My brother is engaged!
I am so excited for him and his cute fiance...
I think I am even more excited that I might get to go home and visit!
I miss the chaos of my family. Each with their very different personalities coming together into clashing gloriousness.
Somehow it works.
I am sad that John won't be able to make it but it's been so long since I have seen some of them.
I hope they will be able to make it too.
I love them.
Gratitude...
I have my quiet time. In the evenings after the workout is done, dinner has been eaten and just prior to climbing into bed; I fill my bathtub up with warm, bubbly, water. I climb in but rarely empty-handed. To me, bathtime is also a time for reading. After losing multiple books to the tub (did I mention I often fall asleep while reading?) I have converted to magazines. More specifically, one put out by my church called The Ensign. In it there are short articles on topics from religion, to marriage, to learning patience etc. A week ago I found myself enveloped in an article on gratitude. I have considered myself to be a grateful person by nature but as I read it I realized how much I fail to acknowledge in my life. I am so thankful for my quiet moments in the bathtub that cause me to reflect and recognize where I come up short.
I am thankful for so much...these are just a few on my mind today:
My husband who loves and supports me. (and occasionally encourages me to sleep in)
Family who taught me so much about life through their individual examples.
Parents who always have words of encouragement.
Opportunities to travel and see the world.
Cooking delicious recipes. (of course, eating them too!)
Friends who never fail to be available for me.
Knowledge that I am a daughter of God who loves me.
Experience of gaining education.
Purpose and understanding for life. (well some of it...)
A small but very comfortable home with all the ammenities I could ask for.
A healthy body. (it works a lot better than it looks!)
Understanding that faith does not have to be in large quantities in order for it to change your life.
Tempurpedic mattresses.
That large bodies can be loved too.
I am thankful for so much...these are just a few on my mind today:
My husband who loves and supports me. (and occasionally encourages me to sleep in)
Family who taught me so much about life through their individual examples.
Parents who always have words of encouragement.
Opportunities to travel and see the world.
Cooking delicious recipes. (of course, eating them too!)
Friends who never fail to be available for me.
Knowledge that I am a daughter of God who loves me.
Experience of gaining education.
Purpose and understanding for life. (well some of it...)
A small but very comfortable home with all the ammenities I could ask for.
A healthy body. (it works a lot better than it looks!)
Understanding that faith does not have to be in large quantities in order for it to change your life.
Tempurpedic mattresses.
That large bodies can be loved too.
Spring Fever...
This Wisconsin weather is getting better. It's still too cold for me.
My soul wants to be outside and feel the sun beating down on me. I want to stick my feet into the sand of Lake Michigan. I want to sit around a campfire again singing. I want to move my herb garden outside. I want my skin to lose it's pastiness and bronze like before.
In anticipation I chopped off all of my hair. It's the shortest it has ever been in my life. Short hair reminds me of summer. I suppose subconciously I am trying to summon the sun gods with this sacrifice.
Flip flops have been placed by the door awaiting the time when they will become useful again.
Today I have to resort to my self-tanning lotion and a capsule of vitamin D.
Truly, this needs to pass soon!
I am past due.
You can do anything...just not everything.
I heard this line so often as a child growing up the daughter of two parents raised on farms. They grew up learning to do things for themselves and to become very self-sufficient. My father naturally has this attititude that just about anything can be figured out. This was a huge blessing growing up given that he was able to do all sorts of things around our home like fix our cars, build an addition to our home, shingle the roof, grow an amazing garden and also cook a home-cooked meal on just about nothing and still he made it taste delicious! I am blessed for this spirit of curiosity and drive to "figure it out" that he has lovingly and patiently instilled in me. I am finding that as I approach things, this is often what gets me through just about any set-backs.
My dad has taken on a new project and I am incredibly excited for him. Last summer I spent weekends at farmers markets selling his incredible hand-crafted vegetarian soaps and now due to the high demand for his product he has decided to go global. He is taking something that started out as a hobbie and a "project" and made it into something fabulous! Here is his website www.dabbfarms.com. Take a look. Vegetarian soap is fabulous for sensitive skin (free of harmful chemicals) and not to mention cruelty-free! I have found his home-made soap to be one of life's simple pleasures....do you have anything simple that brings you pleasure? Please share!
