Keeping It Simple

We tend to have low-key birthdays around here.  As of now, the children haven't truly had a birthday party where they invite friends, though last year when we were visiting family in October (the month of both M and E's birthdays...and likely this baby's, too) so we had a big family party at a local park.

This year was especially low-key since no grandparents were with us to celebrate M's fifth birthday.  It was the four of us.  Being two days from my due date (kind of like when E was due on M's birthday...but that year we had company for her birthday) I needed to keep things simple.

For decorations, we made a balloon banner.  

 I simply took a threaded needle through the tips of the balloons.

(Not our first balloon banner, but I love the simplicity of this one!  Inspired from here.)

Above M's seat at the kitchen table, we also hung some balloons.  In the past, we've always tied helium balloons to the birthday child's seat...but I love how this looks.

 M was able to choose her own birthday dinner.  Funny, I don't think she has a clue that some people eat McDonald's when they are not traveling.  Had she, though, we would have done it.  Notice that it is meatless. Chocolate milk is our birthday drink of choice around here.  Posting the menu in the kitchen was a big hit.

 I made her cake.  It wasn't pretty (mine never are), but she loved it.  It had a heart with a "5" in the center.

Our gifts were also simple, but she loved them.  

I can't believe she is five years old!  E will have his own turn for a celebration very soon!  It will be much the same as M's, though we'll likely have at least some family around if the baby has been born.

My husband and I were very grateful that we were able to be home (and not at the hospital having baby #3) to celebrate the big occasion!  

Living on Less Than Two Incomes

Early on, my husband and I knew that once we had children, we wanted me to be able to stay home.  For this reason, we were very thankful that we didn't have children immediately since his income (though same job) has increased since he began his job.  However, from the beginning we tried to live on one income.   Much of my income, while I still worked, went to paying extra on the mortgage's principal when we bought our starter home.

We've always spent money carefully.  That is one of the reasons why I was so interested in reading the book Ditch the Joneses: Discover Your Family (How to Thrive on Less Than Two Incomes).  Written by Cathi Brese Doebler, it is a very easy to read book, while being informative. 

I would suggest that Ditch the Joneses is a book for those who are in a two-income marriage and hope to one day have one spouse stay home OR for those who know they don't live as frugally as they would like even though they already stay home.  Cathi offers MANY suggestions for spending less money, and she does it from the Christian perspective, which I appreciate, though anyone could enjoy and benefit from this book.

Cathi has great suggestions.  Personally, we implement most of them already, or have considered the option.  For example, a few years ago we chose to not have cable, but now we do.  It was a HUGE savings.  We rarely need an item dry cleaned, but when we do, we dry clean at home.  I love that she suggests getting AND using a library card.  I can support my local library (and actually use an out of state library, too) for the price of a couple of paperback books each year.  For myself, I tend to shop clearance racks.   One thing that Cathi didn't mention is choosing and using a cell phone carefully (though she did suggest that you may want to use only the cell).  Since we have a land line, we pay just $7 a month for our cell phones!  The only time we have run out of minutes is when we gave birth to our children because within the same month they were both hospitalized.  (All of our family is out of the area, so there was much to communicate.)

Ditch the Joneses is not just about cutting back on spending.  She discusses what to do with your money before you spend it.  Cathi has more than 20 pages devoted to defending your decision to leave work or change your hours.  It can be a life-changing decision, but that does not mean it needs to be a negative choice.

The very most valuable tool I found in this book is something that I think everyone who says they can't afford to stay home with their children should see.  It's a very detailed worksheet of work expenses.  It includes everything from taxes, car payments, and child care to optional things like dry cleaning, convenience foods, and ordering out related to work- or the stress of work.  In the example she shared, when all was said and done the person was actually making less than $2,000 a year and retirement and tithing were not even considered.

If you are considering trying to stay at home part time or full time, Ditch the Joneses is an excellent book for you.  It shares the reasons why it is beneficial to the family, how it may not impact your return later, and the reader may even take away some ideas of part-time work.    If you are already at home and already live pretty frugally, you may still benefit from this book, but it is likely that you do much of it already (based on myself and a few friends who are careful in spending, anyway).

Visit Cathi's website to learn more about her and her mission.  You might be interested to know that there is a workbook and CD available, too, with several special features.

Thank you, Cathi, for providing Ditch the Joneses for review purposes.  

