Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Garden of Goodies
So, I've never had a garden of my own. My parents had small gardens here and there while I was growing up but, at the time fresh veggies weren't all that appealing. Now that I have my own babies who actually like yummy veggies I'm gonna be a farmer! On a small scale sure but, I'm farming my own foods none the less. I had considered just buying starts and planting them but, in my quest to save as much of the green stuff (money in this case) as possible I'm seeding my own plants on my kitchen table. I didn't discover I could make biodegrable seeding cups out of old newspaper until the process had already begun...I will most definately do this next year or maybe for our fall garden. ( http://www.ehow.com/video_1745_create-seed-starting.html ) But, for now there are a few hundred dixie cups on my table with lil seeds drinking in the sun. The kids are excited and so am I. Not only will be full up on yummy vegetables and fruits but, the process of getting them is a great learning experience. We're going to make our own compost, have a worm farm, rotate crops, harvest, and enjoy the fruits of our labor! I can't wait!
Monday, November 16, 2009
What I'm doing to save $
I managed to lock myself out of my blog...I have no clue exactly how I managed the feat but, I just now got back in. Nice to be back. Okay, back to the post at hand.
If I can save us money my husband can work less. If he can work less that's more time he gets to spend with us. We grow stronger as a family and that's priceless.
So, far what we have done has made it possible to cut out about $1000 a month so now we can all live on my income and hubby can stay at home to care for me and the kids, only working online 2 hours a night....he's going back to school after baby is born...its been amazing for our relationship with each other and our kids!!
Here's what I've done so far...I'm sure there is much more i can do but this is just the changes we've made in the last 4-6 months.
1. We quit smoking...this saves sooooo much $$$$ not to mention how much healthier it is!
2. I have started making all our meals from scratch
we eat out sooooo much less...used to be at least once a day now its maybe once a month
3. I only buy something new if I can't find it on craigslist, ebay, freecycle, or another online sale and this is rare.
4. Instead of going out to the movies alot like we used to we have 'family night' and download or rent a family movie and make our own snacks (the kids are obsessed with fondue and I found a great fondue pot at the goodwill for $4!!)
5. We will be cloth diapering the new baby, cloth wipes, using homemade baby food when he's onto solids, and anything else we can do that healthier for him.
6. We have paired down everything in our house....Currently trying to get TV's out of the kids rooms and managed to finally convince hubby of no TV in our bedroom... saves electricity and we sleep better, always a plus.
7. Cut the groceries from $100-$150 a week down to only $50!! (this I'm the most proud of)
8. We do more as a family and take advantage of things in the community we never knew existed....free exhibits, local beaches and lakes, art classes, letterboxing (our #1 family activity), bike riding, playing at local parks....most everything is free and always amazingly fun for the little guys!
9. We downsized our Family TV from a 65 inch that was costing over $150 a month and giving me headaches to a better quality 55 inch that only costs us $53 a month, and will be paid off soon!
10. We started using fans in the summer and more blankets in the winter in an effort to lower the electric bill, as well as turning off more lights and unplugging things not in use...so far we've saved about $200 a month!
11. Cut back my almost $200 cable/internet bundle to only $109 a month.
Next on my list is getting cell phones paired down and maybe a garden...we have two acres so, I have no excuse!!
If I can save us money my husband can work less. If he can work less that's more time he gets to spend with us. We grow stronger as a family and that's priceless.
So, far what we have done has made it possible to cut out about $1000 a month so now we can all live on my income and hubby can stay at home to care for me and the kids, only working online 2 hours a night....he's going back to school after baby is born...its been amazing for our relationship with each other and our kids!!
Here's what I've done so far...I'm sure there is much more i can do but this is just the changes we've made in the last 4-6 months.
1. We quit smoking...this saves sooooo much $$$$ not to mention how much healthier it is!
2. I have started making all our meals from scratch
we eat out sooooo much less...used to be at least once a day now its maybe once a month
3. I only buy something new if I can't find it on craigslist, ebay, freecycle, or another online sale and this is rare.
4. Instead of going out to the movies alot like we used to we have 'family night' and download or rent a family movie and make our own snacks (the kids are obsessed with fondue and I found a great fondue pot at the goodwill for $4!!)
5. We will be cloth diapering the new baby, cloth wipes, using homemade baby food when he's onto solids, and anything else we can do that healthier for him.
6. We have paired down everything in our house....Currently trying to get TV's out of the kids rooms and managed to finally convince hubby of no TV in our bedroom... saves electricity and we sleep better, always a plus.
7. Cut the groceries from $100-$150 a week down to only $50!! (this I'm the most proud of)
8. We do more as a family and take advantage of things in the community we never knew existed....free exhibits, local beaches and lakes, art classes, letterboxing (our #1 family activity), bike riding, playing at local parks....most everything is free and always amazingly fun for the little guys!
9. We downsized our Family TV from a 65 inch that was costing over $150 a month and giving me headaches to a better quality 55 inch that only costs us $53 a month, and will be paid off soon!
10. We started using fans in the summer and more blankets in the winter in an effort to lower the electric bill, as well as turning off more lights and unplugging things not in use...so far we've saved about $200 a month!
