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Shared Mar 4, 2017 comment

Brigette’s $61 Grocery Shopping Trip, Zaycon Order, and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 4, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 pkg Zucchini – $2.49

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $2.29

1 pkg String Cheese – $2.79

2 pkgs Baby Carrots – $1.98

2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.98

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.98

1 bag Organic Kale – $2.49

3 1-lb bags Fresh Asparagus – $3.47

2 bags Whole Bean Coffee – $7.98

1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.79

1 box Crisp Rice – $1.39

1 box Raisin Bran – $1.79

1 box Honey Nut Oats – $1.19

1 box Crispy Oats – $1.19

1 box Honey Crunch Oats – $1.49

1 2.32lb pkg 90/10 Ground Hamburger (@ $1.99/lb) – $4.62

1 jar Baby Dill Pickles – $1.29

1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.79

1 24-oz jar Spaghetti Sauce – $1.19

1 canister Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – $2.39

1 pkg Turkey Pepperoni – $2.19

1 jar Parmesan Cheese – $2.69

1 bag Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips – $1.09

1 2-lb bag Lemons – $1.29

1 gallon Whole Milk – $2.59

1 gallon Skim Milk – $0.25 (expiring in 6 days)

1 bunch Bananas (2.83lbs @ $0.44/lb) – $1.25

Total: $61.13

Zaycon

(It was time for another biannual Zaycon chicken haul! Here is 40lbs of it – there’s another 40lb not pictured! It takes a decent amount of work on my part to get it cut into portion size pieces and into the freezer, but in my opinion it is SO worth it! I did not trim ANY fat off of the meat in this picture, so as you can see – there is almost no waste. I have used Zaycon for years and always been impressed with their fresh meat and fantastic prices! The links above are my referral links, but I’d love for you to check it out whether you use my link or not. I seriously can’t say enough good things about how much I LOVE Zaycon! :))

80lbs of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts ($1.67/lb) – $133.60

~Used $133.60 of Referral Credit

Total: FREE (Even though I’m thrilled to have gotten all this meat free, thanks to many of you, that’s NOT why I promote this company! I buy their products regardless of whether or not I have credits. 😉)

Grocery Total for the Week: $61.13

Weekly Menu Plan

(We still have LOTS of apples and cauliflower left over from my bulk purchases last week, as well as eggs, potatoes, grapes and lettuce that need to be used up)

Breakfasts

Apple Banana Smoothies, Hard Boiled Eggs x 2

Cereal x 3

Oatmeal x 2

Lunches

Baked Sweet Potatoes, Apples with Peanut Butter

Leftovers x 4

Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter and Jelly, Mini Peppers, Grapes x 2

Dinners

Hamburgers on the Grill with Homemade Buns, Baked French Fries, Asparagus

Grilled Pepperoni Pizza, Grilled Cauliflower, Apple Slices

Scrambled Eggs with Ham and Cheese (ham is from the freezer), Big Daddy Biscuits, Parmesan Zucchini

Crock Pot Garlic-Rosemary Chicken, Asparagus, Big Daddy Biscuits

Taco Salad (I use ground venison in place of ground beef), Basic Fried Rice, Carrots

Meat Potato Quiche, Fried Kale, Homemade Applesauce

Leftovers

Shared Mar 3, 2017 comment

How to Freeze Taco Meat

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 3, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Once you know how to freeze taco meat, it’s a super simple way to save money on your grocery budget! Just buy meat when it’s on sale and freeze for later!

Looking for more items you can freeze? Check out this list of 10 things you didn’t know you could freeze!

One great staple item to keep in your freezer is Taco Meat! You can use it in so many different recipes and it thaws really quickly so it makes for a great last-minute dinner idea if you forgot to pull something out from the freezer earlier in the day.

How to Make Taco Meat

To make the taco meat, brown the ground beef on the stovetop along with any filler items to it that you would like (see below) until fully cooked. Add taco seasoning or homemade taco seasoning to taste. Let cool. It’s as simple as that!

Save Money By Adding Filler Items to Your Taco Meat

Want to save money on meat? Add in some extra filler items for more flavor and to make the meat serve more people! Here are some filler ideas:

Lentils — You can cook lentils according to the package directions and then brown them with the ground beef. They are much cheaper than beef and no one will be the wiser.
Ground Turkey — We like to add some ground turkey in when we cook ground beef. It’s less expensive, but you still get the taste of ground beef (which we prefer over ground turkey).
Tomatoes — I like to add in a can of tomatoes per pound of ground beef. It adds a fresh flavor and it saves money!
Onions — We LOVE onions at our house — especially when you saute them in taco meat! I typically add one onion per pound of meat. (I used red onions in the meat pictured because that’s what we had on hand!)
Beans — You can add any canned beans or cooked beans to taco meat. I typically add 1-2 cups or cans per pound of ground beef.

How to Freeze Taco Meat

To freeze the taco meat, cool completely and then measure into ziptop freezer bags. Be sure to remove all of the air from the bag before sealing. Label the bag and the amount of Taco Meat you put into the bag.

To thaw it, just pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Or, you can run the bag under cold water until it is loosened up enough to dump out of the bag. Heat on the stovetop or in the microwave and use!

Our Favorite Ways to Use Taco Meat

Taco Meat is so versatile and can be used in many more recipes than just plain old tacos! Some of our favorite recipes are: Crockpot Taco Soup, Build-Your-Own Haystacks, Taco Potatoes, Taco Lettuce Wraps. You can also serve it over rice with cheese on top or spread some on a tortilla, sprinkle some cheese, roll it up and heat!

Watch me make the Taco Meat LIVE below — and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel here.

What are YOUR favorite ways to use Taco Meat? I’d love to hear!

Shared Feb 28, 2017 comment

3 “Weird” Things I Did to Get Rid of My Acne & Eczema (they’re FREE!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 28, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ve always struggled with my skin. Since the time I was a little girl, my skin has broken out in rashes and hives, it’s been dry, cracked, itchy, peeling, and bleeding.

Sometimes, it’s been all of these things at once. Sometimes, it’s just been some of them. But there’s always been something unsightly or uncomfortable going on with my skin.

It was worst on my feet when I was little girl and until I was pre-teen. I remember trying to pull off my socks or tights and having them be stuck on my feet because my feet would be cracked and bleeding and the socks would be stuck to the dried blood.

When I was about 12 years old, it moved to my hands. For years, I went to bed with Vaseline or Bag Balm and socks on my hands just to keep them from being all itchy, cracked, and bleeding.

My parents took me to dermatologists and we tried different creams and lotions. Nothing made a big difference, but at least I could manage it with the different lotions and being really careful what I kinds of things I touched, what jewelry I wore, and so on.

Some Days, I Didn’t Want to Look in the Mirror

The skin issues moved to face when I was an adult and it was kind of scary. It would be itchy, red, splotchy, dry, and swell up. Some days, I would wake up to my eyes almost swollen shut.

There was a short window of time when it got so bad that I didn’t want to look in the mirror because it was so discouraging and embarrassing. I tried to stay home as much as possible and when I had to go out, I would plaster my face with multiple layers of concealer and foundation, wear my hair so it would cover up the side of my face where it was the worst, and keep my head down.

The biggest problem over the years with my face has been that I have both acne and eczema and we’ve discovered that the majority of treatments for acne will flare up my eczema and the majority of treatments for acne will flare up my eczema.

Even though I never wanted to have to go on medication, for a number of years, I was on two different medicines plus two different topical steroids in order to have skin that — with a lot of good makeup — looked decent most of the time.

I Felt Like I Had Tried It All & Nothing Worked

I know that this is a very minor thing in the grand scheme of life. I know that the majority of the reason why this has been a struggle is because I care what people think and I like to avoid people staring at red splotches on my face, if I can help it.

But I won’t pretend that it’s not been extremely frustrating at times. I hate that during times when things got really bad skin-wise, I’ve avoided social situations and looking people in the eye just because I was self-conscious of red splotchy patches on my skin.

I always assumed that this was just my lot in life. I’d tried elimination diets. I once removed every single processed chemical from my diet for a 3-month period. I went off of dairy for a time period. I tried going gluten-free. I researched all sorts of natural remedies and tried them. I’ve done way more Googling than a person ever should about skin conditions.

And I’d gotten to a place where I just had decided: there’s nothing more I can do. Because I feel like I’m doing everything that the books and articles and doctors and experts are suggesting. It just doesn’t work for me.