Playing School

Since M began school after her third birthday, she has enjoyed playing school, especially when she finds something suitable to be a pointer.  For over a year she has just pointed to blank wall space.  Not anymore!

On my rare (very rare) visit to Target this fall, I saw they had child-sized pointers in the dollar area.  I promptly picked one up for M and set it aside.

It was almost forgotten, until I awoke about 4:30 Christmas morning.  I did a google search of hundreds charts and alphabet charts and came up with some suitable charts.  (I wish I had a different font for the ABC's, but at that early hour in the morning I was not going to search out anything too special.  They are customizable fonts, too.)  I printed them out on some colorful paper and laminated them.   Before returning to bed, I placed them in her stocking.

I knew I'd wanted to do this for M for a really long time.  I thought I would get to the local-ish teacher store for a couple of charts, but am so glad I did not.  These 8 1/2x11 sized charts are perfect for play.  We are not homeschoolers, so we just use them for (purposeful) play.

Shopping!

Since I was a young teen, I have been buying my own gifts to give to my parents and four siblings.  That means that my babysitting money was quickly spent.  When I was in college I began shopping by mid-fall for Christmas gifts for my family and friends.  Now I shop year round, looking for deals and things that remind me of someone.  Now that many of my siblings have children and/or spouses, and I shop for my husband's family, too, December could be tough financially.

We keep things realistic.  With over 25 people in our parent/sibling (and significant other)/niece/nephew category, we know our limits with spending money.  Though we don't have a firm budget, I do try to be careful as in my spending WITHOUT shopping on Black Friday.  That kind of chaos is not my style.

I currently have a shopping list.  I have a group of gifts that I know I can buy locally (because that is how I prefer to shop and I wrote about its benefits and the 3/50 project that you might want to read).  I have another shopping list of items that I will purchase on-line through stores/sites that offer good deals.  I will likely do most of this shopping on Black Friday sitting in Grandma and Grandpa's living room.   LL Bean has free shipping through December 20th.  I intend to purchase several hanging toiletry organizers because I love mine!  I will also do some shopping with Amazon and likely CSN Stores. Whenever I use Amazon, I try to use an Amazon associate by clicking on a blogging friend's Amazon link.  It gives the associate a tiny percentage of the purchase price instead of just giving it to Amazon.  Yes, I am an Amazon associate, but my purchases cannot benefit me, but I want them to benefit someone!

One more thing...it's good to support stores that support Christmas...not just the "holiday" that brings them in tons of money.  You can check out a naughty and nice list for stores who support Christmas if you wish.

So what about you?  Are the deals worth it to you on Black Friday?  Do you do any (all?) shopping on-line?  Do you have any gift favorites for giving this year that you want to share?

Free Regal Cinema Movies

Each summer Regal Cinemas offers free G and PG movies to families on Tuesday and Wednesdays at 10 am.  Seating is first come, first served, and I hear our "local" theater fills quickly.  

Check out locations and movies at the Free Family Film Festival!  

I don't know if this is the case at all locations, but at our location, it is acceptable to bring in your own food and drink, making this truly a free outing! 

This was the summer I intended to try this out, but with M in summer session of preschool, it would be tough, though I'd love for her to see the Pippi Longstocking movie!

Don't forget to leave a question on the "Ask Me," post, if you like.

Buying Local- 3/50 Project

Have you heard of the 3/50 Project? (Click for additional details and here for FAQs.) It provides a great idea for YOU to help your local economy and businesses. You pick 3 locally owned and operated (not chain or franchise) businesses you want to support. Spend $50 a month total between the three businesses (not $150 total). The result is that you are supporting the brick and mortar businesses of your town.

I live in a small town. Granted it is a MUCH larger town than where I grew up, but it's still a small town. Small towns like mine don't offer a lot for shopping. I'm thankful I have two grocery stores to choose from and lots of other stores.

We have a hardware store, feed and lumber store, two grocery stores, several (chain) pharmacies, and a discount store. Around town there are several other specialty stores, too, including a used book store that profits the library. Oh, and we have several pizza shops! Pizza shops make me happy! Most of the stores I referred to are part of a larger chain, but not all of them.

Is it convenient to always shop downtown? No. Is it possible? Um, not if I want to be dressed on a daily basis, but our family does support several businesses downtown.

Do I sometimes shop on-line? Yes. Actually I just placed an order through Amazon for Father's Day. We'll also do a little shopping in town before the big day. Buying on-line definitely does not support the brick and mortar stores of America. However, several bloggers, like myself, are Amazon associates. So when you click through their links (on my sidebar or in a post) and put any item in your cart and purchase it within a timely manner, a small percentage comes back to me.

