in vlogs and whose recipes I attempt most often and then return to make again and again.  Mandy in the Making is one of those.  Mandy researches a lot of websites and chooses recipes from them.  If she says it's good and offers her opinion of a variation she's used, I listen up.  I won't say that her meals are expensive nor are they low end budget meals, but they are consistently family friendly and delicious.  

Diary of a Homemaker: The Way it Was

Saturday:  Last night on the way home we'd briefly discussed what we might do today.  In the end, it was left up to me to decide and since I was tired, I gave myself permission to just wait and see how I felt today.  I thought we might just possibly like to stay home today but part of me desperately wanted to get out of the house, too.  Then I thought of how late it was when we were leaving church and the fact that we will be out again come Sunday evening.

Thrifty Thursday: Pinch Time

 

Thursday:  I'm so happy we have our porches.  Caleb really wanted to play outdoors, but it was damp and misty.  The porch, however, was dry and it gave us shelter while he played.  Again and again, I find myself grateful for the money spent covering that back deck.

John hasn't fussed yet and I'm glad.  We ate more leftovers for our lunch today.

Menu Monday: Trial Runs

It's that time of year where it's meant to be warm...and then the weather will surprise us with a damp overcast day that is downright chilly, and we will want anything except a light summer meal.  I was so chilly on Friday I wore a jacket.  I couldn't wait for a hot cup of coffee once we'd returned home.  

Well, I'm planning warm weather foods from here on regardless of whether the weather is cool or hot.  We're in mid-May for goodness' sake!  I'm ready to change over to a summer menu.  

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: And Away We Go!

In my home this week, we begin another week.  One in which I will need to think about birthdays (I have a plethora of them coming up right away, two within the coming week) and Christmas (the 25th comes around rather quickly every month it seems), our 29th anniversary, and the start of my summer keeping kids.  Boom!  It all hits at once, doesn't it?

I have one more week to tackle my monthly goals.  I have hit a few of them and done plenty of nothing on the others, but I'm finding these days it's the balance of things.  If I get something done, it's better than getting nothing done.

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Yes, We Did

Saturday:  We bought kitchen cabinets today.  And counters.  And a bathroom sink and vanity.  Now we have to have the contractor come back, view the measurements on the 3D photo of the arrangement and determine if the cabinet maker has all the correct measurements.  And then we can actually get the order processed.  So, it begins!

When we walked in there was a kitchen set-up with the exact cabinets and countertops, I'd determined I wanted.  I'm going with classic white Shaker cabinets and countertops that look like Carrara marble but are actually Formica.  The mock-up kitchen even had flooring the color of my own here.  I knew the moment I saw it that it was exactly what I'd been thinking I wanted. I had no qualms at all about the design from there.  

Iced Tea Chat: See Georgia First

 

The other day as we left our hometown to go get the car serviced, we passed a field, just inside the city limits of our small rural town, where two tractors were plowing.  

Thrifty Thursday: Production and Plan

 

Thursday:  We took the car to be serviced today.  John asked them to check the car over.  We don't know if that got done or not.  Usually, they give us a list of checkpoints and recommendations if there are any but no such document today.   The oil was changed, and the tires balanced which were the major things we needed to have done.

Online Grocery Store

I was recently asked how I use Amazon to save on grocery items.  This includes, for my household, some paper products, personal care items, snacks and some pantry staples.  

I've learned a few things over the past few months and I'm happy to share what I've learned.

Menu Monday: It's Getting Hot

 

Mind you it's only hot if you happen to be working, especially outdoors, but there is a most definite trend towards warmer weather upon us.  Time to plan for some of those lighter entrees and fresher flavors that appeals so much more in summer.

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Love and Attention

 

In my home this week, I hope to return to my previous focus on zone work.  I lost my way last week.  I did well enough with production, and thinking about meals ahead of time, which made sticking to my plan a whole lot easier, but zone work just went by the wayside.  It's not that I had nothing to do in the living, dining and front entry way.  I just didn't do it.  I stayed busy enough, but I felt I had plenty of down time, too.  Somehow not doing the zone work became a big guilt trip for me.

Diary Of a Homemaker: Making It A Better Week

Saturday:  John told me last night what we'd be doing for our day out today.  I had no objection.  Would it have been one of my top choices?  Probably not, but it was something he wanted to do and he mentioned specifically why he wanted to be there.  Good enough.