But you guys, I was wrong.

Really wrong.

I looked through my pictures to try to find a “before” photo. This was the best I could find because I never published pictures when my face was really bad! But this one was a video I did with another company… and I look at this photo and read so much between the lines.

I was exhausted on this day… it was right in the middle of a crazy busy time where I was running myself ragged. Notice how short my nails were? That was because I was also a chronic nail biter and it always got worse when my anxiety was especially high.

The Email That Changed My Life

I happened to do a Periscope one day about a lesson that I’d learned from acne and how what I see in the mirror doesn’t have to dictate who I am or what I believe about myself.

One of my readers and Periscope followers, Rachel, emailed me that week and told me about her nutritionist. She said she had struggled with infertility for years and had been to many doctors — to no avail.

She had started working with a nutritionist and had gotten pregnant as a result of the health changes she had made. She told me how it had impacted her life in so many positive ways — one side effect was that her skin had cleared up.

Honestly, I get a lot of emails from readers with suggestions and there’s no way I can do them all or follow them all. But Rachel’s note intrigued me.

She wasn’t selling anything. There wasn’t any financial gain for her to share this information. And she had been working with this nutritionist for around two years. So I knew she wasn’t just suggesting something because it seemed like a good idea; she had proven it to be highly effective.

I went to Jesse and asked him what he would think about me trying this nutritionist. I was sure it wouldn’t work. But what if it did?

Jesse said I should at least look into it and see about trying the program for two months. I was quite confident the whole thing would be another one in a long string of disappointments. But you never know until you try, right?

The Elimination Diet Was Pure Torture!

Jason (the nutritionist) talked to me on the phone, gave me all of the details of the program, answered my questions, and got a lot of medical information from me. He explained that I was going to have to give up a lot of things at first — including COFFEE and sugar and basically every other food that I love.

I wanted to run and hide and pretend I’d never heard about this program. But I was too far in at that point to turn back. From the research I had done and what I felt in my heart, I knew I needed to try.

So I did. And it was pure torture in the beginning.

The detox was horrible. I was miserable. I went into this sort of withdrawal thing for a few days where I struggled to function and literally wanted to cry because I missed coffee and sugar so much. I realized that I had become addicted to sugar and that food was much more to me than just something I ate in order to nourish my body.

My Six Month Anniversary — And My Skin Is Better Than Ever!

Last week, I celebrated my six month anniversary of being on this eating plan. I’m now in Phase 3 and feel more amazing and energetic than I ever remember feeling.

And Rachel was right — my skin is clearer and healthier than it’s probably been since I was toddler!

This is the part where you probably expect me to try to pitch you some sort of product or diet or opportunity or something. But that’s not what this post is about. If you want details on my nutritionist, I’m happy to share them (just email me), but I wanted to tell you about the three things I changed that I believe have had the greatest effect on my skin.

I don’t have flawless skin — and I doubt I ever will. But my skin is remarkably better.

I Went Off All of My Meds & Prescription Creams!

Here’s the biggest reason I am excited: I am no longer on any medication — including the medications I was taking and prescription creams I was using for my acne and eczema. I can’t believe it! I still use an over-the-counter eczema cream when I stare having little flare-ups, but that’s it and it’s only as needed.

I only have minor eczema and acne breakouts and those are usually only once a month — instead of almost every few days! I still have a little eczema on my hands, but I rarely need to put anything on it. And some days, I go out without putting on a stitch of makeup — something I never dreamed I would consider doing!

My skin is a lot less dry, it feels so much softer, and it looks so much healthier and vibrant. I sometimes can’t even believe it’s my own skin when I look in the mirror because I just don’t recognize it!

The 3 Things That Made the Biggest Impact on My Skin (They’re FREE!)

Guess what? The three changes I made that have had the biggest on my skin are completely free. You don’t need to go run to the drugstore, you don’t need to shop online, you don’t have to go to a dermatologist, and you don’t need to spend any money at all.

1. I Cut Out Sugar-y Desserts

Y’all. I can’t believe I’m putting this on this list. You know I’m the woman with a massive sweet tooth. But it really is true: I believe that giving up sugar-y desserts have had a major impact on my skin.

Why do I say this? Because the few times I’ve had dessert in the past six months, my skin has broken out the following day. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

Now, don’t be feeling all badly for me about this, because in all honesty, when I crave dessert now, I crave something fruity and healthful. And sugar-y desserts taste way too sweet to me.

{I know. What is WRONG with me??! I gave up coffee and don’t really miss it + I’m saying that desserts are too sweet for me?? Is this a midlife crisis??}

2. I Drink a Gallon of Water Per Day

Yes, I do. And I think this is one of the big reasons my skin looks so much healthier and vibrant… It’s finally hydrated after years of being dehydrated!

If you are interested in all the details on how I drink a gallon of water per day and how I got started doing this, I shared all the details in this post here.

3. I Get Enough Sleep {Almost} Every Single Night

Okay, this one really surprised me. Why? Because I had no idea that I was woefully sleep-deprived and it was killing my complexion, among many other things.

I always just thought I was probably one of those people who could function on less sleep. I prided myself on the fact that I could go for a whole week and function well on 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours of sleep. I always tried to shoot for 7 hours, but I never did a lot to rearrange my life to make it consistently happen because I thought I was fine just as I was.

Jason (my nutritionist) started pushing me to really pay attention to how much sleep I was getting and how I felt as a result. He was convinced I wasn’t getting enough sleep and pushed me to try to make 7-8 hours of sleep per night my goal.

Well, let’s just say, I couldn’t deny the results. When I consistently got 7 hours of sleep per night for 5-6 nights in a row, I felt like a different woman! I was happier, healthier, less anxious, much more relaxed, and much more focused.

A huge added benefit was that my skin started looking remarkably better when I made sleep more of a priority.

Now, it’s rare for me to get less than 7 hours of sleep and I shoot for 7 1/2 to 8 hours every night. Yes, it means that I’ve had to re-prioritize some things to make it happen, but it has been SO worth it for me!

So there you go. Three free ways I’ve drastically improved my complexion. No dermatologist appointment required.

I can’t guarantee that if you try these things you’ll have the same results, but hey, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! 🙂

Shared Feb 27, 2017 comment

Gretchen’s $20 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on February 27, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

Since it’s the last week of the month and we’ve had lots of company over this month, I only had a little over $20 left in our grocery budget for this week. So I looked through our freezer and pantry and planned the menu off of what I had stock piled/leftovers in my refrigerator. I only purchased the necessities this week at the store and skipped all the great coupon deals.

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89

2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each, used $0.25 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.36 each after rebate

1 bag Green Peppers – $0.99

1 pkg Chicken Tenderloins – $4.36, used $1 off peelie coupon – $3.36 after coupon

1 loaf Bread – $0.99

1 bag Red Grapes – $1.98

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $0.99

1 pkg Cheddar Cheese – $1.89

Total after coupon and rebate: $12.82

Sprouts

1 lb Strawberries – $1.50

1 Pineapple – $0.98

1 Organic Celery – $0.98

2.76 lbs Pink Lady Apples @ $0.98/lb – $2.70, used $0.15 Ibotta rebate – $2.55 after rebate

0.71 lb Roma Tomaotes – $0.36

Total: $6.37

Dillons

1 Chobani Yogurt – Marked down to $0.49

2 Siggis Yogurt – Marked down to $0.79 each

1 gallon Dillons Milk – $1.99

1 pkg Oreos – $2.99, used Free Mobisave rebate AND $0.15 Ibotta rebate – Free plus overage after rebate

Total after rebates: $3.91

Total for all stores: $20.40

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal x 4

Toast & Eggs x 2

Oatmeal

Lunches

Macaroni & Cheese, Strawberries

Cheese, Crackers, Fruits and Veggies x 2

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Veggies x 2

Apples and Peanut Butter, Celery, Pumpkin Muffins

Leftovers

Dinners

Homemade Pizza, Breadsticks

Chili, Biscuits, Veggies

Sour Cream Chicken, Green Beans, Rice

Waffles, Eggs, Fruit Salad

Venison Roast, Potatoes, Carrots, Pumpkin Muffins

Brown Bag Burritos (from the freezer), Chips & Salsa, Steamed Peas (from the freezer)

Chicken Noodle Casserole (I doubled this last week and froze one so I’ll be using the frozen one this week), Steamed Cauliflower (from the freezer), Sliced Apples

Shared Feb 26, 2017 comment

A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ win a stack of books from me!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 26, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Sunday post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.