Of course, my own purchases cannot benefit me. What's a blogger to do? Go to a friend's blog and click through their links so it can benefit someone other than Amazon. Is it the same as buying local? No. But it works. I figure if I need to buy from Amazon, it should benefit someone.  Just to clarify, you can buy ANY item, not just the "featured" item, and it will benefit the Amazon associate as long as you start out in a link from that blogger.

Another great way to shop on-line is by shopping for handmade specialty items. Etsy.com is a great resource and offers a lot of neat things. Some are quite affordable, while others are quite pricey. It's worth checking out!

If you are looking to check out some handmade items, visit our giveaway!  Even if you are not expecting a little one in your life, someone you know will surely have a baby in the next year or so!  

Green Baby Wipes (Guest Post)

Meet Shirley!  She has a book blog called Surely Words: A Christian Book Review.  She also does a bit writing on her own, and she recently shared with me her article about making your own washable baby wipes!  No more wipes or paper towels!  And now I get to share Shirley's article with you.  Here it is.  Enjoy!


Baby Wipes Are Going Green


In an economy infused with innovations that save money, reduce waste, and monitor environmental impact, the Earth movement has its green thumbs in everything. From natural food, toothpaste, and vitamins to recycled clothes, little has remained untouched by our planet conscious culture. Excitedly, the movement has expanded once again as green parents rebel against baby waste. How? Disposable diapers are history and money saving cloth diapers are back in action. Along with cloth diapers, another popular sidekick has emerged. Home made wipes are the newest green baby innovation. Inexpensive, customizable and Earth conscious, home made wipes are becoming a staple of green parents.


Recipes for the wipes are boundless and usually include baby wash and half a roll of paper towels, but the one below even eliminates paper towel waste. Also in the one below is a secret ingredient that can find a use in every part of baby's life. Begin by purchasing a cylinder shaped container. Containers with lock style lids work best. Air-tight sealed containers work amazing as well. (Such containers can be found at department stores, kitchen stores, and online.) Also, use the traditional roll of paper towel cut to half the length, or purchase baby-size wash cloths. 
  
In container of choice mix 2 to 3 Tbsp of baby wash with 1 Tbsp of baby lotion. (Choose a lotion with aloe vera or substitute with baby oil.) Stir in two cups of hot, but not boiling water and mix well. Finally add the secret “magic” ingredient, Vitamin E oil to heal and protect baby's skin. A teaspoon or two is plenty and more can be added in the event of diaper rash. (Vitamin E also comes in a chap stick tube that can be applied to all areas of baby's skin including chapped lips, chin, neck, rough knees and diaper rash- best of all, it is an 100% natural healer!)


With the mixture prepared add the wash cloths, close lid tightly and gently roll to completely saturate the cloths. Enough “wipes” should be added to absorb most of the solution. When all the home made wipes are soiled (which won't be long with baby's waste habits) they can be washed in hot water and reused, thus saving money and reducing paper waste. 


There are additional positives to using home made wipes over store bought including the endless possibilities. Recipes like the one above can be added to or altered to fit each baby's needs. Solutions can be customized for sensitive skin or for yeast prone skin, or even just to add a fresh scent. Here is another good tip for when diaper rash rears its ugly head. Run wipe under warm water, rinse out, then apply to skin. This will soothe, calm, clean and begin the healing process without stinging or startling baby's skin. 


The truth comes out. Green parents are doing more than saving a planet. They are finding better ways to make healthier, happier babies (and bottoms!)
*************************
Thanks for sharing, Shirley!  Readers, let us know if you try this out!  

Saving Paper Towels

Since having children three and one half years ago, we have used a crazy amount of paper towels. During every meal their little hands and faces need to be cleaned. The table and high chair need to be scrubbed instead of a quick wipe of crumbs and often needed a bit more than just soapy dish water.

 Until recently, I used a lot of paper towels. Around the same time that I started using vinegar to clean, a friend explained to me how she is able to not use so many paper towels. This may be common sense to most people, but I had never really considered it before.

 So I'm sharing it. Taking my friend's lead, I bought some simple waffle weave dish cloths . I don't prefer them for washing dishes, but they are fabulous for cleaning the counters, stove top, and table. (I love knit and crocheted dish cloths best for washing dishes. If you have never tried them, I recommend it!) I bought some just for cleaning because 1.) I wanted a lot of them and 2.) I wanted them to be easily distinguished from dish cloths, dish towels, and the old cloths/rags that can be used in the bathroom.

