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Shared Sep 26, 2012 comment

5 Tips to Get Free or Cheap Maternity Clothes

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 26, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from of Kelli of Eat Pray {Read} Love

Having a baby is such an exciting time, and if you’ve been pregnant before, you know that the costs can add up quickly.

Sometime in the first few months of pregnancy, you realize you will need a whole new wardrobe. Since some women don’t even show until they are 20 weeks (I’m jealous!), the wardrobe only has to last about 4 1/2 months — which means dropping a whole lot of cash isn’t ideal.

When I walked into stores during my first pregnancy, I was shocked to see the high sticker price on many items just because they were “maternity.” I am currently in my 4th pregnancy, and have learned a few tricks for getting maternity clothes on the cheap.

1. Take advantage of combining coupons/Groupons with sales.

In this pregnancy, I just needed a few extra items to get me through the summer. I had bought two $10 Old Navy Groupons that were worth $20 each. When I found out I was pregnant, I went in and hit the clearance section. I was able to get two shirts, a dress, and a pair of maternity shorts for myself, as well as a shirt and dress pants for my son, all for $20 out of pocket!

2. Shop the non-maternity section of stores for bigger sizes.

Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes, the item is just too big all over — armholes are too big, or neckline is too low. Buying a bigger size has worked for me mostly in “stretchy” items like cotton T-shirts, skirts, and tank tops.

Recently, I was able to use a “$3 off any Merona item” at Target, and buy a nice shirt for $3 in a larger size. (One of the keys to buying shirts is to make sure they are long enough to cover your tummy, and fortunately, longer shirts seem to be fashionable right now.)

3. Shop consignment stores, thrift stores, and garage sales.

Consignment stores seem to be better than thrift stores in this aspect, at least where I live. Thrift stores often have the maternity clothes mixed in with the regular clothes, and it takes a while to sort – not something I want to do when I’m already tired and have swollen feet!

But you can get some amazing deals on barely-worn maternity clothes. Search Craigslist for garage sales in your area that specifically mention maternity clothes. As a bonus, you may be able to pick up some baby clothes for your new little one while you’re there!

4. Stick mostly to the basics.

This pregnancy, my “uniform” has been mostly tank tops and shorts since I am at home with my kids. When I was working part-time during my first two pregnancies, black and khaki pants, a nice pair of jeans, and a black skirt made dressing for work each day easy. I just added a maternity shirt to one of these, and I was good to go!

Save the majority of your budget for staples, as you’ll most likely wear these often. You will want to budget for at least one or two “dressy outfits”, as you may attend a wedding or other formal affair during the pregnancy.

5. Ask friends.

If you ask friends who are done having kids to either borrow or buy their clothes for a small fee, many of them will be happy to help you.

Put out a inquiry on Facebook — someone you may not have thought of may have a stash she’d be willing to part with at a great rate! My best friend had 4 kids before I had my first, and she gave me all of her clothes. A few of these clothes will make it through 8 pregnancies — 4 of hers and 4 of mine!

Most of all, enjoy your pregnancy! Your little one will be here soon and what you’re wearing will be the least of your worries!

How have you managed to save on maternity clothing?

Kelli Hays is a pastor’s wife, will be a mom to four kids in November, follower of Christ, avid reader, aspiring cook, and she blogs about it all at Eat Pray {Read} Love.

photo source

Shared Sep 26, 2012 comment

Teaching Young Children To Be Givers

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 26, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Kristen of Celebrate Every Day With Me

One of my kids’ favorite Bible stories is the feeding of the 5,000. It starts with a hungry crowd and ends with the thousands being blessed. Why? Because a little boy gave his food to Jesus and Jesus performed the miraculous: He multiplied the food given and fed the massive crowd.

My favorite part of this story? The fact that it was a boy. Not a man. But a boy who gave of what he had to bless and help others.

Somewhere in our culture (and please excuse the negativity), we have neglected to teach our children to serve others, to have a heart for other people and to think beyond ourselves. How many times have we commented about the self-entitled, self-pleasing, “all about me” world we live in?