What I’m Loving

I got to have peanut butter toast for the first time in half a year this week, so of course I had to take a photo!!! I may have been just a wee bit excited that my nutritionist put this on my eating plan this week!

I’m loving getting to add new foods back into my diet and getting to eat a much more varied diet — while still feeling great!

I’m also loving Instastories. I started trying it out two weeks ago and am just loving it!

If you have ever wanted to see a peek behind-the-scenes into our every day, I’d love for you to follow me over on Instagram. And then look at the top of the page when you have your app opened for my icon. Click on that to see the “stories” I post throughout the day. I’ve been sharing snippets from every day life, cleaning and organizing projects I’m tackling, outfits of the day, and much more! I’d love for you to join me there!

I also adored this beautiful video. If you need a pick me up today, be sure to watch it.

What I’m Celebrating

23 years ago this week, Jesse had his second brain tumor surgery. Because the tumor had grown back again.

He shouldn’t be alive today.

He survived being born as a 27-week-old preemie, his parents’ divorce, his mom’s death, and two brain surgeries.

This week, we celebrated the incredible goodness of God in allowing him to be brain-tumor-free for 23 years!! I never want to take his life for granted. I never want to forget to say “thank you” and “I love you” and to show my love and gratitude in little ways and big ways in the everyday-ness of life.

Earlier this week, I came home from Bible study and lunch with a friend to find him cleaning the kitchen and loading the dishwasher. Something he often does, just because he knows that a clean kitchen makes me so happy!

Simple things, but profound things. Not only because they show so much love to me, but because the doctors never would have expected him to get to experience these simple moments of life.

I don’t ever want to take it for granted. Every day is a gift.

What I’m Laughing About

Silas came down with a low grade fever on Thursday. I wanted to make him something special to eat. He requested mac & cheese, but then quickly asked, “Do you know how to make mac & cheese?”

The question made me laugh because he’s been our resident mac & cheese maker for the past few years so he doesn’t remember that I used to make it all. the. time!!

I assured him that I could, indeed, handle making mac & cheese. However, he wasn’t completely convinced so he said that, just in case I wasn’t sure, he would go over the details with me.

He then proceeded to take me to the kitchen, get out all of the items I’d need to make it, and go over every single detail of the recipe three times… I guess in case I didn’t get it the first or second time! 😉

When he noticed we were almost out of milk, I said, “Oh don’t worry, honey, I can just use half & half!” He gave me a horrified look and said, “Oh no! You can’t do that! It calls for 2% milk!”

Oh child of mine, if you only knew how your mother cooks and how she substitutes things, rarely measures ingredients, and changes things around in almost every recipe!! She firmly believes that recipes were created as guidelines to be creative from not strict rules to be followed to a tee. 😉

(Or maybe he does know this about me and thus the reason he gave me incredibly detailed instructions for making mac & cheese three times!)

I’ve also laughed over many of the comments posted last week here. If you need a laugh today, be sure to go read some of them!

What I’m Reading

I feel like I have not been doing a good job getting through the books I’ve been hoping to get through recently. But I have been reading a little bit every day. This week, my goal is to make reading for longer than a few minutes at a time my goal.

Because I’m itching to dive into a fiction book with a great storyline — but I’m the kind of person who only likes to read fiction if I have time to read at least 30 minutes to a few hours at a time! 🙂

I did finish three shorter books on the treadmill this week: The One Minute Cure, The Virtual Assistant Solution, and Travel With Kids (which made me super antsy to plan more trips this year with our kids and I started working on our South Africa trip dates as a result!).

This week, I’m reading: Thou Givest, They Gather (an old Christian reprint), No More Faking Fine (a spiritually encouraging book), and Chasing Slow (a book on life improvement). And I’m wanting to read one fiction book — I just haven’t decided on which one I want to read yet. (Leave a comment and give me your best fiction recommendations!)

I’m hoping to finish No More Faking Fine, Chasing Slow, and one fiction book this week. I’ll let you know how that goes next week! {See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 24 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}

I also loved reading these articles this week:

How Every Mom Can Have Happy Mornings
3 Ways I’m Reading More (which was a funny article for me to read considering I felt like I haven’t been reading as much the past two weeks — but it inspired me to make reading more of a priority!)

What I’m Watching

I loved this video of my brother and his friend playing the trumpet and the piano at the same time!

We watched two very interesting shows this week JFK: The Lost Bullet (we watched it on Sling, but the full show is available on YouTube here) and Killing Reagan.

I also started watching Victoria after hearing RAVE reviews of it from a number of people. But sadly, I only got about 15 minutes into it (I was watching it on the treadmill and my time was up!), but I’m hoping to watch at least a few episodes this week. We’ll see. Have you watched it? (You can watch full episodes on Simply June.)

What I’m Listening To

This week, I did get quite a bit of listening in and especially loved the following:

Kayla Aimee’s interview on Focus on the Family on having a micro-preemie and the journey she went through as a mom
Vanessa Quigley on the Brilliant Business Moms podcast and the story behind the Chatbooks viral video commercial
Lora Lynn Fanning on the Sorta Awesome podcast on how to make time to be true to you as a busy woman

And I was honored to be interviewed on the HeyLove podcast with my friend Karthi Masters. In this podcast, I share more of my personal faith journey, how I broke free of the lies of legalism I was entrenched in in my early marriage, the two women who have influenced my life the most, how I deal with negative comments, and more. You can listen to the podcast here.

Note: This podcast was recorded a number of months ago, so some of the things I mention on it — like drinking coffee! — are now outdated. Because you all know I up and gave up coffee like the crazy woman that I am! 🙂

What I’m Learning

I used to have visions of hot breakfasts like cinnamon rolls and scrambled eggs or pancakes and bacon while we all sat around a beautifully set table and read the Bible together every morning.

I’d feel frustrated when my big plans and dreams got thwarted yet again by a baby who didn’t sleep at night, a toddler who was really needy, or children who were “interrupting” my plans.

You guys. Do you realize how crazytown that thinking is?? These kids are not interruptions; they are my LIFE, my calling… and investing in them and being available to them is WAY more important than a hot breakfast or a beautifully set table!

So I’ve changed my perspective a lot the past few years and stopped beating myself up over how I thought it was “supposed” to look and instead embraced what it really looks like… Usually cereal or toast. Maybe eggs or oatmeal some days. Mismatched plates and bowls. Lots of talking. Kids who need oversight and encouragement. On most days, at least 5-10 minutes to stop and read a few verses and point their hearts to the Gospel.

But mostly, just allowing the hour around breakfast time to be devoted to loving them, pouring into them, being available to them, and letting go of perfect!

What’s On My Heart

I want to share something personal with those of you parents who have ever felt like, “My child is the only one who doesn’t know how to __________.”

Silas knows all of his addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts and can remember just about every stat related to every sports team he follows. But he has struggled in many other areas.

He just learned how to read and tie his shoes this year. (He’s 7.) And he’s still working hard at learning to ride his bike without training wheels.

As the years have gone by and he’s stayed “behind” what is considered the “normal age” for learning these skills and been way behind where his sisters were, I’ve battled a range of emotions as a mom.

Some days, I’ve wondered if it’s my fault and have heaped on the mom guilt and stressed about needing to figure out some solution ASAP to help him pick up these skills.

Other days, I’ve tried to explain to yet another well-meaning person who has said something about him not knowing a certain skill, “Yes, but he can do this and that and this and that!” Like, I need to prove that my child really is smart and that I’m not a terrible parent.

But most days, I’m just good with it. I know that he will learn in his time and I don’t need to push him too hard just for the sake of what other people think. Because every child is different.

And it’s also given me a much more compassionate spirit for other moms who are struggling with similar situations.

Moms of children who are “behind”, know this: you are not alone. Your child has amazing gifts and skills. And maybe not everyone can see them like you do, but they are there.

Hold on, don’t stress — and don’t beat yourself up if your child is the only one in your friend group who isn’t potty-trained, or sleeping through the night, or reading, or excelling at school.

Keep loving your child well and being the best mom you know how to be. No one will ever love your child like you do. It’s going to be okay. {I took this photo earlier this week while Jesse was patiently demonstrating to Silas — yet again — how to ride a bike.}

In Case You Missed It

My Posts From This Past Week:

My YouTube Videos From This Past Week:

Want to win this stack of books?

