Ain't That the Truth!

Heavenly Isn't It?

Made these over the weekend.  Very, very good!

Cream Cheese Danish

Makes You Think

We watched this video a couple years ago and it really makes you stop and think before purchasing something new.  Combine what you learn through this video and The 30 day list  concept and suddenly spendthrift ways come to a halt.

Some people try to go a whole year of not purchasing new. Of course you would want to set up your own standards to do that. Such as my list of things to only buy new would be pillows, socks, underwear, toothbrushes, shoes, and light bulbs. Ever try to find a used light bulb? Hard to judge the hours clocked on that sucker, I tell ya!

Anyway the list would probably contain several more things but the idea is to buy used when you can, borrow or rent when it isn't something used regularly and when it has to be purchased new don't get the fever and impulse buy; make sure you are getting good quality merchandise.

If you can find twenty minutes now or later take time to watch this video. It's very interesting and something we should all be aware of.

Keeping My Motivation

Since starting our debt reduction plan this year, it has meant a few life style changes, a few more extra chores to add to the list, and a few changing of habits,  but over all it hasn't been that much of an intrusion into our daily routine.  Charlie insists it is more disrupting to my everyday life than his because, as he puts it, he still gets up, puts on clean clothes, goes to work, and comes home to dinner same as usual.  Where as the clean clothes he puts on is from water toted from the rain barrel and then hung up to dry instead of tossed in the dryer, and the meals are homemade, etc. 
I'm  saying all this not to toot my own horn but to instead show how yes, somethings have changed around here but it isn't so much extra work as it is a change of mindset. Once you get used to it they become a habit just as anything else. 
One thing I did request of Charlie was to have a weekly meeting.  I told him this would keep me motivated on those days when I just didn't want to make a white sauce for a casserole when everyone else could open a can of soup and toss in theirs.  (see, I'm not a saint, I get bitter sometimes)  I know myself well enough to tell him from the get go that- " I will lose my motivation along the way and I'm going to need your help." 

These weekly budget meetings on Wednesday nights allow us to go over the checkbook after his check has posted in the bank earlier that day.  We go over any bills to be paid that week and see how much that leaves us.  We like watching the extra grow because that extra gets sent to the credit card to knock a chunk off it.  Eventually we are going to blow it out of the water!  That being said some weeks are more exciting than others.  We always finish with the weekly grocery sale paper.  We make a list of things to stock up on and just things we need in general.  So we are in agreement before we get to the store later that week on what to buy and how much.  That way there is no debate or confusion once we get there. Lastly we go over any unplanned and planned future expenses.  For example, this spring we will have to replace the sand in our pool filter.  We knew this when we closed it last year so we have it on our expense sheet to remind us as it gets closer to time.  Since we planned for it ahead of time it shouldn't be such a blow to our budget. 

One other note is that our son, eleven, sits in these meetings with us.  I wanted him to start understanding how money works.  I wanted him to understand the inflow and outflow of it.  I also wanted him to learn from our mistakes.  He gets to see how important it is for your money to work for you and not the other way around.  This way he sees where we are, what our goals are, and what he can do to help out; like making sure to turn the TV off when he is finished watching it.  If there is any praise to be doled out like keeping his room clean for three weeks straight then that is addressed as is any requests for dinner that week.  A crude menu plan is made before ending the meeting. 

Then it's on to popcorn and a board game for Family Game Night!
(I usually end up losing to Zach, every stinking time!)

And that is about it!  That's how we do it so far and it's working for me.  I feel like I have the motivation I need to get by one week at a time.  I also hope Zach has a better understanding of what we want to accomplish now.  Our goals reach far beyond just getting out of debt but those are still a little scary for me right now and I'm not ready to voice those just yet.  But when the time comes I'll be putting them on here and sharing with you. 

Putting this all on here at the blog helps in so many ways.  It holds me accountable.  It lets me preen when I'm excited and it makes me do the crawl of shame when I have to admit I failed.  Thanks so much for listening as we try to do this. 

I hope your goals are coming to light.  I pray you find the motivation you need this week to accomplish them. 

Hope you'll stop by again......Kristi.

Moving forward in 2012.

Dog Treat Update

Zach and I made the Peanut Butter Dog Treats from yesterday's link post.  They were very simple to make and the dough was easy to work with.  The dogs seem to love them.  We will definitely be making these again. 

Dog Treat Recipes

Another link today but this site is amazing!

All kinds of homemade goodies for your pet pooch!

The link I'm posting is to a specific recipe called Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits that I want to try but the whole site is chock full of such neat ideas.  Some recipes are made with dog food you already have wet or dry but vamps it up to the treat plateau.

Happy eating to your favorite furball!

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

Homemade Cheez-Its Link

Taking the lazy route today after all the candy making for Valentine's Day. 

Here is a link to make Homemade Cheez-Its.  (yes, I call them cheez-its instead of cheese-its, I am who I am)

These are really good!

The only thing I did different was flip them half way through cooking so they would be crispy on both sides.

I also added a little cayenne pepper powder to them to add a little kick, no heat, just kick. 

Happy eating!

Homemade Cheez-Its

We're on the home stretch. Tomorrow is the big day!