So what can we do about it?

We can teach our children to be givers.

Even at a young age, children can begin to develop a heart for others. Just as the boy who shared his lunch was an instrument of blessing, so too can our children bless and help others. But we have to know this: if we want children who have hearts to give to others, we must be deliberate about teaching them.

How can we teach our children to be givers?

Be a good example. Do your kids copy you? I’ll admit, I’m not always thrilled about everything my kids model from me. Some of my faults echo through our halls in their little voices. They see and copy everything! Do your kids see you giving to others? Are you conscious of others through your words and actions? Do you make an effort to help and bless those in need or even just bring a smile to someone’s day? Your children see every little act.

Provide simple opportunities to learn. If you want children who are compassionate and thoughtful, provide opportunities to learn that giving to others helps and blesses the recipient. Be deliberate. Take up your neighbors’ trash can for them. Pick a bouquet of flowers and deliver the posies to the homebound. Capitalize on teachable moments and explain why giving is important.

Practice, Practice, Practice. When you are out and about, keep a watchful eye for opportunities to help another person. You will be amazed at the chances that exist as soon as you get around people. Your children can learn to serve in their neighborhood, community, or at church. There are even things that your children can do to help others at a global level through connections to organizations like World Vision.

The concept of developing a heart to give is a process.

Are my kids perfect? Umm, no! Spend an hour with us and you’ll find that out. But are they growing in a heart for others? You bet!

As I have been deliberate about being an example, providing opportunities and practicing giving with them, I have watched my children’s hearts change in the way they think and respond to others. We are on a journey of learning how to give.

Will you join us?

Kristen Summers is a mom to two kids who keep her busy and laughing. As a former wedding and event planner, she now blogs at Celebrate Every Day With Me about fun ideas for party planning, children’s activities, and creating memorable moments. She has just released her first ebook, Teach Me To Serve: 99 Ways Preschoolers Can Learn to Serve and Bless Others. Use coupon code moneysaving30 to get 30% off the purchase of this ebook this week.

Shared Sep 26, 2012 comment

16 Busy Bag Swap Ideas

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 26, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

My friend, Stacie, from Motherhood on a Dime, has put together 16 simple Busy Bag Ideas perfect for a local Busy Bag Swap. You can find more Busy Bag Ideas here.

Shared Sep 25, 2012 comment

Q&A: How do you do it all and stay sane & happy? (Part 2)

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

If you missed Jen’s question in part 1 last night, please take a few minutes to go read it. The comments were packed with fantastic wisdom and advice. Plus, I think it’s so encouraging to just be reminded that we all struggle with somewhat similar things. It’s good to know that none of us are alone in this journey!

I promised some specific advice for Jen’s situation. After contemplating it as I went about my various tasks today, here are my thoughts:

1. Don’t Compare Yourself to Other Moms

There are no supermoms. Seriously. None of us have our acts together.

Some of us might have cleaner homes or more organized schedules, some of us might be able to juggle more things or decorate our homes beautifully or whip up amazing recipes, but we all have plenty of warts and struggles. Believe me.

I have yet to meet a mom who didn’t have things she struggled with. And if any mom says she doesn’t struggle with anything, I can guarantee you she’s not being authentic.

2. Make a List of Your Priorities

Take time in the next few days to find a quiet hour and sit down with a blank piece of paper. Start mapping out your thoughts of what you want to be your priorities for this season of life. Keep these short and sweet, no more than 3-4 priorities for starting out. (You can see my current list of eight priorities here. The first four are my main priorities. The other four are my secondary priorities.)

Review these priorities with your husband and close friends for input. Once you feel like you’ve got a solid list that you’ll be happy with 25 years from now, type it up or write it out and tape it to your bathroom mirror or stick it on your refrigerator.

Before adding anything new to your plate or saying “yes” to any commitment, check your priorities list. This helps you to really consider things and not just pile all sorts of commitments on yourself that you’ll later regret.