 I don't know how many paper towels I am saving, but it is a lot! We do still use paper towels to wash the children's faces and hands, as needed, but unless the mess is awful, we rip a paper towel in half before wetting it.

 I have a good reason for using paper towels instead of a dishcloth or other wet cloth...when I was a child, my mom would clean my face with a dishcloth and I hated it! A paper towel is somehow better...and I know it is clean.

 Cleaning with vinegar and using dishcloths to clean are just some simple ways that I am trying to be nicer to my home planet while saving money. I may not be too green, but every bit is helpful in being a steward of God's creation. Do you have any other simple tips for me? (I know Earth Day is this week, but I had fully intended to post this for the past month, and just finally wrote about it.)

Why My Husband Hates When I Clean

Really, I drive my husband crazy when I clean.  It's a new thing, really.  And it's not like I need a perfectly clean house.  (HA!)  It's far from clean.


In fact, our house is quite "comfortable."  You know, it's lived in.  We have toys throughout.  Our island always has a pile or two growing on it...and often a stray butter knife and some crumbs leftover from the previous meal (or more).  We are both the kind of people that can go to bed without picking up the clutter and toys.  Some might call that laziness.


So how is it that I am driving him crazy?  Vinegar.  I started mopping with a vinegar and water mix a year or so ago.  I only mop, at most, every two weeks, so that was tolerable for him.  I like that it is chemical free.  Vinegar is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and incredibly frugal.  What's not to love?  Well, a little smell.  All cleaners have an odor though, right?  Apparently not all odors are created equal.


A couple months ago I decided I wanted to start using a vinegar as my all-purpose cleaner, especially in the kitchen.  Though I know good ol' soapy water cleans the counters and table just fine, sometimes I want a bit more kick to remove the syrup, medicine, or jelly.  (Oh, yes, E's anti-seizure medication is very sticky!)  I used to turn to whatever was under the kitchen sink, but then I read somewhere that using a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water would be very effective in cleaning...and it's safe for kids.  It took me quite a while to get an empty spray bottle.  (Do NOT reuse a bottle that had chemicals in it for this.  Just recycle it!)


Well, a month or so ago I finally bought my empty spray bottle!  I promptly wrote on it that it was vinegar, since I didn't want it to mistakenly get sprayed, and filled it with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of white vinegar.  I went to town cleaning my countertops and our kitchen table.  I went on to clean E's high chair.  I spot cleaned under his high chair.  It felt great to clean!


Then Derek came home from work.  The smell really does disappear as it dries, but he really hates it!  He noticed it immediately.   I think he may have gagged a bit.  Sorry, Dear.  He told me he was surprised I could stand it since I tend to be sensitive to bad odors.  But I continue to clean with it, though I do try to do most of the spraying/cleaning several hours before he gets home from work.  He has asked that I light a candle, so I do if I'm still cleaning when he is in the house.


Our three year old has noticed the stink, too.  She tells me about it when I am cleaning...but she also puts her nose to the table to really inhale the full vinegar scent.


Vinegar has lots of uses.  One of these days M, E, and I are going to make a volcano erupt.  In the meantime, you can visit Vinegar Tips or the Vinegar Institute if you are interested.  Both sites have tons of ideas for cleaning with vinegar.


A friend suggested I use essential oils to change the smell of the vinegar and water solution I use.  I don't have any, so I have not done this.  Does anyone have any other tips for me?  I want to continue to use vinegar, but it really is not much fun to torture my husband.

Freezing Meat

I try to be frugal when it comes to groceries.  I try to spend two dollars or less per pound on meat.  (Last week my husband bought a beef roast that was not on sale.  I think he was hinting to me that he is tired of chicken!)

Since we buy on sale and stock up, we need to freeze lots of meat.  I'm sure you know that it's best to remove meat from the grocery store packaging before freezing it.  In the past I would place two chicken breasts in a quart-sized freezer bag, remove the air, and then make sure there was plenty of space between the breasts so they would thaw easily.  However, I decided I was wasting a lot of plastic bags and even a bit of money that way.

So I decided to go about freezing my chicken breasts and pork chops  in a new way.  Honestly, I think this is doing even better at keeping away the ice crystals that always form on my meat.