First of all, I slept.  Honey, I slept.  I woke at 10:30 this morning! I seriously thought I was crawling out of bed only moments after John got up. No.  John apparently was up at 8am, took a shower, which I never heard, left the room and had conversations with Katie and Caleb.  I slept through it all.  All.  It might not be remarkable to anyone else, but I figure I must have gotten a solid 9.5 hours sleep last night.  And I'm happy to write here at this morning, I could easily crawl into bed and sleep again tonight.

Thrifty Thursday: Formulating the Plan

 

Thursday:  Another trip to the grocery and this was not a planned trip exactly.  I tried to make sure I did well since it was unplanned.  John had a chiro appointment, I wanted to take Caleb right to Burger King to play, but we were running late.  I knew that the thirty minutes or so the appointment would take wasn't going to be nearly enough play time to please Caleb.   John was reluctant to walk from the office across a couple of very busy streets to Burger King. I didn't want to sit in the car with him even though we did bring his Kindle with us.  I suggested I'd just run out to the discount grocery and 'look around'.  John shook his head, but he didn't discourage me.

Menu Monday: Warm Weather Cooking At Last

I'll be honest.  Meal planning this week was harder than it ought to have been.  I had only one special request.  Saturday night supper was not cheap, especially on top of our Saturday lunch out.  But I couldn't think of a thing to make for supper, so I urged John to pick up Subs on the way home.  At least they were good.  But better planning on my part would have been the thing to do.  Taking note this week...

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Try Try Try

In my home this week, we've talked to the contractor about the work we want done.  We have some things we have to do before we can even think of scheduling him.  John is reeling from prices.  I was a bit more prepared for something around the figure we were given. I was a little under the estimate, but John had hoped it would come in at a lot less than it did.  

We are going to get this all done.  That isn't in question.  We just need to get our heads together, i.e., we have to go choose cabinets and pick out other things that are needed. Then we order the cabinets and then we finally get to schedule when we start all of this.  

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Lovely!

 

Saturday:  We have had the nicest sort of day.  I woke about 4am this morning and just dozed here and there after that, but I slept right through several hours so I'm not fussing over waking up.  I occupied an hour or so praying and sort of dreaming through prayers and then really slept for another hour or so.  

I heard Caleb run through the living room and stop to say repeatedly, "There's my shoes!  My shoes!"  John had washed and dried them last night and left them propped on the bookcase where he could see them.   They had to leave extra early today so we didn't see him this morning.

I Wonder as I Wander: April's Musings

 

I know people who cling to the past. They constantly say, "I could've, I would've, I should've..."  Or something along those lines.  I often said I wouldn't change a thing about my past.  I look at how I acted, or spoke and I vow immediately that I'll change.  And for the most part I do.  I see it all as a process, not a permanent life regret that I pack and move to every new season of life with me. 

Thrifty Thursday: And So It Went

Thursday:  I got so caught up in buying a gift for my granddaughter's birthday that I forgot all about ordering a Christmas gift.  I found a great deal on some Magna Tile type blocks on Amazon and ordered two sets.  Now I need to look at the gifts I have and determine who I still need to buy for.  For sure, Bess, and Mama and John.   I think I need something for Katie and Jd.   I think I have all the local grandchildren covered and those that live up north, I generally will have sent directly to them.  So perhaps next month I'll just set money aside to save until November and order all of those at one swoop.  

 I can at least say that I have done well with savings and am well under budget so far. 

May Goals and Daily Questions

 

As I was puttering around Sunday night, I kept asking myself a question.  It was a simple question meant to be applied to my workday on Monday.  But as I was thinking I could feel inspiration coming on.  I stopped and pondered how asking that question about each day ahead, might well be a game changer for me.  And then I came along with two more questions that I think will help me gain a sense of accomplishment with each week's work.  

I came up with 4 daily questions to ask myself as a help to focus on my goals:

Menu Monday: Gathered Fragments and Fresh Starts

 

Remember 'Gathered Fragments'?  

This week I have several leftovers in the fridge and a need to use them up.  Of course, I do plan to let everyone choose their own leftovers for tonight's supper, but we won't eat up all the food in the fridge because none of us are that hungry.  I thought I'd share my plans to use up the leftovers we likely won't eat tonight.