3. Keep a Running List of Other Things You Want to Do

It sounds like you might be a lot like me in that you have a hundred and one new ideas each week! There are books I want to read, things I want to do with my children, places I want to visit as a family, people I want to reach out to, friendships I want to maintain, skills I want to learn, character I want to develop, business projects I want to experiment with, house projects I want to work on… the list is practically endless.

And very quickly, it can become daunting and overwhelming — if I let it. Instead, just keep a notebook with a running list of ideas. That way, you’re recording them somewhere and they are out of your head vying for your attention.

4. Choose One Thing to Focus on At a Time

A surefire way to set yourself up for failure is to try and re-invent your life overnight. It’s just not going to happen. Or if it does, it won’t last longer than a short while. Instead, take your list of priorities and your running list of things you want to do and map out one area of your life to focus on at a time.

I recommend picking the habit or change that is going to most significantly effect your everyday life. So think about what your biggest hangups and struggles are and then choose an area based upon that.

Make this habit your focus for 3-6 weeks. Once you feel like it’s truly become ingrained in your life, you can move onto the next habit or skill. But be careful that you don’t add something new too quickly. You’d rather improve a little bit more each month than to try and go full steam ahead and end up back where you started after a few months of effort.

5. Cut Yourself a Lot of Slack

Most importantly, give yourself lots of grace! You have a lot on your plate right now: you just moved and you have a six-month-old. Plus, it sounds like you no longer have the support you had before you moved.

Adjusting to being a new mom is a huge. Throw moving in there, too, and you’ve got a lot of big learning curves you’re shouldering at one time.

Now is the time to keep things really simple and to lower your expectations of yourself. Don’t worry about making elaborate dinners or cleaning your baseboards. Maybe even buy a few packages of disposable diapers instead of cloth diapering while you get settled in your home?

Don’t stress too much about trying to clip a bunch of coupons or shop at three different grocery stores. Just stick with simple, inexpensive meals and focus on stocking up on the loss leaders (or do more of your shopping at Aldi, if you have one nearby).

6. Remember What Will Matter Most in 25 Years From Now

Finally, constantly remind yourself about what is really going to matter at the end of your life. Love on your baby and husband, cherish and embrace each day, and don’t forget to make sleep a priority.

In time, as you become more accustomed to your new area and your baby grows, you’ll be able to do more. But don’t be so anxious to do-do-do that you forget to take time to just soak up and savor the moments with your precious baby. They are fleeting!

Photo credits: Big Stock, Pinterest

Shared Sep 25, 2012 comment

Homemade Chicken Salsa Pockets

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This cheesy salsa chicken enfolded in a flakey homemade crust will soon become the meal your family requests! Eat them warm or freeze them for an easy weeknight meal.

Chicken Salsa Pockets are A Family Favorite for Sure!

I concocted these on a whim one night and they ended up being a huge hit with everyone in our family.

They were gone in a flash and I had to make more since Jesse was wondering what happened to them the next day!

Don’t you just love it when simple ingredients come together and become a family favorite?

Ingredients for Chicken Salsa Pockets

For the Dough:

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons oil (I used olive oil.)
2 1/2 cups flour (I used unbleached, but I think half white, half whole-wheat would also work well.)

For the Filling:

1/2 cup salsa
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

How to Make Chicken Salsa Pockets

1 Preheat oven to 500ºF

2. In a large bowl (or stand mixer) sprinkle yeast over warm water and mix until dissolved.

3. Add sugar, salt, oil, and flour and mix well.

4. Dump the mixture onto a floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes, until a soft dough forms.

5. Divide into 8-10 pieces.

6. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten with a rolling pin to form a small circle.

7. In a medium bowl, mix salsa, chicken and cheese.

8. Place a large spoonful onto each dough circle.

9. Fold dough over and seal tightly.

10. Bake on a greased cookie sheet in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until browned.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for the homemade dough?

