Book Review: Family Feasts for $75 a Week.

This is a wonderfull cookbook from a blogging mom! You can read about her and her family of 12 at Owlhaven.

After reading the book, I like the wonderful Mrs. Ostyn writes about her family life and how she adapts recipes for her family. I like the easy recipes and her hints on ways to make them even for frugal!

I fixed Chili Corn Pone Pie (pg 112) for my family the other day. Overall it recieved good reviews. The only desenter was my youngest who is not partial to beans, expect of the green variety. LOL For my family, I will make it saucier next time, but there will be a next time with this recipe. Which is a good thing!

So, if you are in the market for a new cookbook, check out "Family Feasts for $75 a Week" by Mary Ostyn.

**I am not receiving any kind of compensation for this review. I even bought the cookbook myself.**

Blizzard of 2010

That's how the local news is describing it. LOL This is from the first wave of the storm. I was going to get some pictures of todays new one, but the wind was SO bad that it was pure white outside most of the day. Maybe I can get some pictures tomorrow.

I had not realized I have been THAT busy!

I have been working full time at the school and I am taking a full course load of classes this semester. Add that to keeping house, I am one BUSY lady!

I do not want life to get in the way of my blogging, but I am not sure how I am going to work my posts into my schedule. Maybe I can plan to spend 10-15 minutes a night thinking of things to write about and then another 10-15 minutes in the morning posting those thoughts.

I still need to be frugal, but how I do that is changing. I can not spend as much time cooking as I used to, but I don't want to start buying convenience food either. Not just because of costs, but also because of health reasons!

I will work this out and start posting more.

Being hit by a spammer!

Wow.... I have had one post being spammed lately! I have deleted at least 10 comments in the last 3 days.

So... the best way to (hopefully) resolve this problem is to set up a comment moderation for any posts older than 5 days.

I hate to do this, but I am getting tired of that one post being spammed. Weird how spammers minds work.

Ha Ha....so much for my blogging more often!

Seriously though... I really meant to, it's just life seems to get in the way!

I have recently acquired a substitute position that could last until the end of the school year. I am very happy about that, but also realize that I will have to become much more organized if I plan to stay within a reasonable grocery budget.

Meaning.... planiing meals in advance, using my slow-cooker more often and NOT relying on frozen pre-cooked meals or even fast food for dinners.

Another expense is lunches for myself. I have so far just fixed a sandwich the same time I fixed them for the kids' lunches, but I will have to look into varying that a bit. I get bored quickly with lunches and would hate to start hitting the snack machine because I was not prepared.

I do look to this as another stage in my life and hope that it leads to a permanent position.

Busy with my own schoolwork...

I know, I am a bad blogger. But I do have an excuse! I have been subbing alot and keeping up with my college classes!

I will truly try and do better. Maybe set up certain days of the week to post, even if it is just an update on us.

I will let you all know. :-)

Another generation to appreciate "Anne of Green Gables"

Okay... so I have made it a habit of getting books on CD from the library. Mainly because there is not alot of good music on the radio today and also because I like to listen to them while I am driving.

The latest that I have been listening to is "Anne of Green Gables." One of my all time favorites. I have read it SO many times over the years.

Guess who now wants her own copy of the book? You guessed it, my 8 year old! Older brother does not want to admit to it, but he is getting into the story also. LOL

Almost a month....

since I posted last. Bad Molly!

Things have been super busy here!

My classes are going smoothly and I am subbing like crazy! Alot more than this time last year! That's okay, I am extremely grateful for the hours!

The garden is winding down. I took a picutre of the yummy watermelon we harvested (yes, it appears we will only get ONE from the three plants I planted! :-( ), but I can not find it..it is on the computer somewhere. LOL

I hope to get some carrots and turnips in the ground to have some for a fall harvest... but we will see what happens.

Here is to hoping everyone is happy and healthy!

Back from vacation!

Had a wonderful week at the beach...and not back to reality! LOL

Tomorrow will be getting back into the swing of a normal routine, well at least for two weeks until school starts again, and then a new, new routine. LOL

Laundry will be first on the list tomorrow, then wiping down bathrooms and checking out what can be done in the garden since we were gone for a week!