And my favorite love song of all time.....complete with puppies and kittens:

 

Marriage

Marriage is more than just good times and happiness together. Sometimes there’s pain and tears. Fresh wounds and old scars from the past that gets molded into the mix.

I remember the giddiness of being newlyweds and the playfulness about our days. Like the water hose fight right after we were married. In the rush of the blinding water we forgot about that rusty roll of hog wire…..I still have the scar.

There was that four wheeler ride after dark that was so romantic until we missed the turn in the dark and hit the ditch. I was still pulling briars out days after.

Marriage was painful those days.

 Later there was the exploding ditch that knocked me down up on top of the hill and left him with a hairless face and singed smelling. I was pregnant with our son at that time. Marriage was scary that day.

There were the knight in shining armor days when decked out in Redwing boots and demin shorts, handgun at the ready, he kept watch on the trespasser next door. A drizzle was falling and my heart in my chest I waiting and watched and prayed. Once all was clear I could see him trekking back up our hill, my hero heading home back to my arms, when the slick bottom boots on the wet grass tried to yank him back from our haven…..he instigated the most amazing, never again attempted, James Bond roll. Up he popped again, never once having dropped his gun. How we laughed that day.

Then there was the menacing skunk -the trash bag destroyer. Armed with a rifle my white knight set out on a mission that day. I’ll never forget him jumping up on the hood of that car when the skunk came out of the bag sooner than expected. I’ll also never forget standing ready at the washing machine armed with vinegar as he undressed outside the back door. Marriage stunk that day.

There were signs that these days were to be expected. I’d heard the tales of his dangerous past. Falling out of the apple tree, landing on the doghouse, and putting a nail through his tongue into the roof of his mouth.

Falling through floors, incidences with wenches outside of barn lofts all in the name of playing.

There were also the wheeled accidents  tricycles down sets of stairs, bicycles wrecks with handlebars to the throat, and a three wheeler wreck that started out as a “watch this “ and resulted in trying to eat up a gravel road entirely on his own. That didn’t deter him though, years later he upgraded to a motorbike and an asphalt road.

Some events were simply from rushing around. Such as with a certain light fixture, having changed the bulb, he replaced the globe and dropped back down to finish his project underneath. The fixture fell and broke apart across the back of his head. Had I blinked I’d have missed it.

The VCR repair, one last tweak after testing it resulted in an Aborigine dance across the kitchen floor. He forgot to unplug it. How I laughed that day.

A failure to listen to one another can be blamed for some accidents. Words like “shouldn’t the truck be on a level spot first?” , or, “let me help you” went unheeded and he flipped the dirt bike out the side of the truck. That event resulted in an evening spent in the emergency room and I was awarded the “Yes, I should have listened to you” line anytime I bring it up.   Ever.  Still.   Like, all the time.

Through it all we have looked back at the events over the course of our marriage and found laughter in each one. What was once scary or painful or stinky at the time became fun memories over the years.

We started out this journey with laughter and I hope that’s how we go out.

He always says,” you can’t be careful and have fun too.”

So I’ll simply say…. Have fun Charlie! I love you!

Happy Anniversary! (#16)

Kristi.

Almost Friday Funny

Post credited to Doing My Best for Him for sharing this hilarious news paper article. 

Not Just For Pizza- Pizza Dough

Pizza crust is very versatile and inexpensive.

If you want to get away from traditional pizza, then roll out flat and add ingredients of choice, roll up and bake.

Some combinations to choose from:

Pepperoni and black olives, and mozzarella- I don’t use pizza sauce in mine but you can.

Ham and cheddar

Chicken, broccoli and cheddar

Cooked seasoned taco meat, tomatoes, and cheese-refried beans, rice, etc.

Scrambled eggs, sausage/bacon/ham, cheese

To make it pretty I like to drizzle a little olive oil on top of the roll and sprinkle with a little shredded cheese. Top with chives or parsley and powdered parmesan cheese.

These are great hot out of the oven, sliced, and dipped in ranch dressing. They taste a lot like hot pockets.

Pizza Crust:

This makes one thick crust or two thin crusts. I usually just half the recipe for one thin pizza.

1 cup warm water

1 Tbsp yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 ½ cup all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add in sugar, salt, and oil. Mix, then add in flour. Spread on lightly greased pizza pan. (can sprinkle greased pan with corn meal, though not necessary) Let rise in pan for a while 30 minutes if possible. Then spread with toppings and bake 400* for 15-20 minutes.

If making rolls you can skip the rise time. After adding all ingredients roll out on floured board. Spread on topping to within an inch from edge and then roll up jelly roll style and tuck under ends. Spread with oil and cheese across top of roll and bake at 400* for around 15-20 minutes. Until crust is baked and golden.

When making the hot pocket rolls I make the recipe with amounts stated and make two rolls.(they are easier to handle ) That way you can make two different variations of them in one cooking.

Happy eating!

A Boy's Bedroom Redo: Extremely Dusty Edition

Zach wanted to rearrange his room last week. His one request was to move his desk to the big window so he could look out while on the computer(wonder who he got that from?)


Before:

Sleeping and gaming area.