You can purchase refrigerated pizza dough or crescent roll dough if you’re short on time. I’d suggest following the baking directions on the packages for the dough (likely 375º or 400º).

Can I use any type of cheese?

Feel free to use your favorite cheese — specifically anything that pairs well with salsa and chicken. A Mexican queso blend would be fantastic!

What type of salsa works best for this recipe?

Again, you can use whatever you have in the house, but if you’re going to buy something, look for a chunkier canned salsa (not fresh salsa) as they are less watery and won’t make your dough soggy.

Can I use a rotisserie chicken?

Yes, for sure. Any type of cooked chicken will work for this recipe.

How do I freeze Salsa Chicken Pockets?

Let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

How do I reheat them after freezing?

Remove the desired number of pockets from the freezer and warm them individually in the microwave for about two minutes or until heated through.
OR, warm on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

Recipe

Easy Salsa Chicken Pockets

Author Crystal Paine

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 12

This cheesy salsa chicken enfolded in a flakey homemade crust will soon become the meal your family requests! Eat them warm or freeze them for an easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

For the Dough

1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 cup water it should be 105-115ºF
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2½ cups flour I use unbleached all purpose

For the Filling

½ cup salsa
2 cups shredded chicken cooked and shredded
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500ºF
In a large bowl (or stand mixer) sprinkle yeast over warm water and mix until dissolved.
Add sugar, salt, oil, and flour and mix well.
Dump the mixture onto a floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes, until a soft dough forms.
Punch dough down and divide into 8-10 pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball and flatten with a rolling pin to form a small circle.
In a medium bowl, mix salsa, chicken and cheese.
Place a large spoonful onto each dough circle.
Fold dough over and seal tightly.
Bake on a greased cookie sheet in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until browned.

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

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Are you joining us for Lunchbox Freezer Cooking? If you’ve blogged about a lunchbox recipes you’ve made for your freezer, leave a link to your post and recipe below. I can’t wait to see your yummy recipes and ideas!

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Shared Sep 25, 2012 comment

Pasta Pictures Busy Bag

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This Busy Bag idea is so simple, but my kids loved it this week. It’s not exactly reusable — but it’s very, very inexpensive to put together, especially if you find a great deal on pasta!

Just put a bottle of glue, some pieces of cardstock, and some uncooked pasta (shapes and colors work best) into a ziptop bag. Or, feel free to skip the step of actually assembling the bag — but sometimes it’s easier to just go ahead and make up a bunch of Busy Bags so that you aren’t having to remember online ideas and assemble things on the fly.

Basically, just give your children the bag contents: some cardstock, glue, and uncooked pasta and let them have fun creating pictures. I’d recommend being close by if you have younger children, since glue and toddlers doesn’t always mix well. 😉

You can also do the same thing with uncooked beans. Or, if you want to jazz things up a bit and you only have plain pasta, you can dye your own pasta.

Note: As children can potentially choke on hard pasta, make sure to supervise them with this activity.

Find more Busy Bag ideas here.

Shared Sep 25, 2012 comment

Stock Your Freezer in Just an Hour Per Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m over at MomLife Today talking about one of my favorite subjects — freezer cooking:

I don’t know about you, but there are some days at our home when life whizzes by so quickly and all of a sudden it’s 5 p.m. and dinner isn’t even a figment of my imagination. For most people, the fallback is to call and order takeout or run and get something at the grocery store at the last minute.

But this is stressful and expensive, not to mention unhealthy. There must be a better solution!

For me, the solution to the 5 p.m. “What’s for dinner?” panic is called “freezer cooking.” If I forgot to pull something out from the freezer earlier in the day, I can just pick a meal from my freezer stash that defrosts quickly — such as meatballs.

I can pair this with some frozen veggies, rice, and maybe a fruit salad. No one even has to know I forgot about dinner until 30 minutes before it was supposed to happen!

Read the full post.