I thought it would be fun for me to do a giveaway here every once in awhile on Sundays — giving away some of our our products, items I’ve been sent two of, books I’ve already read and want to pass on, or other items I have that we no longer need and would like to pass onto a great home!

Today’s stack includes an old copy of Trim Healthy Mama, an issue of The Magnolia Journal, a used copy of Bread & Wine, one of Jesse’s Gratitude journals, a blank journal, a read aloud we loved together as a family, a coloring sticker book, plus two books I was sent by authors that I wanted to pass on!

To win this stack this week, leave a comment telling me about your favorite fiction book or give me a recommendation for a fiction book you think I’d love to read!

I’ll choose one winner from all of the comments and will email that winner personally + post the winner next week on my Peek Into My Life This Week Post.

Congratulations to Jaimie (jaimie.ramsey@) who was the winner of last week’s stack of books giveaway. Jaimie, you should have received an email from me asking for your mailing address!

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

Click here to sign up!

Shared Feb 25, 2017 comment

How An Emergency Fund Can Help You Get Out of Debt

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 25, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jamie 0f Medium Sized Family

You’re walking along just like any other day, when you notice mud caked between your bare toes. That seems odd — then you glance around and notice how dark it is. Your eyes catch the sight of a dirt wall. You eyeball the wall all the way up, and that’s when you discover the sun is even further away than usual.

You’re in the bottom of a pit.

You shrug your shoulders, grab a shovel, and start digging.

To the outside observer, that seems absurd. How can you hope to escape a deep hole by digging it even deeper?

Real people do this every single day.

They discover how deep they are in debt, but figure they can’t do much about it. So they just continue digging deeper as if it makes no difference.

If this sounds like you, it’s time to make a change!

You can get mad, do a complete turn-around, and start attacking your debt (if you’ve got the fortitude to make that kind of total change, you rock!) But I’ve got bad news for you; attacking your debt is kind of like trying to climb the dirt walls of the pit with your bare hands. It’s going to be really hard to succeed.

What you really need is a safety harness and maybe some rocks to grip. But how do you get those supplies from the bottom of a pit?

You ask for help from people who’ve already been there!

The Safety Harness = The Emergency Fund

I know you might be excited to dig into your debt, but before you start paying off your debt, the first thing you should do is build up your emergency fund.

I should mention that if the amount of debt you owe is small (less than $1,000) and you make a decent income, you might do just fine attacking debt before building your emergency fund… but, in my experience, most people owe much more than $1000, and are barely making enough to get by.

If that sounds more like your situation, you first need to wrap yourself a safety harness (a.k.a. an emergency fund).

Before you tell me you don’t have time or money to build an emergency fund, let me tell you why it’s important. An emergency WILL happen — probably sooner than later. For our family, it was a major van breakdown just two months into our debt repayment.

Then what? If you have credit card debt, I bet your habit is to whip out the card to cover your emergency… right? If you do this, you not only wipe out all the progress you made paying off the card, but you also reinforced the habit of grabbing the credit card when the going gets tough.

You might not realize it yet, but you need to learn what it feels like to turn to your bank account when you need to cover an emergency. And while you will have to send any extra debt payments to your bank instead (gotta rebuild the emergency fund), saving money rather than repaying debt (again) is a whole different feeling.

Where to Get the Money

I realize that if you’re already deep in debt and struggling with money, an emergency fund might sound like an impossible task! But look around. When you’re in the bottom of a pit, you have to do just a little bit of the impossible to get out.

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Don’t expect to find money for an emergency fund by doing the same old thing. Make a big change — cut your spending dramatically for a month, sell things to gather the money, or take on an extra part time job.

None of these things should last forever. If you struggle hard for a month or two, you should be able to come up with a few hundred dollars to start your emergency fund.

Doing this has been tough on our family, but we like to think that our kids will remember this struggle when they are older. Hopefully it will put a bad taste for debt in their mouths.

Rock Grips

Now, what about those rock grips I mentioned? Clawing at the dirt while you try to reach the top is a scrappy way to get out of debt. But an easier way to do it is to learn from people who already got out of debt. Climb the same rocky path they used, and you’ll get there faster.

My Hubby and I are Dave Ramsey fans (although we don’t follow his advice exactly). We like his baby steps approach to getting out of debt and turning your financial life around.

Crystal has a free ebook: 5 Days to a Better Grocery Budget that might be the perfect way to learn how to change your spending habits from someone who obviously knows how to pinch a penny.

Search out other blogs about getting out of debt and follow them for more help and encouragement.

Remember, making a change might seem intimidating, but it will be worth it in the end! Pull together an emergency fund and start paying down your debt now.

And whatever step you choose to take next… please put down the shovel!

Do you have an emergency fund?

Jamie dreams of donuts appearing at the desk where she writes her blog, Medium Sized Family. You’ll often find her juggling her 5 kids’ activities while chugging coffee. Check out her Secure Your Savings and Find Peace in the New Year series with 30 ideas for building your emergency fund.

photo source

Shared Feb 25, 2017 comment

Brigette’s $79 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on February 25, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Albert’s Organics (Produce Coop Order)

There are some ladies at church that order from this Coop several times a month. I plan to start ordering there more often – especially when the prices are like they were this week! 🙂

6 heads Organic Cauliflower – $12.00

18lbs Organic Golden Delicious Apples – $12.00

13.5lbs Organic Juicing Apples – $6.75

2 bunches Organic Cilantro – FREE (they had extra and were giving it away)

2 bags of just-picked Pecans – FREE (from a friend’s tree – I included it in this picture because I’ll be using them in recipes in the following weeks)

Total: $30.75

Aldi

1 String Cheese – $2.79

1 bag Frozen Organic Blueberries – $2.29

1 canister Quick Oats – $2.39

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49, plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51 – $3.24 after Rebate

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29

1 pkg Chocolate Cake Mix – $0.99

2 cans Green Beans – $0.98

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $2.29

1 2-ct pkg Tomatoes – $0.99

1 3-ct pkg Green Peppers – $0.99

1 tub Chocolate Frosting – $1.29

2 2-lb bags Red Grapes – $3.96

1 loaf Bread – $0.85

1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $1.69

2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.98

2 dozen large Eggs – $1.58, plus receive $0.50 back from Checkout 51 – $1.08/2 after Rebate

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.99

Total after Rebates: $35.07

Harris Teeter

10 8-oz bags of Shredded Cheese – $13.16

2 boxes Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese – $2.39, used 2 $0.50/1 Annie’s Mac and Cheese Product (doubled) – $0.39/2 after coupons

Total: $13.55

Grocery Total for the Week: $79.37

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal x 2

Veggie Omelettes, Applesauce x 2

Easy Baked Apple Oatmeal x 2

Fried Eggs, Toast with Peanut Butter and Jelly (Birthday Breakfast chosen by my almost 3-yr old)

Lunches

Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Apples, Green Peppers x 2

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Grapes, Tomato Slices x 2

Hot Dogs, String Cheese, Grapes, Green Beans (Birthday Lunch)

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Grilled Chicken (We are down to our last bag of chicken in the freezer – and I pick up my Zaycon order on Tuesday. I love it when things work out like that! :)), Tossed Salad, Homemade Applesauce

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Roasted Carrots, Garlic Mashed Cauliflower, Apple Strudel Muffins

Ham and Bean Soup, World’s Best Honey Cornbread

Three Cheese Baked Spaghetti, Soft Italian Breadsticks, Roasted Cauliflower, Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Sprinkles, Ice Cream (Birthday Dinner)

Taco Salad, Best Spanish Rice

Leftovers x 2

Shared Feb 24, 2017 comment

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes {freezer-friendly!}

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 24, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for an amazing and healthful pancake recipe? This is one of our family’s favorite recipes and it’s freezer-friendly, too!

I’m a total pancake aficionado! And when I can find a really healthful recipe that still tastes amazing — it’s a HUGE win in my book!

We LOVE These Healthy Chocolate Chip Pancakes!

This Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancake recipe is a family favorite that we’ve used countless times over the years.

If you add chocolate chips to this batter, you don’t even need to use syrup… but it’s totally fine if you still want to smother them in syrup and lots of butter.

It’s like a little piece of heaven on a plate!

