Could you do it?

Preparing - One Day at a Time

Follow our family of 10 children through a challenge to make "No trips to the grocery store for three months." What will we improvise, what are we glad we have on hand and what will we wish we had? How will we live without fresh milk?


This is an incredible blog. Crystal shows us that it can be done, but we must prepare. Follow her journey and try her recipes. I love this blog and look forward to learning more from this wonderful woman.

From seeds to starts!

I started with a mini green house ( I accidentally bought the tomato one. You can get smaller ones.), my seeds, and my handy dandy SFG book. This book has all kinds of great information about when to plant and when to start seedlings.

I decided to so cucumbers, beef steak tomatoes, broccoli, and later I added celery.

The green house comes with direction. Thank Goodness!! So I followed them to "pump up" the little planter guys. I did not use the whole tray just a few. Then I planted my seeds.

Next I made a little chart of what I planted. Make sure to add the date!

On the bottom of that same paper I made a very artistic drawing of my outside garden. LOL!! I put what I planted and again made sure to add the date.

As of yet nothing I have planted outside has sprouted. I did how ever find a mystery plant in my other box.

We are pretty sure it may be a bean from last year sad 3 beans from 6 bushes crop. I wish it better luck this year!

Here is my mini green house crop! So stinking cute!!!

Look at those skinny little broccoli plants and those cucumbers.

See those tiny little white flecks in the ones towards the front? Those are my 'mater plants. YEAH!!

No sign of the celery yet....

DIY Laundry Soap

I finally did it. I had all the stuff and so I made myself do it. I thought it would be really time consuming, but not so.

You will need:

1 five gallon bucket with lid

1 bar of Ivory, Fels Naptha or Zote soap

1 cup Borax

1 cup washing soda

Other tools:

old cheese grater only to be used for soap

a long spoon or paint stirer

sauce pan (comes clean)

First you will grate your bar of soap into your sauce pan.

Then you will fill the sauce pan with water. Heat to a light boil and stir constantly as the soap dissolves. ***DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED*** It can boil over quick. Or so I am told I never left it. When the soap is dissolved set aside.

Fill your bucket with 4 1/2 gallons of HOT tap water. As hot as you can get it. Add you soap soup, your borax and washing soda. Stir until well mixed.

Leave to cool for 24 hours. I finished making mine at about 8:30 PM and it was ready to go around 10 am the next day. I know that is not 24 hours but I needed clean cloths. :) It is supposed to look like this when it is done.

Then I stirred it up well and added it to my left over laundry soap bottle. Leave room to shake it up before you use it. You will need to shake it up before each use as it gells up.

I use 2 to 3 cap fulls for each extra large load I run. This come out to 1 to 1 1/2 cups.

You probably want to know cost, huh? Well I would say probably about $7 to start, with the average 5 gallon bucket full maybe costing $2 to make. Heck I pay around $2.99 for that little bottle of all and that last only two weeks.

Whatever Wednesday

*During the gardening season I use Wednesday to post updates and ideas and as that season is soon approaching I will again be doing this.*

Garden Planning. YES it is this time again.

Jennifer this post is for you!!!

Spring will be here soon. I hope! This rain is driving me crazy!! So in light (hopefully SUNlight) of that we had better get our gardens planned.

But how you ask? Well for that I will direct you to a nice one stop spot for your general gardening information needs. Be sure to check out the gardening links!!

Want more information? Just look to your left on the sidebar. find the Gardening section and go to town.

You can also take a peek at my past gardening post. Lots of good info. and pictures too! Ignore the first post unless you want to make something using white bean flour. LOL!

Money Monday

NO!!!

No, we are not going out to dinner.

No, you do not need more Lego's.

No, you are not having whoppers when we leave the store.

No, you do not need that really cute pair of red peep toe heels with the bow. NO! :)

"...when we were newly married and had very little money. I was in the air force, and we had missed Christmas together. I was on assignment overseas. When I got home, I saw a beautiful dress in a store window and suggested to my wife that if she liked it, we would buy it. Mary went into the dressing room of the store. After a moment the salesclerk came out, brushed by me, and returned the dress to its place in the store window. As we left the store, I asked, “What happened?” She replied, “It was a beautiful dress, but we can’t afford it!” Those words went straight to my heart. I have learned that the three most loving words are “I love you,” and the four most caring words for those we love are “We can’t afford it.”"

Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually May '09 Ensign
Elder Robert D. Hales Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Thrifty Thursday

Think Thrifty

Thrift Stores that is!

My friend Daphne is the queen of second hand store shopping. Goodwill is like her second home. She can find the most awesome finds. Not only the cutest dresses for her girls but every thing from hoodies to dressers. She also knows how to rock it on Craig's list. I often (think at least weekly) find myself ogling her finds.