Want to learn more about freezer cooking? Here are some posts to get you started:

Shared Sep 25, 2012 comment

Do It Yourself: Homemade Laundry Color-Catchers

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

OneGoodThingByJillee.com shows you how to make homemade laundry color-catchers.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Shared Sep 25, 2012 comment

The Ultimate Beans & Rice Recipe Link-Up

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for some new beans and rice recipe ideas? Meet Penny has a Beans & Rice Recipes link-up with lots of yummy-looking recipes. Go check it out — and leave a link to your favorite, too!

Shared Sep 24, 2012 comment

Q&A: How do you do it all and stay sane & happy? (Part 1)

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 24, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

How do you do it? Mom, Wife, Cook, Clean, Homeschool, Blog, Coupon, and all around Happy Woman? Here’s a little on me: We just recently moved. Now we are 4 hours from family and friends so its just me and my 6 month old son. I LOVE your articles on 21 days to a clean house, freezer cooking, morning routines, and enjoy reading your goals list. My mom explained that being a supermom takes time and practice. I just want to know where to start.

There are 3 grocery stores to watch deals at, couponing, cleaning the house, trying to cook some dinner and maybe even some snacks, oh yeah, and taking care of my 6 month old that I recently started cloth diapering and I want to make some food for him (cook it up and blend it is WAY cheaper than buying jars!) And there are still a lot of boxes to unpack, and from there, donate and sell stuff and sort papers. I can’t do it all. Where do I start? -Jen

Let me just set your mind at ease, Jen: I’m not superwoman and I am far from having my act all together. All my local friends will tell you that I’ve got plenty of areas where I struggle in — just like everyone else. 🙂

That said, my heart goes out to you as a young mom. I well remember feeling so overwhelmed and inadequate with all of life’s demands when I just had my first baby. And I wanted to answer your question as best as I could, in hopes that it might encourage you and other moms out there who are struggling with feeling inadequate or just feeling overwhelmed with life’s demands.

Tonight, I’ll talk about how I do it (or don’t!). Tomorrow, I’ll share some suggestions I thought of for how you can find more peace, order, and fulfillment as a wife and mom.

1. I Don’t Do It All

As I’ve mentioned many times before, I lost my superwoman cape in the dirty laundry pile a long time ago. 😉 I think it coincided with the birth of my third child. That’s when I realized I so did not have my act together and needed to streamline if I were going to survive.

Also, I wanted to not just survive; I wanted to thrive. I didn’t want to look back at the end of my life and feel like I’d wasted my years. I’ve only got one shot at life and I want to use it well.

As a result, I’ve realized that I can’t do it all. I can’t even do a lot of things. I can only do a few things well. So, I’ve prayerfully chose what few things were priorities in my life (see my list here) and then I’ve been seeking to wrap my life around those things.

By choosing to only do a few things, I’ve been able to make those things a priority and focus. This simplifies my life and it helps me to stop feeling guilty about all the things I’m not doing that other people are. There may be a season for those things, but right now, I just gotta stick with a few things!

2. I Have a Very Supportive Husband

There is no way I could or would be blogging, running a business, speaking, and writing books if it weren’t for my husband. He’s my number one cheerleader and he is so excited about the opportunities and doors God is opening for me.

My husband is fantastic and we’re truly a team. As I mentioned last week, we both work together for the economy of our home. That means, it’s not uncommon at all for him to be helping with cleaning or dishes, he usually takes care of the kids’ bedtime routine, and he helps with the homeschooling.

3. I Set Boundaries — Even When It’s Hard

After reaching the point of burnout a few years back, I’ve put some really clear cut boundaries in place when it comes to what I will take on and commit to. For starters, we try be home at least 4 nights each week and I try to stay home all day at least two full days every week. This helps provide a calmer home environment for us and prevents us from always rushing around to the next thing.

I’m a big believer in margin. I try to do something fun and enjoyable every day — even if it’s just 15 minutes of reading a good book. Because of my Type A personality, I’ve come to realize that if I’m not intentional about making fun and relaxation a priority, it won’t happen much. And I need to stop and smell the roses and have that white space in each day to give me energy and refuel my tank.