Sitting and playing area.

Office area.

 After:

New office area with a view!

Gaming area.

Sleeping area.

Now on the video games!

Trash to Treasure

Let me tell you about my dishes.....

While helping my father move two weeks ago, we were placing belongings to be stored out in his barn.  After numerous trips over, around, and running into a box out in the aisle, I stopped to see what was in it.  At first glance all I could see was shredded paper -handy work from a mouse.  Upon further inspection I could see dishes covered in dirt and mud.  I ,being on the hunt lately for extra bowls, asked Daddy about the dishes that obviously had been in the barn for sometime now.  He said take them on he didn't want them.  So I tossed them in the truck and took them home. 

When I found time to do something with them it was too cold to wash them off outside under the hydrant but they were way too dirty to wash in the sink.  I decided to clean them in the bathtub.  Armed with a tub scrub brush and rubber gloves and shampoo I took to cleaning and what emerged was this beautiful gold-rimmed plate with pink dogwood blossoms.  After admiring the pattern I flipped it over and went to scrubbing the backside and the words Homer Laughlin became visible.  I froze, I couldn't believe my eyes!  Homer Laughlin has been around since the early 1900's.  Homer and his brother actually started making dinnerware in the late 1800's but his brother sold his share and it became the Homer Laughlin company in the early 1900's.  This is the company that produced the famous Fiesta line from the thirties until the sixties.  Plus thousands more before and after the fact. 

I found two different stamps on the whole lot.  F 49 N 6 and B 49 N 6.  Once I Googled how to read the stamp, I learned the F and B at the beginning was the month they were manufactured.  So B was February and F was June.  And the year?  1949!  Thus the next number in sequence 49.  N 6 was the plant in which they were produced.  

I was so excited to behold this treasure and after questioning Daddy as to where he got them, he replied," In an old trailer I traded for and then later resold.  That was just part of the junk I had to clean out of it!" 

One person's junk is another person's treasure.

Lovely!

Mini Paperless Cupcakes Waiting For Icing

Paperless Kitchen Progress

The paperless kitchen challenge is going great so far. Largely in part due to drastically reducing our use of paper towels last year. I’m thinking that had we not done that and went cold turkey this year, then we would be sweating a little. I got used to reaching for a hand towel last year so the no-paper-towel-thing hasn’t really bothered me.

But let me show you my top shelf in the pantry.

EEEEEK!!!!!

But there’s paper products in my paperless kitchen?!?!

Well, yes there is. And here’s why.

The paper towels are still from that ridiculously overpriced package I bought last year-October 7, 2011. The fact we still have 8 rolls left(can't see them all in the pic) is promising. I’m not going to throw away money either so they’ll sit up there until life happens and I just can’t bear to touch it with a regular towel. With three people and three pets those things happen sometimes. They’ll also be good during hunting season and processing meat. Less regular towels to sanitize. But once they’re gone, they’re gone!

The package of napkins and paper plates were purchased at Christmas. I made cinnamon rolls for the guys at my husband’s work and sent those along to be used. Come to find out, another fellow brought meatballs that day along with disposable napkins and plates so these never got opened.

The paper cups are from Charlie. He went to work sick a few weeks ago and instead of buying high priced individual orange juice cartons he purchased a half gallon and bought these cups to drink it out of. So I have what’s left in my pantry. They can be used when we have kids around or this summer when we have pool parties.

The resealable bags are from meat processing over the winter. And will be used for that next winter or over the summer/fall to store our garden produce.

The biggest problem I have had is not using paper plates. Sometimes over the course of a busy weekend it’s hard to fight the urge to grab those instead. But then I have to remind myself that it only takes a few seconds to wash a plate.

It takes twenty one days typically to make a habit and the habit is there. But sometimes so is temptation. (smile)

So what about your challenges this year? Resolutions? I hope you are succeeding in them.

“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”-Napoleon

Moving Forward in 2012!

Have a great day!

Kristi.

Tortillas

I love using homemade tortillas. They are quick and easy and inexpensive to make. Make up a batch fresh when needed or make ahead and store in the refrigerator. Make up a really big batch and freeze until needed.

They can be used for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, etc.  Fried for chips. Or my favorite is a breakfast burrito on the weekend breakfast menu. Made with bacon or sausage and scrambled eggs, sprinkle with cheese and served with salsa. Yum!

One other way is to lay a layer of pepperoni on bottom, add in black olives is desired, cheese, and a little pizza sauce. Plus any other ingredients like ham if you wish. Then fold burrito style and fry in oil. Tastes just like the pizza rolls from the deli only better because you control how much sauce and ingredients are in them.

My favorite tortilla recipe:

Tortillas

1 ¾ cup all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ cup all vegetable shortening

Cut shortening in until large clumps are gone. Add in ½ cup hot water (not boiling) Knead for about 3 minutes. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Divide into balls for desired size tortillas. Roll out thin and cook med-high for 1 minute, flip and cook for 1 minute, flip back to 1^st side and cook for 1 minute more. (Puffing up is normal.) If making to use right away store under a dampened towel. To reheat from the frig I place under a damp towel and microwave until warm and pliable.



Happy eating!