AND, they freeze wonderfully — so feel free to make a double batch and save yourself a little work later on.

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 Tablespoons sugar (I used coconut sugar because that’s all I had!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 beaten eggs
2 cups milk, buttermilk or sour milk*
4 Tablespoons melted butter (you can also use oil or coconut oil, but we prefer butter)
1/3 cup chocolate chips

How to Make Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.

2. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, milk, and melted butter

3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add egg mixture and chocolate chips.

4. Stir until just moistened.

5. Cook on a greased pancake griddle. Serve immediately or cool and freeze.

Makes around 10 regular-sized pancakes. I usually double or quadruple the recipe when I make it for the freezer.

How to Freeze Chocolate Chip Pancakes:

Lay cooked and cooled pancakes on a baking sheet and stick in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour (until frozen).

Remove from frozen pancakes from pan and place them in airtight freezer bags or containers.

To thaw: Take desired number of pancakes out of freezer bags and heat one to two at a time in the microwave for one to two minutes. Or, place on a baking sheet and cook in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.

Recipe

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Author Crystal Paine

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Ingredients

2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp sugar I used coconut sugar this time because that’s all I had!
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs beaten
2 cups milk buttermilk or sour milk
4 tbsp melted butter you can also use oil or coconut oil, but we prefer butter
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
In a smaller bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and melted butter.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add egg mixture and chocolate chips.
Stir until just moistened.
Cook on a greased pancake griddle.
Serve immediately or cool and freeze.

TO FREEZE:

Lay cooked and cooled pancakes on a baking sheet and stick in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour (until frozen).
Remove from pan and place in airtight freezer bags or containers.

TO THAW

Take desired number of pancakes out of freezer bags and heat one to two at a time in the microwave for one to two minutes. Or, place on a baking sheet and cook in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

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Other Pancake Recipes We’ve Loved:

Whole-Wheat Chocolate Pancakes (freezer-friendly)
Whole-Wheat Blender Pancakes (freezer-friendly)
Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes (freezer-friendly)
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes (freezer-friendly)
Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes
Oatmeal Pecan Pancakes
Homemade Baking Mix
Make Ahead Pancake Batter method (great if you don’t like reheated pancakes)
And here’s a fun pancake idea for preschoolers: Pancake Letters & Numbers

For more make-ahead breakfast ideas, check out this post on how to Simplify Your Mornings With Make Ahead Breakfasts.

What are YOUR favorite pancake recipes or make ahead breakfast ideas? I’d love to hear!

You don't need to make your bed every day to be successful, and here's why...

Shared Feb 22, 2017 comment

Why I Don’t Make My Bed Every Day

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 22, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week, I shared on Instagram stories about how I was trying to make my bed every day. (Are you following me on Instagram? I’m having so much fun sharing little behind-the-scenes peeks into my life through the Instagram stories feature!)

My friend, MacKenzie, directed messaged me saying something like, “I can’t believe you don’t make your bed every day! I assumed you would always make your bed as soon as you get up!”

In case any of the rest of you had that same idea, I wanted to set the record straight: I don’t make my bed every day.

Nope, I don’t.

I know that I recommend it in my very popular post 5 Things You Should Do Every Day post, so I kind of feel like a hypocrite putting this out there. I also know that people have lauded the virtues of making your bed for years.

But I just have come to realize that a made bed is not the be all, end all in life.

Yes, I love a made bed. Yes, I love how it looks when I walk into my room. But many days of my life have gone by without my bed being made in the last year and I’m okay with that.

Because I’ve determined that it’s just not a top priority for me at this season of life. I admit, there’s also the practical part of me that thinks things like: I’m just going to get back into it tonight, so what’s the big deal of making it every day.

(I know! That probably sounds crazy to those of you who can’t really function without making your bed!)

The older I get, the more I’m coming to grips with the fact that we are all so different.

Some of you can’t stand to not make your bed, some of you don’t care and never make your bed, and some of you (like me) like to have it made but it doesn’t ruin your day if it’s not made.

All of us our wired differently and that’s the beauty of how life works! We can learn from one another. We can be inspired by one another. But we don’t have to be carbon copies of one another.

We all have different areas that are important to us and things that are priorities to us. Making the bed is not a huge priority to me, but having a clean kitchen is very, very important to me.

So if I only have 15 or 20 minutes to devote to cleaning or house projects in the morning, I’m going to devote that to the kitchen, because that’s more important to me. And I’m good with that, and so is my husband. (He really doesn’t care a bit whether the bed is made or not!)

My Perspective on Bed-Making Applies to Finances, Too

As I was thinking about this whole to make your bed or to not make your bed thing, I realized how so much of this can be applied to finances, as well:

1. Determine What Is Most Important To You — If you want to have financial success, you first have to determine what your priorities are. Just like I determined that it’s not a top priority for me to have my bed made every day, our family has also determined that having nice household furnishings is not a priority for us. But investing time and money into our kids’ activities (such as baseball and figure skating) is a priority, just like having a clean kitchen is a priority to me.

What are your financial goals? What area your hopes and dreams financially? What is a priority to you financially? Start there — and make sure it’s truly what is most important to you, not just what you think should be most important to you.

2. Do What Works Best For You — Stop feeling like you have to keep up with every one else or do what everyone else does. If you don’t really care about making your bed and it doesn’t make a difference in your life, stop feeling like you should — just because you read an article or watched a video or talked to a friend who is a diehard advocate of bed-making. If you don’t really care about having nicer furniture or wearing nicer clothes or driving a nicer car, stop feeling like you should — despite comments or criticism from other people.

Learn from other people. Be inspired by other people. Try new things if your current system isn’t working. But ultimately, do what works best for you and your family.

Do you make your bed? Why or why not? Does it make a difference? I’d love to hear!

Shared Feb 20, 2017 comment

Gretchen’s $53 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on February 20, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

2 dozen Eggs – $0.69 each, used $0.10 Mobisave rebate – $0.64 each after rebate

1 pkg Tortilla Chips – $1.19

1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.99

1 loaf Bread – $0.89

2 pkg Cheese – $1.89 each

1 can Refried Beans – $0.79

1 lb Ground Beef – $2.69

1 Applesauce – $1.89

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29

2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each, used $0.25 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.36 each after rebate

2 can Cream Chicken/Mushroom Soup – $0.69 each

1 Half & Half – $1.89

1 pkg Chocolate Chips – $1.79

1 pkg Deli Turkey – $2.49

1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99

Total after rebates: $24.06

Dillons

2 Avocados – $0.33 each, used $0.50/2 printable – $0.08 each after coupon

1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99

1.64 lbs Bananas – $0.97

1 Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream – $2.99, used $0.60/1 e-coupon – $2.39 after coupon

2 Chobani Yogurt – Marked down to $0.59 each, used $0.50/2 Ibotta rebate – $0.34 each after rebate

1 Chobani Yogurt – $1.25, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Daisy Sour Cream – $1.49

1 American Beauty Spaghetti Noodles – $0.49, used $0.50/1 Ibotta rebate – Free after rebate

2 Kraft Snack Trios – $0.99 each, used $0.75/2 printable – $0.62 each after coupon

1 Ragu Spaghetti Sauce – $1.29, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.74 after rebate

2 Ronzoni Spaghetti Noodles – $0.49 each, used $0.50/2 e-coupon – $0.24 each after coupon

1 Moms Best Cereal – $1.67

Total after coupons and rebate: $10.81

Sprouts

0.87 lbs Asparagus – $1.29

1 Broccoli Crown – $0.74, used $0.15 Ibotta rebate – $0.59 after rebate

1 Cantaloupe – $0.98

1.22 lbs Cauliflower – $1.20

2 Moms Best Cereal – $1.99 each (I bought these before I knew they were cheaper at Dillons.)

2 lbs Butter – $1.99 each (I’m loving the cheap butter prices I’ve found at Sprouts the last few weeks!)

2 pkg Chicken Breasts – $3.31 and $3.17

Total after rebate: $18.50

Total for all stores: $53.37

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal x 3

Toast and Eggs x 3

Oatmeal

Lunches

Cheese/Crackers/Fruit/Veggies x 2

Turkey Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks

Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cake Sandwiches, Cucumbers, Carrot Sticks x 2

Macaroni & Cheese, Broccoli

Leftovers

Dinners

Tossed Salad, Fruit Salad, Chocolate Cheesecake (My brother and his wife are coming for dinner and they are bringing pizza!)