If life has been especially busy for a few weeks, I’ll declare a PJ Day and we’ll just stay home, take it easy, snuggle up and read, and/or watch a movie. Or, we’ll just go out and go to the library or the park for something different.

We take every Sunday off — off from media, off from blogging, off from our usual responsibilities. After church, we often go drive around (something my husband loves to do!), we sometimes stop for Sonic Happy Hour, and we typically have a leisurely extended lunch just hanging out as a family: talking, teasing, and catching up. After lunch, we usually read or take naps. And then we head to my family’s house around 6 p.m. for dinner with all of my side of the family. We look forward to Sundays all week long: it recharges and refuels us for the week — and it helps us to stay connected and grounded.

4. I Have Great Help

I’ve learned the hard way that I can’t do everything on my own. For a few years, I had a fantastic mother’s helper come in once a week to do whatever I needed done: deep cleaning, cooking, watching the children, or helping me catch up on laundry. Since my children are older now and able to help more, she’s no longer coming, but it was a huge help during a full season of life.

I’m blessed to have a great team of people who work for me to help shoulder the load of business responsibilities. I’d be completely sunk without them! And my assistant keeps my life running smoothly and orderly — so that I can focus on homeschooling, mothering, and loving my husband while still having time for friendships and margin. We’re also blessed to live near grandparents and extended family who are happy to babysit or help out however needed.

5. And Yes, Sometimes I Feel Like Pulling My Hair Out

Despite all of these things, please don’t get the impression that I have all of my ducks in a row and constantly have a cheerful attitude. There are days when my patience seems nonexistent, there are times when I fail miserably, and there are moments when I want to pull my hair out. God reminds me often of how much I need His grace and help — and how without Him, I am nothing.

Stay tuned for my post tomorrow on some practical steps you can take to find more order in your home and life.

I’d love for the rest of you to chime in with your thoughts and advice for Jen. I can’t wait to read your comments and input!

photos from Big Stock

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Shared Sep 24, 2012 comment

Lunchbox Freezer Cooking: Homemade Pizza Lunchables (Day 6)

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 24, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Inspired by this idea, I made Homemade Pizza Lunchables. I used our favorite Pizza Dough recipe and they turned out really well.

To serve these, you could either make them like Lunchables with some shredded cheese in a baggie, some pizza sauce in a little container, and one of the pizza crusts for your child to put together for their lunch. All of these items could be frozen in an airtight bag or an airtight freezer-friendly plastic lunch container.

Or, if you’re eating at home, you could top these with whatever pizza toppings you like and either heat them in the microwave or toaster oven, or bake them in the oven until heated through.

By the way, you can find a Dairy-Free version of this idea here.

Are you joining us for Lunchbox Freezer Cooking? If you’ve blogged about a lunchbox recipes you’ve made for your freezer, leave a link to your post and recipe below. I can’t wait to see your yummy recipes and ideas!

Shared Sep 24, 2012 comment

10 goals for this week

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 24, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I was supposed to be out of town Tuesday through Friday of this week, but my trip got canceled at the very last minute (this afternoon!) because of a serious illness. So what was supposed to be a very full week, has now turned into a much calmer week — and an opportunity to catch up on a few things that have been hanging over my head for the past few weeks.

Last week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read at least 8 chapters of A Way Through the Sea aloud to the kids.

