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Our New "Used" Dining Chairs
I'm catching up on pictures:
We were in bad need of a dining room table and chairs. Our chairs were falling apart and as was our table...beyond repair. I've been looking for a nice set at yard sales and resale shops for a couple years but I really didn't find anything that I liked. I found this set (1 table with a leaf and 6 chairs) at a yard sale for $35. And I liked it...so did hubby!
The only thing I didn't like was the vinyl on the chairs. But that in my opinion was an easy fix.
$30 later, new foam padding and pretty fabric that matches our red dining room.
Saving Electricity Update
Original post: http://www.homesteadblogger.com/annreathome/59457/Saving+Electricity.html
The Kill-A-Watt device arrived yesterday and Hubby was able to test a few things. Here are a few that he tested:
The fridge is constantly using a minimum of 200 watts.
The coffee maker takes a whopping 2 watts to show the time...but 970 watts each time we make a pot of coffee! Should have went with the stove-top perculator when we were looking at them!
The microwave we use mostly to heat up a cuppa coffee...many times a day...was off the Kill-A-Watt scale! (Do we really NEED a microwave???)
Our TV was using almost 10 watts when it was off!
We use a fan since we don't have an air conditioner...it takes 40 watts on low...46 watts on high. Not sure how that compares to an air conditioner.
Listen to my radio is only 2 watts.
My Kitchen Aid mixer is 45 watts.
My iron is 1200 watts!
Update:
Dishwasher uses 640 watts.
Dryer went up to 750 watts when it started up, then stayed around 300 watts while it ran.
Still have to get the info on the computer stuff, DVD player, fish tank, cordless phones etc. We have so much more that plugs in now than we did when we lived in Michigan...when I had nearly $10 a month electric bills. Hubby and I were discussing last night things we chould change over to non-electric...like the coffee maker...and do we really need 4 cordless phones???
Again...I'm not buying into "man-made" global warming , but I do buy into being frugal and getting out of debt  .
Re-Painting The Awful Orange Dining Room
****************HAPPY DANCE****************
FINALLY getting rid of that awful nacho cheese orange paint in the dining room. Since the kitchen and dining room are open to each other, we are painting then the same lovely shade of red (pictures here).
Hubby took the opporunity to fix some problems with the walls too.
Boo helping prime the walls. Painting tip...cut out the side of a clean milk jug and fill with paint. It's easier to carry around and it's not as messy as carrying around a paint can, and cheaper than buying a special little bucket.
The walls are primed and ready for RED!
It already looks better and this is just the first coat!
The first coat is done, we'll be doing the second coat tomorrow. I love it!!
Boo's First Birdhouse Occupied
A few years ago Hubby and Boo built a little birdhouse out of scrap wood. It didn't really look like a bird house to me, but I was excited they were doing little projects like that. A couple weeks ago Hubby and Boo put the little birdhouse in our backyard tree. A few days ago we noticed it is now occupied by one of the local doves.
Favorites: Clean Underwear
A blast from the past, this post was originally posted last year on Friday, September 9, 2005
"Nothing says I love you like clean underwear!" - FlyLady
I'm a bit behind on my laundry. I try to get a load done each day, but right now I'm a little behind. So this afternoon will be spent trying to catch up.
I actually don't mind doing laundry. I find it kinda theraputic, especially when I'm hanging clothes outside on the clothesline. I like to use the clothesline because it's saves us money. Our dryer right now is electric and it has to be run twice to get everything dry. I think the clothes smell better anyway. :) It's also a good time to pray for my hubby and son, and thank the Lord for what he's blessed us with. When I do use the dryer it's either raining outside, or I just run it for a few minutes to fluff the towels up before they get folded and put away.
I also like to make my own laundry soap. I take 1/3 bar of grated Fels Naptha soap and add it to 6 cups of boiling water. Once that is completely melted I add 1/2 cup of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda!) and 1/2 cup Borax. When that is disolved, I add the soap mixture to 1 quart of hot water in a 2-gallon bucket and mix. I fill the bucket up with hot water and mix everything up well, then I let it sit over night (about 24-hours). You can also add your favorite essential oil to it, I like lavendar. I use about a half cup per load unless the clothes are really dirty, then I use a full cup. I also use about a half cup of white vinegar as a fabric softener. No, it doesn't make everything smell like vinegar. Vinegar has so many household uses, but I'll save that for another day! LOL
My son is a wonderful laundry helper. He brings his dirty clothes to the laundry room, he helps fold things like towels, wash cloths and jeans, he puts his clothes away, even helps by handing me clothes pins when I'm hanging things up. I love him! *smile*
Psalm 51:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Have mercy upon me,
O God,According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
This is cute, I got it in an email quite a while ago:
A Recipe For Washing Clothes
Years ago, a grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe for washing clothes. It appears below just as it was written, and despite the spelling, has a bit of philosophy. This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrap book (with spelling errors and all).