Gearing up for the next semester of college!

I currently have two weeks left of this summer class I am taking. Actually only one, since we leave for our vacation next Sunday. :-)

I am taking four classes this Fall.... I am getting so excited! I am starting to look into which school I will transfer into after I get my degree from the community college!

The kiddos are gearing up for the start of school also. It starts August 24th...same day that my college classes start. LOL

I have been canning green beans from the garden. :-) That and dehydrating beans and squash!

I am loving my dehydrator!

The economy....

Like many people we have been efffected by the economy. For us, it was mainly just the increase prices more than anything else, but not anymore.

Starting with the final pay period of this month, DH is "receiving" a pay cut. :-( It is not major, but it will take some adjusting.

We are trying to look on the positive and remind ourselves that a small paycut is much better than a pink slip!

In response to this new pay rate, I will be increasing my efforts in the area of getting the most for my grocery dollar.

Here are my first line of defense:

1. Making a menu and STICKING to it! No more, "I don't feel like ____" and then running to the store for something that does not need to defrost!

2. Making better use of leftovers. This is something I have been bad about lately.

3. Making even MORE things from scratch. (I need to find a sub roll recipe for DH's lunches)

4. I will NOT impulse buy anymore!

There will be more things I will add to my list, plus I will go back and read some of my earlier blog posts when I was alot more strict in the grocery area.

more pics....

Pictures for a friend....

These are from the last couple of months... so pretty recent.





I will post a couple more later.... promise!

Interested in learning about gardening, preserving and other skills from our ancestors?

Then join us here:

OMG I love this tool!

Besides that fact that I am posting twice in one day....

I just had to tell you all about a garden tool I found out about from a wonderful blogger! The Grocery Cart Challenge

She calls her a "halo hoe," but my local Home Depot calls it an "action hoe." Either way, I consider it a God-send!

I went out and weeded my "trouble" area... the paths between my bean plants! It was a breeze and took just a matter of minutes on a job that usually takes ALOT longer and requires bending over the whole time!

School's out for the summer....

Okay... this is actually the fourth day of their summer vacation, but I am a "bad" blogger... so I am just now getting to it. he he he

Summer plans this year include... visits to Kings Dominion. We get season passes to this amusement park.

Visit my mom a few times, first time will be the 4th of July weekend.

Going to Myrtle Beach in August. Only four of us are going... Donny has to work. Such is the life of a young adult needing money for spending during the sollege semesters....

I have signed the kiddos up for the library's summer reading program..and have a few projects to do with them for fun.

Watching the neighbor boy also... so at least Ian has a playmate. They will have to just get over having to play with a girl. :-)

Ouch...almost a month and a half has gone by...

since I last posted!

Been so busy! College ending for the semester, starting the next semester. Donny coming home and getting resettled.

My mom had her surgery and is recovery very nicely!

Just ALOT going on!

The Sun is Out!

So what am I doing inside at the computer? LOL

Well, I am having my lunch right now... so that is why. hehehe

I have two loads of towels and sheets out on the line, I have a basket of clean clothes waiting to be folded and I have another in the washer.

I love when it is warm and dry, since clothes dried on the line are just so... homey! (Plus the savings on the electric bill are nice also!)

Nisan 14

Tomorrow (April 9th) after sundown will begin the date of Nisan 14. The day that Jesus gave his life so that all of us can have the opportunity to receive everlasting life.

His perfect life in exchange for Adam's sin.

We observe this with a special meeting where we read remember, through scriptures, the events leading up to his sacrifice.

I have always found it rather funny

when people use their blogs to “condemn” other people’s religion.*

Especially when these people have never really looked into what the others believe, but just take whatever their own church’s so-called “expert” says about what the other religion believes.

If you want to know what a person in a certain religion believes…. Ask someone that is currently a member of that religion.

Thank you!


*I might not agree with another religion’s beliefs, but I do not use my blog to condemn any of those religions. I will post what I believe and that is all.