~~2. Write a love note to Jesse.~~

3. Take children to the library/~~meet friends at the park for a playdate.~~

Personal Goals

4. Finish reading Running For My Life, Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, Now, Discover Your Strengths, ~~Abundant Simplicity~~, and ~~Happier at Home.~~

~~5. Listen to two chapters of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard.~~

6. Exercise at least five times. {It was only three times. I’ve got to stop slacking in this department!}

Homemaking Goals

~~7. Finish 25 more rows of the scarf I’m working on knitting.~~

8. Make at least two new recipes.

9. Spot clean and wash curtains in kitchen.

Business Goals

~~10. Blog four posts in the Lunchbox Freezer Cooking series.~~

This week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read at least 8 chapters of A Way Through the Sea aloud to the kids.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

Personal Goals

3. Finish reading 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess (re-reading for a project I’m working on), Whose Voice the Waters Heard, The Husband Project, Mended, Shades of Morning, Now, Discover Your Strengths.

4. Listen to two chapters of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard.

5. Exercise at least five times.

Homemaking Goals

6. Finish 25 more rows of the scarf I’m working on knitting.

7. Make at least two new recipes.

8. Go through our house for our garage sale next week.

Business Goals

9. Finish the Lunchbox Freezer Cooking series.

10. Finish book proposal for my next book & submit to my agent (Woot! So excited about the topic and contents planned for my next book!)

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!

You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.

Shared Sep 24, 2012 comment

This week’s menu

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 24, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Breakfasts

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets, Cereal, Toast, Eggs, and/or Fruit

Lunches

Lunch after church on Sunday: Pumpkin Pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit
Cheese Quesadillas, oranges, carrot sticks
Snack-y lunch, fresh carrot/orange juice
Mac & cheese, veggies, fruit
Pizza Lunchables, veggies, fruit
Leftovers x 2

Snacks

Fruit/Veggies
Homemade Bagels
Homemade Wheat Thins
Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars

Freezer Cooking

Homemade Bagels
Homemade Wheat Thins
Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars
Lunchbox Freezer Cooking

Dinners

Dinner with extended family
Build-Your-Own Haystacks, fruit
Homemade Chicken Salsa Pizza Pockets (recipe coming tomorrow), fruit, steamed veggies
Steak, Twice-Baked Potatoes, Steamed Veggies, Fruit
Keilbasa/Potatoes/Carrots/Onions in the Crockpot, Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls, fruit salad
Lasagna Cups, Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls, fruit veggies
Dinner at church function

What’s on your menu this week? Share details and/or your link to your menu plan in the comments.

Shared Sep 24, 2012 comment

How I Earn Free Coke Rewards and Get Some Exercise, Too!

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 24, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Sheila from The Frugal Exerciser

Last year, I decided to start getting freebies from Coke by collecting the bottle-tops. I had 240 Coke Rewards from playing the Monopoly game from McDonald’s and I needed 360 points to get the Omaha Steaks E-card. Since I can’t consume that many drinks all by myself, I decided to go Coke hunting.

In Chicago, there are many locations with discarded Coca-Cola product bottles. I made those locations my hunting spots. At first, it was quite embarrassing to be outside picking up empty bottles; so I made sure to go out very early on Sunday mornings. After a couple of months, I started thinking, “Who cares? If you see me collecting Coke bottles, oh well!”

The first problem I encountered was remembering all of the products Coca-Cola made. I had to have a cheat sheet: “Do I pick up Squirt or Country Time?” It took a while to figure that out, but I eventually got to know the products very well.

I can remember the largest stash I brought home. I was in an area near a highway and the road was very long. I parked my car and with plastic bag and rubber gloves in hand, I would pick up, walk and pick up. This lasted for 15 minutes and I would get back in the car, drive a little bit further and repeat the process. By the time I was done, I had walked for 60 minutes and had 40 bottles plus two Coke cartons. My total for that day was a whopping 160 free Coke points!

I eventually cashed in my points and got my E-card. Since then, I’ve cashed in for several things like FTD Flowers gift card, free Coke products, Restaurant.com $50 gift certificate, and so forth.

One man’s trash is truly another man’s treasure!

The Frugal Exerciser blogger is Sheila Simmons. She has a masters degree from Ball State University in exercise physiology and cardiac rehab. The owner of The Body Workout fitness program in Chicago is dedicated to changing lives through fitness and healthy living.