1. Bilt fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water.
2. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.
3. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in bilin water.
4. Sort things, make 3 piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags.
5. To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with bilin water.
6. Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and then bile. Rub colored don't bile, just rinch and starch.
7. Take things out of kettle with broomstick handle, then rinch, and starch.
8. Hang old rags on fence.
9. Spread tea towels on grass.
10. Pore rinch water in flower bed.
11. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
12. Turn tubs upside down.
13. Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, drink it and rock a spell and count your blessings.
I'm off to do my laundry and count my blessings!
Favorites: The Complete Tightwad
A blast from the past, this post was originally posted last year on September 7, 2005 on my old blog. Our financial situation did change...for the better PRAISE GOD! God is so faithful...our God is an AWESOME God!
"And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine." Genesis 41:35-36
Our financial situation may be changing in the next 6 months, not for the better. As keeper of my home I am stepping up to the plate to tighten our belts and make sure we are prepared for whatever happens. My husband likened our situation to the story of Joseph, and now much like Joseph I'm getting ready to store up during the good months so that we will not be struggling through our impending "famine" months.
I've pulled out The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn to re-read. It's the best $5 I've ever spent on Ebay. :) While all the tips she presents in her book may not apply, the book itself can be a good read to give you ideas and put you into the frugal mind set. Even though it's not a Christian-based book, it's one of the books I think every good home keeper should have.
So I'll pray about our situation, trusting that the Lord's plan for our life is much better than anything we can come up with. And I will start preparing my household for the potential famine.
Here is a recipe from The Complete Tightwad Gazette for Bean-Bacon Chowder:
6 slices bacon, cut up
1 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
2 medium potatoes, peeled
1/4 tsp crushed dried thyme
1 22-oz jar of baked beans or substitue homemade
1/4 cup snipped parsley
Cook bacon and onion in a saucepan until bacon is lightly browned and onion is tender. Blend in flour. Add milk; cook and stir until bubbly. Dice potatoes; add with thyme, 1 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes or till the potatoes are done. Stir in beans and heat through. Top with parsley. Serves six.
OK...What's the secret to white whites??
I'll admit it...I'm not great at doing laundry. I've actually ruined a fair share of clothes in the process. I found out the hard way that some clothes should be washed alone...or that I should look harder to make sure no colored socks end up with the whites. But the one I haven't figured out yet is why do all my whites end up looking so dingy after a while? I just pulled out a load of whites from the washer to put into the dryer (since it's raining outside) and the brand new t-shirts I got for Boo make everything else look like it's never been washed. I use bleach but it doesn't seem to be helping. Maybe the bleach is the problem? I feel awful that my family is running around in whites that really aren't white anymore. I'm tempted to try that Oxy stuff...but it's awfully expensive. Does that work? Are there any more frugal tried and true alternatives?
Frugal Household Rags
I had a old set of lovely, soft flannel twin sheets that I've had since I moved out on my own and recently when they were pulled out of the dryer I found a big hole in the fitted sheet.  I was bummed. So I looked at it seeing if there was some way I could just patch the hole and keep using them, but I couldn't. Being the pack rat...I mean frugal recycler that I am, I set them in my sewing corner until I could figure out what to do with them. I thought, "Well, maybe I can make flannel pillow cases out of them, or a flannel night gown..." etc. Well, I didn't do anything with them for quite a while. One day hubby came home with a package of rags that he bought for the garage, (me: "You paid money for rags??) That got me to thinking that I could use some rags for the kitchen instead of using paper towels all the time. So I decided to use that old flannel sheet set to make some rags for my kitchen. I cut out generouse sized squares and I had a nice pile of rags. I didn't even bother to sew up the edges. I took a couple of them and sewed them together to use as dish cloths. They worked well for use around the kitchen...actually all around the house especially for dusting. Now I'm keeping an eye out for other old fabric items or clothes that I can recycle...like the blue jeans that I'm going to one day turn into a quilt for Boo.
