I am thankful for all the requisite things: my family, my friends, a warm home, food on my table. You get the picture. One thing though, this season, stands out to me above all the others.
Hope.
I don't know how I would make it through my life without it. The older I get, the more and more people whom I love are going through heartbreaking times:
Divorce.
Depression.
Addiction.
Loss.
Sometimes, when I hear of friends going through trying times, I feel so inadequate in knowing what to say. I wish I could, dear friend, craft the perfect sentence to ease your pain, speak words of Life into your aching heart. I may not use the right words, but I can tell you there's hope. With Jesus, there's always hope. There's a song called Hope Now by Addison Road, which expresses much of what I mean to say, in such a way, that it always puts me in a state of worship upon hearing it. A snippet of the lyrics in case you haven't heard it...
When my life is like a storm Rising waters all I want is the shore You say I'll be ok and Make it through the rain You are my shelter from the storm
Everything rides on hope now Everything rides on faith somehow When the world has broken me down Your love sets me free
I think, given enough time, we all eventually will find ourselves at a place where everything rides on hope. No more security from a good paying job, or a stable marriage, or happiness in "things". When situations defy logic, when loved ones fail us, when what we were counting on doesn't come to pass, I am thankful for hope. Hope for a life beyond this one, hope for healing from brokenness, hope and confidence that He is still in control & has a plan for me. And for you too, whoever you are.
I'd love to read your "Thankful For" posts throughout the week. Please add your specific post {not a link to your main page} so we can enjoy each others sense of gratitude! If you don't have a blog, I'd love to read about what you're thankful for in my comments section.
...til T-day. My head count is {so far} 14 adults. Sometimes I feel like passing out at the thought, but other times I'm fine. Anyone else want to RSVP? Did I mention 6 children too? Well, two of them are babies & one is a little toddler. There is one thing that is keeping me from hyperventilating: my plan. My very detailed, {hopefully} well-thought out, plan. If you've never hosted Thanksgiving before or have done it many times, I believe a plan is the key to reducing your stress, making sure all your desired dishes will actually be able to be completed, and getting the meal to the table in a timely manner. How I assemble my plan is this: first, compile all the recipes & have each one photocopied or printed out. I then write out a detailed timeline, starting several days before the event. In this case, much of the work will be done on Thanksgiving day, but I try to do whatever possible before hand, such as pre-measuring ingredients, chopping herbs & vegetables, making the cranberry sauce, etc. Today, I will be making & freezing pie crusts, already rolled out & in the pie pan. Timeline snapshot:
1:00 pm
Remove ham from oven & let rest. Tent ham loosely w/foil. Turn up temperature to 375° F
Put turkey breasts in oven for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours. Add broth to bottom of pan.
1: 15 pm
Stir stuffing.
Start water boiling for macaroni.
1:30 pm
Check turkey pan if needs more broth.
Add noodles to pot. Set timer.
1:45 pm
Start potatoes in water to boil. Reduce heat to medium simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Stir stuffing
Turn on lower oven to 350° F.
Assemble macaroni & cheese.
I remind myself of every little thing, when to turn the oven up or down & to what temperature, when to stir, when to glaze, when to check if something is done. I think I'll remember to do all those commonsense things, but on the day of, I'll be glad I wrote it all out for myself. You will now be able to see whether or not what you've actually planned can be executed. Oven space is the trickiest part of the whole deal. This year, I will be able to use my two (!) ovens to make everything run a bit more smoothly, but believe me, it *can* be done with only one. Next I go through each recipe and transfer all the ingredients to a grocery list.
I count butter in sticks and make little tick marks for the eggs and just write down everything else. Hopefully nothing will get forgotten! I print out a copy of my menu & write down the type of serving dish I'll need for each recipe, then I can see what needs to be borrowed.
The night before, I like to write the recipe names on post-its and attach it to the proper serving dish so I don't forget which one is for which recipe. And that, my friends, just about sums up my planning technique. I did manage to send out invitations. I found sets of invitations complete with little sticker seals at Woodman's on clearance for 25-cents each. The kids made the thumbprint turkeys & helped with the assembly. See:
I really want to have a Mary heart on, what could easily be for me, a Martha day. The people around my table are more important than a perfectly executed meal. I keep reminding myself & others around me of this truth. Every time someone says, "I know you might be busy, but....", I say that I am not too busy for the people I love. I don't want to be so caught up in stirring the stuffing & glazing the ham that I don't get to enjoy my guests. If someone offers to help, I will reply with a resounding "YES!" and put them to work. On Thanksgiving Day, I plan to be ready with a hug, a smile & some kind words for everyone who walks through my door. Oh...and maybe a little taste of whatever has been cooking.