Shared Sep 22, 2012 comment

Easy Homemade Hummus

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 22, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

With only a few ingredients, homemade hummus is super easy to make, and will save you almost 90% over buying store bought!

Guest post from of Chris.

Get ready. Today, you’re in for a good ol’ fashioned food fight! Don’t pretend like you don’t love those.

Two similar items are going to face off to determine who the winner is. We all know that price comparisons are vital to a frugal food budget, so the winner will be determined by value.

This time we’re going to get downright Middle Eastern with Hummus.

Though hummus originates in the Middle East, it has recently made the long journey to American kitchens, and we’re all better for it.

The hippies of the 60’s and 70’s were some of the first Americans to give it a go, but over the last 10 years, hummus has gone mainstream.

It’s not just for vegans and vegetarians any more. Sales are growing exponentially with no signs of slowing down.

So, what is hummus?

It’s remarkably simple. Hummus is pureed chickpeas with a few different spices and flavorings.

The most basic varieties include garlic, lemon juice, and maybe some tahini.

That’s about it.

Chickpeas (or Garbanzo Beans) are actually the most widely consumed legume in the world. Hummus can take credit for much of this, but chickpeas are also pretty great by themselves once soaked and cooked properly.

My wife and I love them in salads. They’re a great source of protein and are very low in calories.

However, there’s one big problem. As much as I love hummus, it’s awfully expensive. Have you looked at the prices at your local deli recently? It’s enough to make you drop to your knees and cry.

So, what we need is a no-nonsense price comparison — we need a food fight.

Here we go.

How much hummus can you get for $0.25?

Talk about a big difference!

The first photo demonstrates Cedar’s Hummus, which was the least expensive hummus I could find at my local market ($2.50). The other brands were usually priced between $3 and $4.

The second is a super easy homemade version prepared by yours truly. You get more than 5 servings (1/4 cup per serving) for only a quarter! What other healthy snack boasts that kind of frugality?

Homemade Hummus vs. Store Bought

The bottom line is this: We all know that homemade usually wins the price comparison over store-bought, no matter what the product. However, some foods barely win out and other foods simply blow away the competition. Hummus is one of the latter.

I simply can’t think of a plausible explanation why it costs so much in stores. It’s 95% pureed chickpeas. Do you know how cheap dried chickpeas are?!

The only reason I could come up with is that it’s still considered a specialty item. Even with it’s recent acceptance, hummus is still considered slightly exotic, and therefore, companies can get away with charging more for the mystery. I’m here to take the mystery out of it. It couldn’t be simpler or cheaper to make.

Ingredients for Homemade Hummus

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (about 3/4 cup dry) — see notes below
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water (or 1/4 c. olive oil + 1/4 water)

Ingredient Notes

To cook dried chickpeas, first soak them over night in cold water. Then, bring the soaked chickpeas to a boil in plenty of water and reduce the heat to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours until tender. Leave the lid of the pot tilted slightly to allow some of the steam to escape.

You may also use canned chickpeas (already cooked), just realize that you’ll pay more per serving.

Hummus Ingredient Substitutions

The main thing missing from my recipe is Tahini. It’s an oily paste made from sesame seeds that most commercial hummus use. I don’t think Tahini is necessary, but if you miss it, go ahead and add it in next time.

You could also add olive oil if you’d like. Try 3 Tablespoon of oil and 1/4 cup water instead of 1/2 cup of water if you’d like a richer flavor.

Another delicious option… swap the onion powder for 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder for a more Southwestern flavor.

How to Make Homemade Hummus

1. Combine all of the ingredients other than the water/oil into a quality food processor or blender.

2. Blend, on high, until you have a rough paste.

3. Add water, 1/4 cup at a time, and continue blending, scraping down the sides occasionally if needed. You can add more or less water than suggested, depending on your desired consistency.

4. Serve with veggies, crackers, pita bread, or any other favorites and enjoy!

Be creative when making hummus. There are hundreds of possibilities!

Recipe