Chicken Noodle Casserole, Tossed Salad

Spaghetti, Green Beans, 30 Minute Rolls

Grilled Chicken, Steamed Asparagus, Mashed Potatoes

Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Crackers, Grapefruit (from my mom)

Dinner out (using a gift card from my in-laws!)

Leftovers

We’re also hosting our small group one evening and I’m making Cookies, Chips and Bean Dip and Tortilla Roll-Ups.

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!

Shared Feb 19, 2017 comment

A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ win a stack of books from me!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 19, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Sunday post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.

What I’m Loving

The kids were SO excited about Valentine’s Day and spent hours the week before making Valentine’s for their friends, classmates, and teachers. We gave them a budget, took them to Dollar Tree, and then they did all of the work themselves (with a little oversight from us!)

I love how excited they get about blessing others and doing things for others. And I also love that they are all at the age when they can get really stoked about this kind of stuff together. I know that this won’t last forever and I sort of want to freeze time.

I think they were also pretty excited about the fact that they got some candy from friends, too… candy is sort of a rare treat around here so I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing that they are so excited about the prospect of candy!! 😉

And I just had to share this picture. I totally staged it, but it’s such an accurate representation of our life right now. There is never a dull moment. Ever.

We went shoe shopping on Thursday because Kathrynne (12) desperately needed tennis shoes as her feet seemed to grow one size in a week and she was literally about to burst through her current tennis shoes.

(She has one pair of tennis shoes and pretty much only wears them every single day unless she’s going to a wedding. No joke.)

Kaitlynn (9) was all, “Why are we shopping for tennis shoes?? Can we please look at more fun shoes? Oh, look at these! And these! And these!” And then, of course, she was trying to find a way to convince me that she surely needed some new shoes.

(This girl has five times as many shoes as Kathrynne and Silas combined and would buy a new pair of shoes every day if she had the money! Again, no joke.)

Finally, Silas (7) is all, “Are we done yet?” And then was trying to bump into Kaitlynn while she was wearing these heels around so that she would fall over.

Yup. These are my three. They couldn’t be any more different, but they bring so much life, joy, laughter, and color into our lives! And today also solidified for me why I prefer to shop for shoes from Amazon!

What I’m Celebrating

Kaitlynn is landing her axel now!!! This is a HUGE figure skating accomplishment and we’re SO proud of this girl! (Watch the video here. She’s improved quite a bit even since this video was taken!)

Now, she’s starting to work on perfecting all her doubles (double toe loop, double salchow, double loop, double flip, double lutz) and then it’s on to the double axel!

We are having trouble getting her off the ice these days. All she seems to want to do is practice, practice, practice. And then eat, sleep, go to school, and get back on the ice again!

I’m also celebrating the fact that I got to go on four different dates this week — once with Kathrynne, once with Jesse, once with a friend, and once on a double-date with some friends of ours to try our first ever Escape Room experience.

What I’m Reading

This past week, I only finished one book: Answers to Prayer. The week was full and there wasn’t as much time for reading as there usually is. Although I did read quite a bit from The Road Back to You and No More Faking Fine but both were books I didn’t want to speed through, but wanted to slowly absorb and think about.

This week, I’m reading: Thou Givest, They Gather (an old Christian reprint), No More Faking Fine (a spiritually encouraging book), Gathering Blue (a story-driven book), and Chasing Slow (a book on life improvement).

I’m hoping to finish No More Faking Fine, Gathering Blue, and Chasing Slow this week. I’ll let you know how that goes next week! {See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 21 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}

What I Learned This Week

Public Service Announcement: don’t hold an avocado in your hand while trying to cut the pit out.

I was in the middle of a conversation with a friend, not really paying attention to what I was doing, and in a split second, I had jabbed the knife through the avocado and stabbed my finger.

It was such a strong stab that I was afraid I the knife had gone all the way through my finger. But nope, just a deep cut. I missed the tendon and blood vessels, so it didn’t bleed much and all it needed was a trip to urgent care.

They were able to glue it instead of give me stitches — yay! In all honesty, my finger never really hurt… and the only thing that hurt at all was my arm where they gave me a tetanus shot (since I was using a knife and haven’t had a tetanus shot since I was a kid).

Oh, and I still ate my salad I was making — before I went to urgent care. Hey, I was hungry and there’s no point in wasting a good avocado!! 😉

(It reminds me of the time I made Jesse stop for an Arby’s sandwich while I was having major contractions and writhing in pain bent over the front seat of the car while he was driving me to the birth center to deliver Silas. I knew I needed to eat to have strength to deliver Silas. Which I did — about an hour later. What can I say? Food is fuel and you gotta fuel your body — even if you are in labor or you’ve just stabbed your finger!!)

What I’m Laughing About

I did a video on Friday making Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes live. If you follow me on Facebook, you know that I often do Facebook Live videos.

Facebook mirrors the video image, so if you have your phone screen turned toward you for the video (letting you see what the video/image looks like), everything is flipped — meaning if you’re holding up a bag of flour that says “Whole-Wheat Flour” on it, it’s going to be backwards, etc.

This can be quite distracting when you’re doing a video that’s a recipe where you’re holding up different bags/boxes/containers of ingredients.

So I got the “brilliant” idea to try turning my camera around so that the screen wasn’t facing me but that the video wouldn’t be a mirror image. I set everything up and thought it would work well.

Ahem. I clearly think I’m much shorter than I am, because when I filmed the Facebook Live video, my head was completely cut off the entire time!!!

And then I tried to turn the camera around halfway through and things just went from bad to worse.

If you need to laugh today, go fast-forward through the video so you can see just how awful it was. And also, be encouraged: bloggers and vloggers who have been at this thing for years and years and years still have plenty of “Well that experiment certainly didn’t work!” moments.

I’ve learned that the best thing I can do is laugh at myself and invite others to laugh along with me!

What I’m Pondering

I have fallen down into the Enneagram rabbit hole… thanks to a few friends from my Discipleship Group! It’s fascinating and eye-opening and a little scary all at once.

Jesse and I spent hours last week reading about each type and it produced some incredible insights into each of our hearts and lives. It also gave us so much more clarity for ourselves and each other.

For those of you who are into the Enneagram, I’m an 8 and he’s a 5. Even without understanding the Enneagram, I look back and realize how I have fought against my eight-ness for a long time because I wanted to be a 2 or something warm and fuzzy like that. But nope, I’m an 8 through and through.

And now I want to embrace it and own it and become the healthiest version of an 8 that I can be. Because that’s how God made me and how He can use me best.

When we realized that Jesse is a 5 and have studied more about it, it’s really helping me to better understand how he processes things, what his needs are, and what his amazing strengths are.

What number are you? I’d love to know! Oh and I took the test online and it gave me the wrong result. I found this book and reading things online to be a lot more accurate and clarifying than the online quizzes. But maybe that’s just me!

(Those of you who don’t know what the Enneagram is are probably shaking your head at reading this and wondering what sort of crazy talk this is! Well, do yourself a favor. Go read up on the Enneagram, get this book, and maybe it will rock your world in profound and good ways like it has ours! You’re welcome!! ;))

In Case You Missed It

My posts from this past week:

My YouTube videos from this past week:

Want to win this stack of books?

I thought it would be fun for me to do a giveaway here every once in awhile on Sundays — giving away some of our our products, items I’ve been sent two of, books I’ve already read and want to pass on, or other items I have that we no longer need and would like to pass onto a great home!

Today’s stack includes one of my books, one of my Gratitude journals, a blank journal, a few books I’ve recently read and would love to pass onto someone else, plus a book we enjoyed as a family!

To win this stack this week, leave a comment letting us know something that is making you laugh (a funny story, a movie, a YouTube video, a funny picture, something you have done or your kids did, etc.).

I’ll choose one winner from all of the comments and will email that winner personally + post the winner next week on my Peek Into My Life This Week Post.

Congratulations to Kim (kim_redmon13@) who was the winner of last week’s stack of books giveaway. Kim, you should have received an email from me asking for your mailing address!

Shared Feb 18, 2017 comment

Blessing a Friend in Need Without Breaking the Bank

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 18, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Sarah of SarahBeckman.org

She wasn’t someone I had met personally, but we were down-the-street neighbors. In fact, until her diagnosis, I hadn’t ever spoken to her. But once I heard the news, she captured a place in my heart.