I'm sure it's just one of many, but I noticed something curious the other day. When I have more money, I tend to spend more. When I have less, I spend less. This should not be! What if, when I had more, I spent less! Then I really would be set! Shouldn't my spending be based on some sort of conviction or spending plan rather then the amount of money in my bank account? In a practical sense, it might go something like this:
If my budget allows, I will limit myself to one premium coffee per month {Starbucks}. Period. If my income miraculously doubles, I will still stick to this limit.
Maybe this sounds just plain ridiculous? Maybe there should be some sort of "until" in my scenario, ie. until I reach such-and-such financial goals or untilmy budget is in need of revision. Maybe people would think I'm crazy to "only" limit myself to X, even if I were bringing in a 6-figure salary {I meaning my husband, in my case}. I guess I'm just thinking that when I'm making more, I could limit myself to X and Y and A through G, and occasionally H, I, J, and once in awhile K and L, oh, and M & N only on special occasions. Then I be sitting there wondering why I am poorer than when I made half as much! I'm sure it has happened to many of you who, when going from higher amounts of income to drastically lower amounts of income, asked yourself, "If only...". Now that you find yourself actually able to live on less {even cheerfully, at that *shocking, I know*} you wonder...If only I had lived on this amount when we were making more, my savings account would be bigger or my debts would be paid off or....
Anyone else tend to spend more when they have more & spend less when they have less?
Since it is only 2 weeks away *gulp*, here are, in my opinion, the Top 10 Thanksgiving Recipes from Allrecipes. I chose one from each of the categories outlined in my Thanksgiving planning post here, that could easily be served at your Thanksgiving table: turkey, potato, sweet potato, green vegetable (2), stuffing, condiments (2), desserts (2). And here they are, including personal comments from the peanut gallery me in parentheses. *drumroll please*
And because we're all gonna have 'em, my top Turkey Leftover recipe: #11: Turkey Pot Pie
This creates a pretty straight-forward, old-fashioned style Thanksgiving meal. If you're adventurous/eclectic like me, stay tuned for the Top 10 Not-Your-Grandma's Thanksgiving Recipes!Enjoy!
This might seem a little bizarre, but does any one else use Real-Time Pricing for their ComEd bill? I was inspired to see if we had something like this based on a frugal tip I came across. In a nutshell, instead of paying a fixed price per Kilowatt hour for energy, you pay the going market price for that particular hour. In the off-peak hours, the energy costs less. I am looking into this option for our family & was wondering if/how it has saved money for other families. If no one responds, I guess I might just be the guinea pig.
Totally diggin':Cookthink {might I add that this is super genious?! Searching for something that you're craving instead of/in addition to specific recipes?}
Reading:A Woman's High Calling {It's so good, I might just get the growth & study guide....}
October 16th marked our ten year wedding anniversary and this last Saturday was Hubster's birthday, so what to do other than.....celebrate!! It was really amazing the way God provided so many little things for us throughout the weekend, so I'll try to highlight those as I go along.
We dropped the kiddos off with our babysitting service {a.k.a. family - praise God for great families} on Thursday & then acted like wild & free teenagers as we went for dinner {leftover Red Lobster gift card} & cruised the strip. I was able to hit the thrift store where I picked up a dressy black top from Kohls and a pair of brand new jeans from New York & Co. with the price tag still on {$44.95} for just $7.80! I ran into Kohl's and used $10 Kohl's cash that my mother-in-law gave me to purchase a half-price nightie for just $4.31. SWEET! We then waited for some friends of ours to get out of work and invited ourselves over to their place where we enjoyed a late night snack & lots of great conversation. {After staying up a little too long past our bedtime, I was dragging a bit on Friday.} I had a killer headache on our drive, but was blessed by my wonderful hubby who drove the whole way. {God spoke to me through a message I heard during the drive by Nancy Leigh DeMoss on "self-control" out of Titus 2. Everywhere I turn I am hearing the same "message", which is just blowing me away. I'm thinking I might wake up and see some writing on the wall, it is THAT obvious.}
I was wishing that we could have traveled someplace far & exotic, especially as it was our 10 year milestone, but lack of funds dictated our destination. I was still able to plan a lovely weekend stay in Door County. It was right as "off-season" was starting so that meant lower rates for everything. I choose the Lodgings at Pioneer Lane and was blown away at our room. Loved. It. It was more than I expected, with a fireplace, in room whirlpool, plush bedding, a walk-in shower, and a quaint balcony looking out over Ephraim and Lake Michigan. Lots of little details make this place special like hand-painted room number/pictures on each door, Hershey's kisses which were replenished throughout our stay, STASH brand teas, a selection of magazines/games, a DVD player with movies to borrow, free Wi-Fi, and they recycle! A couple of shots...