ANTS!! ICK!!
My kitchen is being invaded by these tiny little brown ants. I've spent yesterday and today scrubbing my kitchen and they are still coming in. I really hate to buy chemicals or poisons to get rid of them...but they are really annoying. I'd like to try some natural ways to get rid of them, but I just don't know what works. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.
I feel pretty! Wearing Dresses
I personally enjoy wearing dresses. Pretty, colorful, flowing dresses. I used to be dissappointed that I didn't have more opportunities to wear them. Today I make every day an opportunity to wear them. While I don't wear them 100% of the time, I do wear them quite a bit. I feel more feminine and ladylike in dresses. So much more so than in the jeans, sweats and T-shirts. Hubby likes it better when I wear dresses and skirts. And for some odd reason, when I'm in a dress...and especially when I add an apron...my day seems to go much better.
A real woman…is glad she’s a woman and rejoices in her femininity, expressing it through her attitude, appearance and bearing.
(from http://www.therebelution.com/A%20Real%20Woman.pdf)
1 Timothy 2:8-10
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.
My Household Binder
Homekeeping Planner
Command Center
Control Journal
Household Organizer
Home Management Notebook
Call it what ever you like, it's all the same. It's a notebook or a three ring binder that holds your calendars, schedules, menus, bills and more all together in one place. The three ring binder allows you to change your binder around as your household needs change. I started my own binder way before my son (he's 6 now) was born after I learned about Flylady's control journal. Unfortunately Flylady's methods never really worked for me, so I ended up coming up with my own version of a control journal. While I love the idea of the three ring binders with the pockets where you can slip in your own covers, I went with something more durable and clutz friendly ...a nylon binder with a zipper to keep things from falling out. Not very pretty, but functional. I have noticed that there are some really pretty binders out there now for back to school, so I'm thinking I might be updating mine soon. I'll let you know!
One of the things I really like about this binder is that it already has pockets for notepads, pencils and such. Even so, I have a zippered pouch for extra pencils, paper clips, stamps etc.
Since I can't print out a cover for the outside, I printed one off for the inside and put it in a plastic page protector. On it I printed Proverbs 31:25-28.
After that I printed title pages for each section. I have tabs that are stuck to the plastic page protectors. This way I can change the divider pages easily if I need to.
My section titles are:
Calendars/Schedules/To Do Lists
Activities - To keep track of info on 4H, scouts, church, homeschool group etc.
Finances - Budgets and bills.
Addresses & Phone Numbers
Household & Cleaning - Cleaning info and articles
Bible - Studies, prayer requests, notes etc.
Parenting & Child Training - Articles and info.
Homeschool - Lesson plans, attendance charts, articles etc.
Meals - Menus, recipes etc.
Special Occasions - Plans, ideas and gift lists for birthdays and holidays
Projects - Plans for things we are working on such as our vacation or remodeling our kitchen
References - Articles, catalogs, flyers and things I like to refer back to as needed
Misc. - Anything I can't find a home for
Here are some that I think you will enjoy checking out:
Stephanie's Household Management Binder
Melissa's Home Management Binder
Clasically Speaking's Household Notebook
You may know of some others...or maybe your own. I'd love to hear about it.
I have my own daily planner pages that I print off. They aren't elegant, but they are functional. If you look in the right column on my blog page you'll find copies there that you are welcome to use. Here are some other websites where you can find info and printable pages for your own binder:
A Virtuous Woman
Organized Home
Control Journal from Flylady
Donna Young Printables
Frugal Electricity
With all the heat we've been having lately I've been hearing all over the news asking people to conserve electricity. I have to admit that I do use more electricity than I really want to. Back when we lived in Michigan (my frugal days) my average electric bill during the summer was around $10 each month. My electric bills are MUCH more than that here. I need to get back to being frugal with everything including electricity. Times like this I would love to learn more from our Amish neighbors.
We really don't realize how many things we have around the house that are continuously using electricity, even if it is just a little. Microwave, clock radios, VCRs etc. are always showing their little displays. We now have cordless phones that need to be plugged into the wall. We have all sorts of gadgets that have batteries than need charging like cell phones etc. It all adds up.