How does she do it? I ask her this all the time. She goes often. She knows when the racks will be stocked. She is friendly with the workers. She asks questions. She also has their return policy down pat.

Recently Elizabeth and I needed some jeans. So off to Goodwill we went. I got both of us killer dark washed jeans that looked brand new and fit perfectly for $3.99 a pair. NOT BAD!! Not to mention they were name brand not walmart brand.

Parade Magazine (Sunday paper) had a article the Secrets of Secondhand Shopping. A good quick read to get the inside scoop.

Tasty Tuesday

School Lunches Part 2:

Convenience food are easy but costly.

Take fruit cups. You know those presealed little cups of fruit chunks. On average the are $2.50 for a 4 pack. Well make your own and save come cash. Plus my kids can never open those store bought ones with out a mess. LOL!! The American Homemaker did a great post about making her own fruit cups here.



I put mine in cups just like this. Mine are green though.





Make your own lunchables. My kids LOVE to stack their own mini sandwiches. I cut my meat into little circles using an old spice jar top. Mini cookie cutters would be fun too.


What are some of your frugal but tasty lunch ideas?

Tasty Tuesday

School Lunches

I do not buy school lunches. At our school they are about $2.75 and with two kiddos eating 5 lunches a week that is about $27.50 a week. OUCH!! So I thought I would find some ways to spice up their lunch boxes this year.

Banana Sushi

The Kraft foods website also has a lunchbox sulutions spot. It even has a section on lunch box jokes!

I think this looks fun too.

Remember presentation is very important to some kids.

Mom's Lunchbox Cheat Sheet

( from the Kraft site!!)

Place a frozen juice box in your kids’ lunchbox. – it’ll keep the food chilled and will be thawed by lunchtime.

Go for variety. Make sandwiches using whole grain tortillas, bagels or pitas.

Pack antibacterial wet wipes so your kids can clean their hands before and after eating.

Add grated veggies to sandwiches and wraps for crunch – your kids won’t notice they’re eating something that’s good for them!

Use small resealable bags to pack dressings. Kids can open one corner and simply squeeze onto salad, then discard.

Get dipping! Pack salsa, hummus, yogurt or salad dressing for your little ones to dunk their sandwich, veggies or fruit into.

Make bite-sized and mini versions of regular foods like sandwiches. They work well for small appetites and are more likely to be eaten.

Add a quick note to say good luck on a test or “I love you” – it will brighten your child’s day.

Money Monday

Dave Ramsey is a financial guru and very well regarded in the financial realm. Here are is baby step to becoming debt free and in control of your finances.

Baby Steps

1. $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund

2. Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball

3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings

4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement

5. College funding for children

6. Pay off home early

7. Build wealth and give! Invest in mutual funds and real estate

Here is his printable. Want to know more about Dave? Click here to go to his site. Still need help with a budget (I do!!)? Want a free budget guide? Go here.

Where are you and where do you want to go? Have you done or tried Dave's plan? Did it work for you? Do you think this might work for you?

Money Monday

Build a Reserve

We have been counseled to build our three-month food supply, get our water and then build a financial reserve. The church has not stated a specific amount. Most money gurus will advise anywhere from 3 to 6 months. Longer if you can. No matter what your end goal is it is better to take baby steps then kill your self trying to make huge leaps and bounds. Start with a week then a month and then start again.

You can start by setting up a separate savings account. My good friend Daphne writes our financial column for our wards Provident Living newsletter and this is what she said about savings accounts, " Saving money is a challenge, and what works for one may not work for another, but this is what has worked for us. We have several accounts set up in a high interest bearing account (ING). Typically it takes 2 business days for funds to transfer to your checking account, so you tend to think twice if you really need that thing you want to buy--as a side note, we also keep a savings account attached to our checking acct., in case we need to transfer some over quickly for emergencies. " She also suggest that you have your savings automatically withdrawn each month or paycheck what ever works for you. you can sometimes set this up through your employer if you have auto deposit or through your bank.

President Gordon B. Hinckley has taught: “Set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts” ("To the Boys and to the Men," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 54).

Thrifty Thursday

Joy in Frugality

As I read my Sunday paper I went right for the easy stuff. The parade magazine. I get my bits of gossip, a few comics, and a look at what easy and quick reads there are. With kids and Sunday mornings this is my quick fix. In this process I found an article I thought perfect for this blog. Finding Joy in Frugality by Alix Kates Shulman.

What a great find and a must read for anyone who thinks life ends when ones decides to be frugal. Here are some quotes that I found most enlightening.

"If you don’t need it, don’t buy it; never buy a new one if your old one works; never buy an expensive one when a lower-priced one will do. I abandoned bookstores for libraries, restaurants for my kitchen, boutiques for bargains—and soon found myself enjoying a gleeful sense of liberation."