It seems these days, everyone knows someone with cancer.

I was not able to help her as often as I would have liked, but I tried to find small ways to bless her—a meal here and there, or a text of encouragement before or after treatments. And I believe the Biblical command to “love our neighbor as ourselves” carries even more weight when someone is facing a time of trial in their life.

One day my new friend down the street came to mind while I was at the grocery store, which was just down from Keva Juice, a frozen drink shop. I remembered another friend’s dependence on smoothies after she had endured chemotherapy and found it hard to eat or swallow. I knew her order by heart, and had often delivered it to her at home or the hospital.

So I texted my neighbor, and offered to bring her something from Keva Juice. At first she was reluctant. She said she didn’t want me to make a special trip and had no idea what she’d want. I said, “I’m here anyway. I will text you a link to their menu, and you can choose what you’d like. Text me your order and I’ll deliver it on my way home.”

She found an option on the menu, and within 10 minutes I was at her door with a cup full of hope that cost me less than five dollars.

People who are facing crisis of health or life don’t want to be a bother. And often, grand gestures are difficult to receive. (Really, most things are hard to receive; after all, we’re women!) But with intentionality, a small expense and just a dash of time, it’s easier than you think to bless someone in need.

Here are 10 ways you can bless someone without breaking the bank:

1. Post a message on a support site. (Caring Bridge or other)

2. Text a scripture verse once a week. (I love Romans 15:13)

3. Offer to drive kids to sports or activities.

4. Order their favorite candy or guilty pleasure to be sent from Amazon.

5. Post a funny video to their social media site, or email.

6. Deliver a fresh plant or flowers. (Trader Joe’s has gorgeous flowers for less than $5!)

7. Call and pray over the phone.

8. Stop by the hospital and do a makeup refresh or deliver a new lip moisturizer.

9. Order a pizza to be sent to the house.

10. Send a card in the mail. (Yes, good old-fashioned handwritten mail with a stamp!)

You don’t have to break the bank to offer a small blessing in the midst of a friend’s dark days.

Whatever the trial, our job is to shine a light in their darkest spaces, even if that little sliver of sunshine comes in a Styrofoam cup with a straw.

Sarah Beckman is an author and speaker. Her book, Alongside: A Practical Guide for Loving Your Neighbor in their Time of Trial, released February 14, 2017. In it you’ll find more practical ways to support those you care about in the rough patches of life and the inspiration to follow through.

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Shared Feb 18, 2017 comment

Brigette’s $69 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on February 18, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

2 3-lb bags Pink Lady Apples – $5.98

1 Pineapple – $1.89

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49, plus receive $0.25 from Checkout 51 – $3.24 after rebate

1 2-lb bag Red Grapes – $3.79

1 pkg Zucchini – $2.49

1 box Rice Squares – $1.99

1 box Honey Crunch Oats – $1.49

1 box Crisp Rice – $1.39

1 box Raisin Bran – $1.79

2 24-oz jars Meat Sauce – $2.38

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $2.29

2 bags Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.98

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.99

1 2-lb bag Carrots – $0.69

1 pkg Baby Bella Mushrooms – $0.79

1 bunch Bananas – $1.03

1 Cabbage – $0.69

1 2-lb bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $5.89

1 Cauliflower – $2.29

2 gallons Whole Milk – $4.98

2 1-lb pkgs Fresh Green Beans – $1.98

1 Cucumber – $0.49

1 Baking Powder – $0.99

1 pkg Strawberries – $2.29

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.89

4 dozen Eggs – $3.16

Total after Rebate: $59.85

Harris Teeter

2 boxes Keebler Cereal – $3.55, used 2 $0.50/1 Keebler Cereal, exp. 3/26/17 (RP 02/12/17 R) (doubled) – $1.55/2 boxes

2 cans Progresso Soup – $2.68, used $0.50/2 Progresso Products, exp. 3/4/17 (SS 01/08/17) (doubled) – $1.68/2 after coupons

3 cans Well, Yes! Soup – $4.50, used 3 $0.75/1 Campbell’s Well Yes! Soup (doubled) – FREE after coupons

1 tub Organic Girl Baby Kale – $1.99, used $1.00/1 printable – $0.99 after coupon

1 pkg Simply Potatoes – $1.49, used $0.55/1 Simply Potatoes Cut Potato Item, exp. 2/28/17 (SS 01/08/17) (doubled) – $0.39 after coupon

10 containers Yoplait Yogurt – $3.70, used 2 $0.50/5 printable (doubled) – $1.70/10 after coupon

2 pkgs Al Fresco Chicken Sausage – $3.98, used 2 $1/1 Al Fresco Product, exp. 2/28/17 (SS 01/08/17) – $1.98/2 pkgs after coupons

1 64-oz carton Minute Maid Orange Juice – $2.50, used $0.55/1 printable (doubled) – $1.40

Total: $9.69

Grocery Total for the Week: $69.54

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Veggie Omelettes and Yogurt x 2

Cereal x 3

Oatmeal and Fruit x 2

Lunches

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Apples, Mini Peppers x 2

Soup, Crackers, Apples x 2

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Chicken on the Grill, Fruit Salad, Fresh Veggie Tray with Ranch Dip, Soft Garlic Breadsticks, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes (company for dinner – one of our guests is bringing brownies and ice cream for dessert)

Meat Potato Quiche (using ham from the freezer), Tossed Salad, Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Roasted Carrots

Grilled Chicken Sausage Hotdogs, French Fries, Stir-Fried Green Beans

Homemade Pizza, Fruit Salad

Hamburger Vegetable Soup (using ground venison in place of hamburger), Easy Whole Wheat Muffins

Leftovers

Shared Feb 17, 2017 comment

My Top 7 Favorite Freezer-Friendly Muffin Recipes (Plus Grain-Free Options!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 17, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

These freezer-friendly muffin recipes are a great frugal way to get breakfast on the table quickly, or serve a nutritious afternoon snack. They are all delicious, easy, and will really fill you up!

Our family has always loved muffin recipes — especially during the days when we were on a really tight grocery budget and trying to stretch every last dollar and ingredient. Muffins are easy to whip up, usually very frugal, and can often be tweaked if you want a healthier version.

They are also really versatile! They can be used for on-the-go breakfasts and snacks, paired with a bowl of soup to make the meal more filling, or enjoyed as an after-dinner treat.

Over the years, I’ve found many muffin recipes that are really easy to prepare ahead of time and freeze for later. If you’ve been a blog follower for a while, you’ve probably noticed that my freezer cooking sessions often include some sort of muffins or bread. I love that muffins freeze so well and are almost as delicious thawed out as they were right after baking!

Here are my top 7 all-time favorite freezer-friendly muffin recipes…

1. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins – These muffins are hearty and filling. Not too sweet, but just the perfect blend of crunch and chocolate mixed together.

2. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins – This recipe is one of our longtime family favorites. These muffins are so good and freeze so well. These also make a great dessert to add to a sack lunch. Just pull a frozen muffin out and stick it in a baggie in your sack lunch and by lunchtime, it’s all thawed and ready to eat.

3. Easy Morning Glory Muffins – These muffins are delicious and nutritious. They are packed with carrots, whole wheat flour, raisins, coconut oil, and apples. When my friend, Angie, brought us some one day, I took one bite and knew they were winners.

4. Corn Dog Muffins – This recipe uses my favorite World’s Best Honey Cornbread to make an easier version of homemade corn dogs. Kids love this one, and it’s such an easy make-ahead lunchbox idea!

5. Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins – This non-Pinterest-perfect picture does not do this delicious recipe justice. Years ago, I used to make this for the kids all the time. They aren’t the healthiest muffins you’ll eat, but they are yummy, frugal, and super easy to whip up!

6. Apple Butter Muffins – I found this recipe online a few years ago, and decided to substitute apple butter for applesauce. I tweaked a few other things and wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but we all ended up loving these. They are SO delicious and freeze really well!

7. Cinnamon Doughnut Muffins – These muffins have been a family favorite for almost 20 years. We got the recipe from a Taste of Home magazine and have been making them ever since! Even though they look fancy, they are simple to make and rely on just a few basic ingredients. And the jam is a fun addition!

Looking for grain-free options? Try these!