Here are some of my suggestions:
Turn off lights and unplug unneeded appliances and electronics. Use natural light as much as possible. Our old house had poor lighting so we spent a lot of time outside in the summer...which isn't a bad thing anyway!
Consider replacing electric appliances with non-electric versions like can openers, knives, popcorn poppers. I won't part with my crockpot though!
As you replace burned out bulbs in your lights, invest in flourescent bulbs. They take less wattage and you should see an immediate difference in your electric bills. These bulbs also last longer than regular bulbs.
Our dryer is electric so I try to use the clothes line when the weather is nice, even during the winter.
Keep all your appliances (fridge, washer, dryer, freezer etc.) and light fixtures clean and maintained. They will run more efficiently if they are maintained properly.
BBQ more often instead of cooking indoors.
Use your landscape to help you save money on your electric bills. Strategically planting trees and strubs around your house can help cool it in the summer and keep it warm in the winter.
Then there are little things...and the pennies really do add up. Wash your dishes by hand instead of running the dishwasher. After brewing a pot of coffee, store the coffee in a caraff and turn the coffee maker off. Turn your computer off when it isn't being used.
I'd love to hear some of the things you all do to save on your electricity bill.
Crocheted Dishcloths
I was trying to think up some new designs for crocheted dishcloths. I'd like to make some up for my business to sell and some to give as gifts. Well, didn't really come up with anything new, but I do have a new supply of pretty dishcloths for my kitchen.
Bargain Buy
I need to get organized badly. I've been looking for nice bookcases to put in my dining room for quite a while now. I have several piles of books that need a home. I really haven't found any good, sturdy bookcases that didn't cost an arm and leg. Saturday we went to our favorite super store and they just happened to be having a clearance sale on some of their furniture. I flipped through some of it and there they were. Two sturdy bookcases marked 75% off. Hubby agreed that they were a really good deal and we even had room in the truck to bring them home. While we were waiting for the stock person to bring a flat bed cart to help us get them to our truck, another couple who were also waiting mentioned that we might want to check the front of the store for a coupon that would give us an addition 25% off any clearance items. We found the coupon and walked out of the store with two sturdy bookcases that were originally $80 and we got them for $15 each. Hubby wants to finish painting the dining room before we put them up, but he is anxious to get them up and get all the piles of books that are currently on the floor in them.
Too Much Stuff
My home is cluttered. Piles here, piles there, piles everywhere. Truthfully I don't have enough storage space in my home. But that isn't an excuse to be a clutterbug. When we moved two years ago I got rid of bags and bags of stuff to the local resale shop. We also put quite a bit of trash out on the curb. But two years later I'm realizing that I still have way too much stuff. It first dawned on me when we started painting the kitchen and dining room and I began to move things out. It hit home again as I was trying to get my house ready for the company that was coming in from out of town. The final hit was hearing people from another country who were astounded not only at the size of our homes here in the states, but all the stuff that we had in them.
Do I really need every kitchen gadget known to man? Do I really need all the doilies, candles, nic nacs and decorations I have all around the house, most of which are just dust collectors and not even meaningful? Do I really need a closet jammed full of clothes, half of which I don't really care for? Does every available space in my home have to have something stuffed in it?
Well, this is food for thought for me. The clutter is actually stressful. I'm already organizationally challenged, so having to find homes for all this stuff only makes additional chaos for me. A lovely, peaceful home is something I long for. When I get behind in getting things done, it's depressing for me. Add to that the fact that when I start something, I feel obligated to finish it until it's "perfect". So I could spend half the day cleaning the fridge until it's like new and not get anything else done because I spent too much time on that one thing. So I am now on a mission to declutter. I grew up in a cluttered home. I was also never taught how to take care of a home. It's been a slow process to get to where I am now, and I still have more to go.
I'm not exactly sure where to start (another problem for me) but sitting here at my computer desk I'm thinking that most of the stuff here needs to go. I'm going to make a goal to take a load of stuff off to a charity store on Monday. I'll let you know how I do.
Matthew 6:19-20
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
MORE Laundry
When I'm behind on laundry and I wash and dry here in the house, I actually dread it. I'd rather clean toilets. So why is it that washing the clothes and hanging them out to dry on the line makes me feel so much more productive, and I actually enjoy it? It's more work!