" Instead of buying what you think you need, adapt your needs to what’s around you. "

Sunday

Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually

Elder Robert D. Hales

Again this week I am referring to this wonderfully inspiring talk!

"When faced with the choice to buy, consume, or engage in worldly things and activities, we all need to learn to say to one another, “We can’t afford it, even though we want it!” or “We can afford it, but we don’t need it—and we really don’t even want it!”"

These are great. Next time you want a new article of clothing, to redo the deck, a bigger TV, and yet another dinner out this week I want you to think of these word. (Yes those are all from my week!)

"Another important way we help our children learn to be provident providers is by establishing a family budget. We should regularly review our family income, savings, and spending plan in family council meetings. This will teach our children to recognize the difference between wants and needs and to plan ahead for meaningful use of family resources.
When our boys were young, we had a family council and set a goal to take a “dream vacation” down the Colorado River. When any of us wanted to buy something during the next year, we would ask each other, “Do we really want to buy that thing now, or do we want to take our dream trip later?” This was a wonderful teaching experience in choosing provident living. By not satisfying our every immediate want, we obtained the more desirable reward of family togetherness and fond memories for years to come."

When our whole family is aware of our goals and financial limitations it makes it easier for us to help each other out. We often ask our children, "Is that a need or a want?" They don't always see the difference but they are learning that a new My Little Pony or Star Wars guy is so not a need. LOL!! Now to convince the Mommy!

These next two quotes really hit home to me. It was if they were meant just for me. They made me see clearer that life is more than just for today. There are eternal consequences for our choices here in this mortal life. Every aspect of this life does in fact impact the next.

"Whenever we want to experience or possess something that will impact us and our resources, we may want to ask ourselves, “Is the benefit temporary, or will it have eternal value and significance?” Truthfully answering these questions may help us avoid excessive debt and other addictive behavior."

:We must want, more than anything else, to do our Heavenly Father’s will and providently provide for ourselves and others. We must say, as did King Lamoni’s father, “I will give away all my sins to know thee” (Alma 22:18). Then we can go to Him with steadfast determination and promise Him, “I will do whatever it takes.” Through prayer, fasting, obedience to the commandments, priesthood blessings, and His atoning sacrifice, we will feel His love and power in our lives. We will receive His spiritual guidance and strength through the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Only through our Lord’s Atonement can we obtain a mighty change of heart (see Mosiah 5:2; Alma 5:14) and experience a mighty change in our addictive behavior.
With all the love I have in me and with the Savior’s love through me, I invite you to come unto Him and hear His words: “Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted” (2 Nephi 9:51)."

Whatever Wednesday

The order of things

This has been on my mind lately as I strive to do it all. I wondered in what order I should do it. As always the leaders of the church have already provided the answer for me.

Three-Month Supply

Drinking Water

Financial Reserve

Longer-Term Supply aka year supply

We, as a family, have been trying to work on all of these at once. Silly us! Some of these over lap in our house as our 3month and long term food storage are part of my regular grocery trips. We have a water cooler so we do have and rotate our water supply(now if I could get around to filling the 55gal drum I have). Our financial reserve is greatly lacking due to our debts and our striving to become debt free.

Sunday

Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually

Elder Robert D. Hales

This is an incredible talk. So many wonderful words of love and council. Here a few quotes I enjoyed the most so far.

Our challenges, including those we create by our own decisions, are part of our test in mortality. Let me assure you that your situation is not beyond the reach of our Savior. Through Him, every struggle can be for our experience and our good (see D&C 122:7). Each temptation we overcome is to strengthen us, not destroy us. The Lord will never allow us to suffer beyond what we can endure (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).

We must remember that the adversary knows us extremely well. He knows where, when, and how to tempt us. If we are obedient to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we can learn to recognize the adversary’s enticements. Before we yield to temptation, we must learn to say with unflinching resolve, “Get thee behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23).

This was comforting and helped me feel like the Lord is truly on my side even though this(debt)is a self made problem.

Our success is never measured by how strongly we are tempted but by how faithfully we respond.

I hope that I can respond faithfully. I feel more successful with the progress we have made and i hope to improve more.

I have learned that the three most loving words are “I love you,” and the four most caring words for those we love are “We can’t afford it.”

I pray that I can put these words to better use!!! Now I will not feel bad when I tell my self no, or my kids for that matter!

Please take the time to read this talk in it's fullness. It is truly wonderful!!

Site of the week

I am going to start highlighting a site once a week. This weeks is..........drum roll.............

The LDS Churches Provident Living Site

This is a great site to see the LDS Churches view of living providently. Several areas are highlighted here.

• Family Finances
• Employment
• Social-Emotional and Spiritual Strength
• Physical Health
• Literacy and Education
• Family Home Storage
• Emergency Preparedness

I hope you take the time to look around this site and I hope it helps you on your way to living providently!