11. Cut back my almost $200 cable/internet bundle to only $109 a month.
Next on my list is getting cell phones paired down and maybe a garden...we have two acres so, I have no excuse!!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
A Hunt for Buried Treasure
A friend recently introduced us to the world of letterboxing. If you don't know what it is most definitely jump over to atlasquest.com and see what I'm talking about but, don't blame me if you get addicted. This is something that my family is in love with. Not only does it take us to beautiful scenic places we might have other wise never seen, but you get your own treasure. We tend to pretend to be pirates in search of treasure and the beautiful piece of art we put in our book is the gold. The kids had a dentist appointment this morning and their pediatric dentist is in a neighboring town. We found the direction to two treasures and after their appointment was over went on a small adventure before going back to school. Its great not only for the fun aspect of doing something together that we found we all like but, being a apart of the subculture you never knew about is so intriguing. Some of these places I've been before, several times even but, never would have ever known any thing was out of the ordinary or hidden for us to find. Being in the know and having information about secret hiding spots that other people have no clue about is exciting and fun. So is coloring the stamps and adding the artwork to our family journal, something the kids always jump to call dibs on. Carving our family stamp, the turtle, and coming up with our trail name....Greenlands was fun to do together and inspired alot of things. The kids learn to use a compass, direction, reasoning, history about the sight we're at, problem solving, I could go on and they do it all while they have FUN! This makes them want to learn so much more. When they get bigger we can look for more intricate involved boxes....using longitude, latitude, hiking skills, and riddle solving. Its a hobby that will grow as the kids do and I can't wait!
Monday, October 26, 2009
why the change in attitude
I'm the mommy...now happy. Are things easy? No, and they may never be but, its worth the difficult times to get to the really good times that make a difference in my everyday.
For nearly six years the biological father of my two children was non-existent in our lives. There was no support, no phone calls, no stopping by the check on the well being of the two children he donated chromosomes to. After 5 1/2 years the state government tracked him down and started enforcing the child-support that had gone unpaid since the day our divorce was finalized. Of course when money is concerned he's at my front door demanding a relationship with the children he has to pay for....when they were free he didn't care but, now that they cost him money he wants everything he can get. I'm frustrated, hurt for my kids sake, that they weren't worth the time until now and, angry. I don't see the fairness in a man abandoning his children for close to six years and then when forced into the responsibility of it all, getting the right to pick up where he left off ...... that's for another blog. Fast forward to the present...6 months later and he sees them on every/other weekend visits. Typical standard possession, all temporarily until court which, I hate. It makes me mad but, it did do one thing positive.
And, I realize it, which makes it all the more worth while. I took what I had with my kids for granted. I took for granted tucking them into bed every night, reading them a story, playing outside, pushing them in a swing. It had become everyday, monotonous, routine, almost a chore. Now, I realize that EVERY second counts and is a blessing we can't get back. We have determined that the time we have with our children is a miracle and worth celebrating, and that is what we are doing.
We have started a new journey as a family. To look at life through a new looking glass and discover thing we had never seen before. We try new things, eat new foods, go on new adventures, look under rocks we would have normally walked by. And what we see together is BEAUTIFUL....and when we look at each other what we see is AMAZING. I love reading my kids a bedtime story at night now, because what I hadn't looked for before is there in their eyes, the wonder, the imagination, the appreciation. It was always there I just never took the time to look.
The way I look at my children is something I live each day for. I'm excited to teach them new things and to make new discoveries right along side them. We are parent and child but also friend and playmate. Life is good.
For nearly six years the biological father of my two children was non-existent in our lives. There was no support, no phone calls, no stopping by the check on the well being of the two children he donated chromosomes to. After 5 1/2 years the state government tracked him down and started enforcing the child-support that had gone unpaid since the day our divorce was finalized. Of course when money is concerned he's at my front door demanding a relationship with the children he has to pay for....when they were free he didn't care but, now that they cost him money he wants everything he can get. I'm frustrated, hurt for my kids sake, that they weren't worth the time until now and, angry. I don't see the fairness in a man abandoning his children for close to six years and then when forced into the responsibility of it all, getting the right to pick up where he left off ...... that's for another blog. Fast forward to the present...6 months later and he sees them on every/other weekend visits. Typical standard possession, all temporarily until court which, I hate. It makes me mad but, it did do one thing positive.
And, I realize it, which makes it all the more worth while. I took what I had with my kids for granted. I took for granted tucking them into bed every night, reading them a story, playing outside, pushing them in a swing. It had become everyday, monotonous, routine, almost a chore. Now, I realize that EVERY second counts and is a blessing we can't get back. We have determined that the time we have with our children is a miracle and worth celebrating, and that is what we are doing.
We have started a new journey as a family. To look at life through a new looking glass and discover thing we had never seen before. We try new things, eat new foods, go on new adventures, look under rocks we would have normally walked by. And what we see together is BEAUTIFUL....and when we look at each other what we see is AMAZING. I love reading my kids a bedtime story at night now, because what I hadn't looked for before is there in their eyes, the wonder, the imagination, the appreciation. It was always there I just never took the time to look.
The way I look at my children is something I live each day for. I'm excited to teach them new things and to make new discoveries right along side them. We are parent and child but also friend and playmate. Life is good.
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