Today was a perfect day to hang laundry out on the line. It's a bit breezy and chilly (about 45F) but I loved being outside hanging up the clothes. There is a sparrow nest in the neightbors yard and I can hear the chirping chicks whenever the mama lands on the fence near it. I also saw a fat rabbit run through the back of my yard. Probably still full from eating my crocuses.
I am almost completely caught up on laundry. I just have a couple more loads to do (I'm saving those for tomorrow) and I can say I'm caught up. Yippy!
Tomorrow we are staring a lunchtime play date at a nearby park. I was planning on taking Boo there tomorrow so I thought I would email the other moms and see if they wanted to join us. Not sure if we'll be the only ones there, but we'll have lots of fun even if we are. Off to finish schooling for today.
Psalm 85:7-9
Show us Your mercy, LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.
I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them not turn back to folly.
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.
Laundry, Laundry and MORE Laundry
Today is laundry day. Again, I'm a bit behind but hopefully not overwhelmed. I ran out of laundry soap and kept procrastinating on making more. So Saturday I made some more and I'm ready to get caught up on laundry.
The weather here is warmer, high today is supposed to be around 50F. But it's raining so I'll be drying everything in the dryer. I can't wait to get back to hanging things out on the line. The Amish in this area hang everything out regardless of the temperature. I don't see how things will dry when it's freezing outside, but maybe they know something that I don't. Anyway, I'm not that brave. If it's too cold outside, I'm a wimp. lol
I'm also planning on making some bread today. Two loaves of wheat bread. It's been coming out really nice since I increased the size of the recipe. Now that I have this recipe down, I think I'm ready to move on to other bread recipes. Hubby is hoping I'll try a pumpernickle. I'd like to try some Ezekiel bread. If you have a tried and true recipe for either I'd love to try it.
Back to the laundry. The recipe I use is the common Fels Naptha recipe. It's worked really well for me so far. Here's the recipe:
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
1/3 bar of Fels Naptha Laundry Soap
1/2 cup of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not the same thing as baking soda)
1/2 cup of Borax
Mix grated Fels Naptha soap with 3 pints of water and heat until dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup Borax. Mix and heat until all ingredients are dissolved and thickened and remove from heat. Add 1 quart of hot water to a 2-3 gallon bucket. Add the soap mixture and mix well. Add 5 ½ quarts cold water (or enough to make 2 gallons total mixture). Mix until well blended. Set aside for 24 hours to gel. Mix before each use. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.
This recipe not only works well, but it's frugal too (and I LOVE frugal!).
Have a blessed and productive day!
Revelation 1:4-6
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
This weeks Proverbs 31 Challenge
From http://www.31women.blogspot.com/
Day One
1. Be awake for 3 sunrises (verse 15)
Chalk up one as done. It was nice to be able to see hubby off to work.
2. Prepare 2 fabulous meals for your family, roommates, or friends (verse 15)
Done. This is actually pretty easy, I try to do this every night. Tonight is cornish hens with rice, carrots and spinach salad.
3. Exercise vigorously for 30 minutes 3 times (verse 17, verse 25)
Does working out in the garden count? I spaded some of it. Hmmm....Ok, I'll be putting the video in this afternoon after homeschool is done.
4. Memorize 3 Scripture verses (verse 26)
Yikes. DS has beem memorizing scriptures for homeschooling so I will go all out and memorize the whole Psalm 23 this week.
5. Skip all desserts but 2 (except for Sunday--verse 17, verse 25)
This is another easy one. I don't make a lot of desserts. Most have far too much sugar anyway.
Another Great Challenge
The Proverbs 31 Weekly Challenge: She says. "This idea is the fruit of years of meditation on Proverbs 31, a lifetime of needing more discipline, and some special experiences of Christian sisterhood in striving to be like the Proverbs 31 woman."
http://www.31women.blogspot.com/
I'm up for this challenge too!
Introducing "The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge!"
From DANDELION SEEDS Blog (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DandelionSeeds/)
Begins April 1st! She says "This is going to be "official" so, get your printers on "standby", your ink cartridges filled, and paper ready cuz we're going to be putting together a "To Do List" that's gonna help us get on track... both in heart and home (while keeping the fact that we're homeschool moms in mind as well)!"
I'm on board! :)
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