Love, Maeg.
Love, Maeg.
Apology...
Yesterday I received a call from a close friend berating me because I failed to provide sufficient information on my last blog. She wants recipes, processes, and reports on how things turn out. To tell you the truth most of these "self-sufficient" projects are coming from other people, websites, and other blogs. I will try to remember where I got the information so I can direct you in case you are interested in taking this journey of frugality with me.
So....how did things go you ask? Let me start with the mayonaise. I ended up doing it today given that I have a magic bullet instead of a food processor and there is no opening at the top to drip oil in for the proper emulsification....this will all make sense if you take a look at the recipe. (http://goodlookingcook.blogspot.com/) So I bought a food processor (which I have been needing since I moved back to WI) and still it didn't work. I ended up hand wisking it until all the oil was incorporated and then putting into my magic bullet until it thickened. Oh beautiful, creamy mayo. We eat sandwiches daily at our house and this is a staple! I stuck my finger in and took a lick. I was taken back instantly to that little Italian restaurant located in the basement of a bar. They served baguette with fresh olive oil from the locals. Jenn took a bite and nearly spit it out. The oil was so very flavorful from the natural olives and I think it is an acquired taste. I love some on a fresh baguette but in my mayo this olive oil flavor came on too strong! So disappointed! Now, olive oil comes in all different strengths of flavor. I could get a lighter one but I buy my olive oil in bulk and spending too much more will make the chemical-laden version from the grocery store cheaper, completely defeating my purpose. I will try a different type of oil (like peanut or corn) and it may even be slightly less expensive then I had originally planned. I will keep you posted after my next attempt!
Now, the laundry detergent. I found this recipe on this website: http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/articles/detergent.shtml ....again I ended up putting the ingredients in my magic bullet (yes I use that for everything around here!) and ta da! It was so simple and took very little time. Here is the cost breakdown for the completed product:
Borax $.32 (portion of $3.00 box)
Washing Soda $.36 (portion of $2.50 box)
Fels-Naptha $1.00
Total was $1.68 for 64 TBLsp (64 loads)
I am paying $.03 a load. Tide from Sams cost me $.31 a load. I do six loads a wk that equals a savings of $87.36 a year and since our home is small it's nice that this new detergent takes up much less space!
Today I made yogurt. Every morning we start our day with a protein shake and end our final workout with a another. Each one has 1/2 c. of yogurt. I did the math and for this healthier homemade version we save on sugar calories as well as lots of money! Together we go through 4 (1/2 c.) servings daily. With our old yogurt from Sams we were paying $626.08 for a year. New yogurt will cost us $116.48 which is a total savings of $509.60! I could definately find other uses for that much money. I will let you know how it tastes although I am not too particular given that we don't eat it plain anyway. It is always mixed with frozen fruit, flax, and protein powder. Also it was simple.
Do you have any ways that you like to save money or become more self-sufficient? I have a lot of ideas for future projects and I am thankful to the whole network of others who are willing to share these ideas and recipes!
So....how did things go you ask? Let me start with the mayonaise. I ended up doing it today given that I have a magic bullet instead of a food processor and there is no opening at the top to drip oil in for the proper emulsification....this will all make sense if you take a look at the recipe. (http://goodlookingcook.blogspot.com/) So I bought a food processor (which I have been needing since I moved back to WI) and still it didn't work. I ended up hand wisking it until all the oil was incorporated and then putting into my magic bullet until it thickened. Oh beautiful, creamy mayo. We eat sandwiches daily at our house and this is a staple! I stuck my finger in and took a lick. I was taken back instantly to that little Italian restaurant located in the basement of a bar. They served baguette with fresh olive oil from the locals. Jenn took a bite and nearly spit it out. The oil was so very flavorful from the natural olives and I think it is an acquired taste. I love some on a fresh baguette but in my mayo this olive oil flavor came on too strong! So disappointed! Now, olive oil comes in all different strengths of flavor. I could get a lighter one but I buy my olive oil in bulk and spending too much more will make the chemical-laden version from the grocery store cheaper, completely defeating my purpose. I will try a different type of oil (like peanut or corn) and it may even be slightly less expensive then I had originally planned. I will keep you posted after my next attempt!