1. Egg & Sausage Breakfast Bites – These are SOO good. And they are incredibly easy to make and freeze really well!

2. Trim Healthy Mama Cupcakes – These grain-free, dairy-free cupcakes are pretty delicious for how healthful they are!

3. Grain-Free, Honey-Sweetened Muffins – When I discovered this recipe, I did a happy dance! The ingredients are a little unique, but trust me on this, these are good. No, they might not taste quite like a regular muffin made with flour, but they are still scrumptious — and easy to make, too.

A Few Tips On Making Muffins

I highly, highly recommend grabbing a set of Silicone Baking Cups! I bought some this year and have been pleasantly surprised with how well they worked and how easy they were to clean and wash!

I’m definitely sold on using these — especially because they kept the muffin pan so clean and easy to wash! These are now a staple item in our kitchen!

Also, did you know that you can freeze unbaked muffin batter?! This is such a helpful tip when you’re in the middle of a freezer cooking session and ran out of time, or when you made too much batter and would rather save it for another freezer cooking session!

What are some of your favorite freezer-friendly muffin recipes? I’d love to hear!

Shared Feb 16, 2017 comment

My Top 3 Favorite Sites to Get Great Deals on Clothes

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 16, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Like to dress in cute clothes but don’t want to pay a high price tag for them? Here are some of my favorite ways to get great deals on clothes…

As I talked about in this post, I’ve changed how I approach fashion and clothes in the past two years. I’ve surprised myself and discovered that I really enjoy cute clothes, cute shoes, jewelry, dressing up almost every day, and having more variety in my wardrobe. But I’m still very committed to keeping a simple wardrobe and not spending an arm and a leg on clothes.

On my Facebook Live videos people are constantly commenting on my clothes and asking where I got an item. So I thought it was high time I put together a post of my current favorite places to find great deals on clothes:

1. thredUP

I get a lot of my clothes on thredUP and it’s my very favorite used clothing site to shop from. (I got the jeans shown above brand-new for just $8.99!)

One of my favorite ways to shop thredUP is to search for deals on high-quality brands I already know that I love and adore but would never pay full price for. You can often find name brand items that are in like-new condition (or even new with tags!) — at great prices!

I love that they have a HUGE selection and that you can really drill down to very specific searches — you can refine your search in great detail if you choose: what colors of clothes you want, what brands you want, and what price range. This allows you to really find exactly what types of things you are looking for.

Plus, if an item doesn’t fit you, you can log into your account within 14 days from when it’s delivered to say that you want to return it. You can then print a postage paid shipping label and return slip. Read my full review of ThredUp here.

2. Amazon

If you watch my Facebook Live videos, you know that I’m sort of an Amazon freak — especially when it comes to shirts/tops. I may need an intervention. And I may be the only person on the planet who thinks that Amazon is the best place to buy clothes from.

But I don’t care. Not one bit.

I’ll fly my freak flag and wave it loud and proud. Because y’all, AMAZON. ‘Nuff said. 😉

Here are a few shirts I’ve loved this fall/winter that I got from Amazon:

And here’s a post I wrote with some of my faves for spring/summer: My 3 Favorite Summer Shirts from Amazon

If something doesn’t fit, most Amazon clothes purchases can be returned for free, but you have to read the details because different sellers are different. I also look at the reviews of the shirts, too. Because Amazon reviews are a goldmine of helpful information!

What I’ve found works best is to find a few brands that I love and then buy multiple colors of that same item once I know that I love it (because I might be branching some, but I’m still boring enough to have multiple colors of the same shirt. Hey, if I like it a lot and it fits really well, it’s so much easier to just have the same shirt in different colors!!)

Amazon’s search feature is not set up well to find exactly what you are looking for, so you might have to do some poking around. I usually poke around a bit and then, when I find an item I like, I look at the “Customers Who Purchased This Also Purchased” section halfway down the page. This tool often turns up some great finds that are in similar styles to what I love.

3. Zulily

Note: As of 2023, Zulily is on its way out of business, so I don’t recommend ordering from there.

Zulily is an online daily deal site that has lots of sales on ladies’ clothing. They offer sales on brands and high-quality items often. They especially seem to have great deals on shoes and workout clothes. Most of their sales last for 3-4 days.

My favorite sales are when they have a huge clearance on workout clothes. I’ve gotten sports bras for just a few dollars each, workout tanks for just a few dollars each, name-brand running shoes for half price, high-quality workout shorts and leggings for around $10 a piece, and really high quality leggings for less than $10!

One important thing to note: They do not ship right away and it usually takes 2-4 weeks for you to get your order. They occasionally offer free shipping, but it’s usually $7.95, so I wait until they have a great workout sale or clearance sale and stock-up.

Other than these four places, the only other places I’ve bought clothes from in the last year (as far as I can remember) are from Stitch Fix and my shoe-shopping experience at the mall. Over the last few years, I’ve gotten a few high-quality items from Stitch Fix, as well, just using credit I’ve gotten from my Completely Honest Review post.

I have mixed feelings on Stitch Fix because the prices are high and it’s sort of a risk you take to sign up for a fix. But I have gotten a few items each year that I’ve loved and I’ve not spent anything out of pocket on it because their referral program is so generous, but I think it’s one of those things that can be hit and miss — and it can work great for some people and not work at all for others. Read my Completely Honest Review of Stitch Fix here.

5 Other Places to Get Great Deals on Clothes

Your Closet — Don’t run out and get something new because “you have nothing to wear” without first checking your closet. There might be a dozen items in there you’ve not worn for awhile just because you forgot about them! Save yourself a trip to the store plus the money for new clothes by making sure you’re wearing what you already own!

Thrift Stores — Thrift stores are a gold mine of deals, if you have the patience to dig and look. Approach it like a treasure hunt, have strict guidelines for what you are looking for, and make sure

Swap Meets with Friends — Get your group of girlfriends together and have everyone bring what they no longer love, need, fit into, or wear and swap out clothes. This is a fun way to freshen up your closet — for free!

Cents of Style — They offer GREAT sales a few times per month (as you probably know if you follow along here!). Never pay full-price from their site, but definitely sign up for their email list to be notified of their sales. I especially love their t-shirts and their leggings.

TJ Maxx — I’ve found lots of great deals at TJ Maxx over the years. You never know quite what you’ll find, but it’s a great place to find deals on basics like camis, socks, scarves, and workout clothes.

Target — Target often releases great coupons through their cartwheel app that can be paired with items from the Clearance Racks. This can make for great deals!

2hr Cleaning Checklist

2hr Cleaning Checklist

FREE DOWNLOAD: 2-Hour Cleaning Checklist!

Aldi

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

How to Make Taco Meat

Save Money By Adding Filler Items to Your Taco Meat

How to Freeze Taco Meat

Our Favorite Ways to Use Taco Meat

What are YOUR favorite ways to use Taco Meat? I’d love to hear!

Some Days, I Didn’t Want to Look in the Mirror

I Felt Like I Had Tried It All & Nothing Worked

The Email That Changed My Life

The Elimination Diet Was Pure Torture!

My Six Month Anniversary — And My Skin Is Better Than Ever!

I Went Off All of My Meds & Prescription Creams!

The 3 Things That Made the Biggest Impact on My Skin (They’re FREE!)

1. I Cut Out Sugar-y Desserts

2. I Drink a Gallon of Water Per Day

3. I Get Enough Sleep {Almost} Every Single Night

Aldi

Sprouts

Dillons

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

What I’m Loving

What I’m Celebrating

What I’m Laughing About

What I’m Reading

What I’m Watching

What I’m Listening To

What I’m Learning

What’s On My Heart

In Case You Missed It

Want to win this stack of books?

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

Real people do this every single day.

The Safety Harness = The Emergency Fund

Where to Get the Money

Rock Grips

Do you have an emergency fund?

Albert’s Organics (Produce Coop Order)

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

We LOVE These Healthy Chocolate Chip Pancakes!

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Pancakes

How to Make Chocolate Chip Pancakes

How to Freeze Chocolate Chip Pancakes:

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

TO FREEZE:

TO THAW

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

Other Pancake Recipes We’ve Loved:

What are YOUR favorite pancake recipes or make ahead breakfast ideas? I’d love to hear!

FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!

My Perspective on Bed-Making Applies to Finances, Too

Do you make your bed? Why or why not? Does it make a difference? I’d love to hear!

Aldi

Dillons

Sprouts

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Breakfasts

Lunches

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OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

What I’m Loving

What I’m Celebrating

What I’m Reading

Ingredients