There are many small towns dotted along the Wisconsin peninsula and we barely skimmed over three of them. The colors were still beautiful, although from what I hear, not as intense as they were a few weeks ago. We walked a lot, explored many different shops, and mostly enjoyed one another's company. Friday night we had a hard time deciding on where to eat {wanted to save our money for Saturday} and God amazingly led us to a restaurant that would be closing the following day, so all the meals were half off! We could hardly believe it! We paid, for our entire meal, what just one entree cost at several nearby restaurants. Saturday, we shopped til we nearly dropped, rested up in the whirlpool for a bit followed by an afternoon nap, and then splurged on a stellar dinner at T. Ashwell's. It was worth every penny {quite a few of them}! Can't even explain how much we both enjoyed it! We had a reservation, canceled it {we were too tired from the day}, then remade our reservation. I am so thankful that God didn't let us miss it. The restaurant is housed in a converted old home & the hospitality made us feel like we were their guests, as opposed to customers. The food was just out of this world.
Sunday we did a bit more stopping & shopping & then it was back to reality to pick up our children {although I did miss them while we were gone}! We had felt so pampered while we were away that we were both left feeling a little down {post-vacation depression}! I guess that is a sign that we both had a wonderful weekend.
You domestic divas are surprisingly more interested in homemade stuff than I thought! Andrea asked about cost comparison and the taste factor, so here goes:
1 quart milk: $.60 {at about $2.40/gal) 1/3 c. non-fat milk powder: $.28 {box costs $3.36 and has 12 1/3 c. portions} starter: $.20 {my Yo-Baby costs $.60 each & I used about 1/3 of one} Splenda: maybe $.50 worth?
Total for 1 quart: $1.58 at the most W/o milk powder & using current batch to start next batch: $1.10
The non-fat milk powder is optional, but I read it makes a thicker yogurt. My Dannon Light & Fit cost $2.19 for 1 quart @ Woodmans, but it's next to impossible to find it at WM/Meijer/Jewel for that price; more like $2.99 and up. Not sure about Aldi's pricing, although I never liked the taste of their low-fat version anyways. This is all besides the fact that homemade yogurt is superior in quality. Taste? Hmm. What exactly taste-wise are you looking for? To me the biggest issue is sweetness, which is easily adjusted. My batch tastes richer. I'm guessing it is because of the 2% milk. Next time I will probably use skim, as I'm trying to watch my waistline. I would also say that the tanginess is more pronounced. Unsweetened, I would describe the taste as pretty tart sour cream. Comparatively, to my taste, commercial yogurt, particularly low-fat, has a chalky or slightly funny aftertaste, somewhat reminiscent of some artificial sweetners. My homemade batch tastes cleaner, if that makes any sense. {Phew! You're really putting my palate to the test here!}
**insert break to actually go taste the yogurt again to see if I'm missing anything**
The texture is thicker in my batch as well. My yogurt falls into thick ribbons from a spoon. The actual yogurt remains in the ribbon shape on the surface, instead of being thin enough to just immediately flow back into the jar. Thickness can be controlled by the length of culturing time, ranging anywhere from barely set to flan/custard-like.
Even I didn't think yogurt could be described so in-depth. Hope this helps! Any more questions?
I won't be needing you anymore. You served me well while I kept you around. You satisfied me with many a low-fat breakfast. You showed up in smoothies now and again. Even my husband, daughters & baby love you, bless their hearts. I might invite you back, time and again, if I am in a crunch. The reason I won't need you anymore is because I learned how to make my own homemade yogurt.
Yep. I'm just domestic like that.
{pictured here with homemade granola & berries}
This homemade stuff is thicker, richer, and better for you. Did I mention that it's cheaper too?