Now, the laundry detergent. I found this recipe on this website: http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/articles/detergent.shtml ....again I ended up putting the ingredients in my magic bullet (yes I use that for everything around here!) and ta da! It was so simple and took very little time. Here is the cost breakdown for the completed product:
Borax $.32 (portion of $3.00 box)
Washing Soda $.36 (portion of $2.50 box)
Fels-Naptha $1.00
Total was $1.68 for 64 TBLsp (64 loads)
I am paying $.03 a load. Tide from Sams cost me $.31 a load. I do six loads a wk that equals a savings of $87.36 a year and since our home is small it's nice that this new detergent takes up much less space!
Today I made yogurt. Every morning we start our day with a protein shake and end our final workout with a another. Each one has 1/2 c. of yogurt. I did the math and for this healthier homemade version we save on sugar calories as well as lots of money! Together we go through 4 (1/2 c.) servings daily. With our old yogurt from Sams we were paying $626.08 for a year. New yogurt will cost us $116.48 which is a total savings of $509.60! I could definately find other uses for that much money. I will let you know how it tastes although I am not too particular given that we don't eat it plain anyway. It is always mixed with frozen fruit, flax, and protein powder. Also it was simple.
Do you have any ways that you like to save money or become more self-sufficient? I have a lot of ideas for future projects and I am thankful to the whole network of others who are willing to share these ideas and recipes!
Self-sufficiency...
I love to read blogs.
Cooking blogs...sewing blogs...friends blogs...blogs of people I don't even know!
One blog lead to another and I found myself ENTHRALLED with a particular blog written by a mother of two kids. She talks about her life with her family in a small cabin. A simple life full of self-sufficiency. Her and her husband both work from home and they homeschool their kids. They make everything homemade from their own bread to their own toothpaste. To me there is something so HOT about being able to make your own products whether it be groceries or household cleaners. I am so drawn to this lifestyle she shares with the world through her posts. John and I often joke about moving to a small town and we have discussed our ideas for homeschooling our kids. This is the life we joke about and here is a family making it work!
I am constantly trying to learn how to decrease our home expenses. I am jealous of people who get into the whole coupon thing. You know the ones, they get 100 items for $10. I have tried this but we simply do not use the items that you find on coupons! Many of them are processed or "instant"...you never see vegetables on coupons. So this will be my way of trying to save some money and at the same time encourage simplicity and self-sufficiency. I am going to start making our own products. Now the toothpaste for me may be a tad overkill...(my very open and patient husband may not be up for that! I need to lay low with too many new things since I introduced him to parsnips which were less than a hit). I am getting really excited about this. I am taking it on as a challenge. Today I will be making olive oil mayonaise (healthier than the regular and minus the chemicals) and laundry detergent that will allow me to wash each load for under $.05. Wish me luck!
Has anyone else stumbled upon blogs that inspire them?
Cooking blogs...sewing blogs...friends blogs...blogs of people I don't even know!
One blog lead to another and I found myself ENTHRALLED with a particular blog written by a mother of two kids. She talks about her life with her family in a small cabin. A simple life full of self-sufficiency. Her and her husband both work from home and they homeschool their kids. They make everything homemade from their own bread to their own toothpaste. To me there is something so HOT about being able to make your own products whether it be groceries or household cleaners. I am so drawn to this lifestyle she shares with the world through her posts. John and I often joke about moving to a small town and we have discussed our ideas for homeschooling our kids. This is the life we joke about and here is a family making it work!
I am constantly trying to learn how to decrease our home expenses. I am jealous of people who get into the whole coupon thing. You know the ones, they get 100 items for $10. I have tried this but we simply do not use the items that you find on coupons! Many of them are processed or "instant"...you never see vegetables on coupons. So this will be my way of trying to save some money and at the same time encourage simplicity and self-sufficiency. I am going to start making our own products. Now the toothpaste for me may be a tad overkill...(my very open and patient husband may not be up for that! I need to lay low with too many new things since I introduced him to parsnips which were less than a hit). I am getting really excited about this. I am taking it on as a challenge. Today I will be making olive oil mayonaise (healthier than the regular and minus the chemicals) and laundry detergent that will allow me to wash each load for under $.05. Wish me luck!
Has anyone else stumbled upon blogs that inspire them?
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