First, I rinsed and trimmed my meat.  Then I placed each breast on a piece of plastic wrap.  Then I wrapped it tightly.  I placed all of my wrapped meat into a gallon-sized freezer bag and labeled it with the type of meat and the month/year.

So far, I have frozen several family packs of chicken breast and one family pack of pork chops in this manner.  It is a bit more work, but I think I it's worth it.

I even took pictures.  However, I can't seem to find them on my computer at the moment, so please forgive me.

Next I need to organize my freezer.  Seriously.  It's awful!  Any suggestions?

(Don't forget to enter the giveaways!  One is for a children's book, the other you get to pick.  I am excited for both!)

Good Deals

I shop clearance racks. It's just how I shop. JC Penney is the store I probably frequent the most, followed by Boscov's. However, I only go a couple times a year. Earlier this week I took my gift card and enjoyed some shopping in the petite department at JC Penney. THIS IS THE TIME TO SHOP! The fall and winter clothes just went on clearance, so the prices are incredibly cheap and there is a good selection! I never get there when there is a good selection!

How good are the prices? I bought five items, and they averaged $11 each. Since I was shopping in Delaware, it was tax free, too! The sad part? I may need to hem the skirt. It may look a little nicer if it were an inch or two shorter. It's a shame when petite just isn't short enough!

Tonight I went grocery shopping at a store in a different town than usual (and state...it's in Maryland-we live in PA). I had to drop off books at the library, so for convenience sake, I stopped at this grocery store that I don't prefer. (It's actually a very lovely grocery store, but their prices run higher than the store I frequent.) I hit the jackpot though! They had a Penn State items on clearance. They were ridiculously priced, so I bought more than I had intentions to use/give. By the time I got home, I was bursting with excitement and couldn't wait to show Derek. (Despite my excitement, I am not the Penn Stater. I just married one...and may be the mom to one someday.) I also had new uses for them. And my Christmas 2010 shopping has begun!

So this tub (plastic) cost just $2.50! The children are not for sale.

What would you do with it other than store it in the basement for a party? Right now E is loving caring it around and getting in and out of it. I thought we could also store toys in it.

I bought five tubs!! I had a sixth one in my hand, but another shopper took the last (seventh) one, so I offered him the one in my hand, and he accepted it.

Photo Collage (Affordable Christmas Card Picture)

For those of you who love photos and are frugal, you might appreciate this, especially if you do a photo with your Christmas cards.

Last year I could not find a photo Christmas card with two or three places for pictures at any of the sites I wanted to use to print them. I don't like the idea of spending a lot of money, because in reality, many people glance at the pictures and never look at them again. At the same time, I know that others just love to see how the children are changing (or in our case last year, get introduced to E).

I have been using Picasa, a free digital photo hosting site by Google, for several years. Picasa allows you to crop, straighten, fix red eye, add text, mess with the lighting, and make COLLAGES! I was thrilled when I realized the collage part. Collages can be in grid form or stacked. It took some time to get used to how to make it work because I am fussy. You know, I wanted this picture under this one, and that pictured angled just so. A grid would have been very easy though, but it's not my style. (But a great idea for scrapbooking mini pictures.)

Here is last year's collage that we included in our Christmas cards. I loved how it came out. A picture of the family, the kids, and one each of M and E. Since we just moved into our home, I included a picture of the house, too.

Each photo collage costs the same as a regular 4x6 inch print (or whatever size you choose to make). Picasa allows you to pretty much print wherever you want whether it's Walgreens, Wal Mart, Snapfish or 20 or 30 other places. I'm not exactly sure what our plans are for this year's Christmas photo, but I do know that I won't be buying Christmas photos, even if they are cute.

I enjoy "creating" and get much satisfaction from it, even if it's just a photo collage.

I just loved the pictures of M (age 2) and E (2 months)!

One more thought. In the past I have taped all the photos we get to our fridge, but it got to be too much, and I didn't leave them up year round. I'd love to use the photos we get to remember and pray for our friends and family. What do you do? Do you have any suggestions for me?

Vanilla Joy has a tutorial for creating collages with Picasa. Honestly, I don't think you need it if you just go in and play. If you give Picasa a try, let me know!

Oh, and for those of you who blog with Blogger, Picasa will load your pictures directly to your blog, fully edited! (I have found I can only post four pictures using Picasa, but I'm not sure if that is my fault or not. If you use Picasa and can add more, let me know!)