Cooking notes:I pretty well followed the instructions found here {I used the crockpot method, although I filled the crockpot about halfway with water}. I scalded my milk to 180° F, then cooled it to 110° F before adding the starter. The linked directions to not instruct this, but I've read that it is necessary for good results. After the yogurt cultured, I added 1/3 cup Splenda. That was the perfect amount of sweetness for me. Without sugar, the yogurt could be used {and tastes a bit} like sour cream. It can also be left to drain in a strainer lined with cheesecloth; you will end up with a cream cheese-like product but much lower in fat. I used Yo-Baby vanilla yogurt as my starter {my local WM did not have plain with live active cultures}. Live active cultures {six are present in the Stonyfield farms brand, as opposed to only 2 in other brands} are like good bacteria for your digestive system. Kinda like all those probiotics that are showing up everywhere. {Get your kids eatin' yogurt with live active cultures. They are great for the immune system!} You can always freeze the store-bought starter in an ice cube tray & then use one cube per starter. I have read that the longer you culture it, the tarter & firmer it gets. If you're not watching the waistline, you can also add heavy cream to your mix for ultra-richness. Try steeping the milk mixture with different ingredients too: vanilla bean, lavender, rosemary, etc. or adding stuff in after culturing. For more reading, a simple google of homemade yogurt will satisfy your curiosities. Ever had a yogurt making adventure? Let me know if I've gotten you interested!
Have you ever used Restaurant.com ? The website offers discounted gift certificates to participating restaurants. Typically a $25 gift certificate costs $10 (already a discount in its own right), but until October 26th, you can get them for $4 by using coupon code: SAVOR. {Read about it here.} Many of the restaurants have restrictions, so look carefully before selecting. One local restaurant without any restrictions {except for 18% gratuity} is Joey T's on the Fox. {I previously purchased two certificates for Dunhill's & was going to suggest that for this frugal date. In the two days I've worked on this post, it appears that those are no longer available; limited number per restaurant.} You print the certificates on your computer & they are validated at the restaurant location. I have not actually done this {I have printed them, but not used them}. As mentioned, I have purchased some certificates myself, so I have put "my money where my mouth is", so to speak.
Show up for lunch, where lunch salads are around $8, lunch pastas around $9, and lunch entrees around $10. After lunch, take your lunch date over to Barnes & Noble where you can browse through books & magazines & enjoy a free cappuccino, by printing your coupon here. This coupon is only good until 10/31/08.
Total cost: $4 {certificate} + $5 tip {20% gratuity on a $25 check} + free cappuccino = $9 Need gifts? The restaurant.com coupons are good for one year from the date of purchase. Restaurant locations are all over the country, so you could even purchase them for long distance friends & family. Sounds like a frugal Christmas gift idea to me :>)
Think I'm gonna go purchase some Joey T's certificates now.....
Last weekend we enjoyed some family time when my dad & step-mom came in for a visit. In the three years we have lived here, we have never visited the little antique shop/pumpkin patch that is less than a mile from home. It was high time!
I've been playing with Photoshop lately {could you tell?} & using it to enhance my pictures. I love the way the technique I'm using makes the colors pop & almost glow. You can see some examples below. The first one is the original; the following photo is the enhanced version.
We picked out several cute pumpkins & a whole bunch of mini-gourds for home decor. I think those were a pretty good deal at 4/$1. There were mini white pumpkins that would look adorable, when hollowed out, as votive holders for the harvest table. I'm probably not going to carve any of the big pumpkins, but am considering some painted pumpkins, perhaps using one of the stencils here. The antique shop was charming & I can't believe how much the kids enjoyed it! These are real antiques, as opposed to new stuff made to look vintage. We admired really old telephones, an antique baby stroller, chests and wood burning stoves. I drooled over two big bins full of metal cookie cutters. I plan to go back for those when time permits. I fell in love with a big window pane with mullions making about 12 different sections. Cleaned up a bit, I'm wondering if it could be hung on the wall, with some photos mounted in some of the sections. At only $18, I think it may just show up in my living room. My dad took notice of my fascination with the vintage oil lamps & offered to buy me one. They remind me of something you'd see in a Pottery Barn catalog, only at a fraction of the price. I am told mine can still be used, so will need to purchase some lamp oil and a new wick. Here it is:
Remember those little knitted pumpkins & how I was so addicted fascinated with making them? Well, I'm back at it.
I forgot how many stitches to cast on, so this first one is a baby compared to the ones I made before. So cute & slightly imperfect, just like a real punkin! A set of three will serve as a housewarming gift for a lovely family.
{{Kudos to you if you've managed to stay with me this far & not fall asleep!}}
Last but not least, a family photo from the punkin place {Photoshopped of course}. Think it's suitable for a Christmas card?
I am a domestic engineer (aka homemaker) and a homeschooling Mama. I enjoy decorating, cooking, baking, scrapbooking and anything crafty. I am a wife, a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, a mother, and a friend. I am a child of God and am having a love affair with Jesus. I am the mama of a baby daughter, Olivia, diagnosed with Trisomy 18, who went to be with Jesus at 28 weeks pregnant. I am also a mother to a precious little one, miscarried at 8 weeks. I am learning how to live with grief and embrace the plan that He has set before me, knowing I am safe in His hands.
Posts
