Frugal Challenge-Sticking to a Christmas Budget

Every year I always exceed what I had planned on spending for Christmas. You know you have an extra person or two, you spent more than you should on someone. So this year I created my list. A column of everyone that I needed to buy for. Then I figured out how much I was going to spend in total. I then prioritized the list and decided how much I could spend on each category dividing each category with the money allotted to it.
1) My kids (Hubby and I bought new dining chairs for Christmas)
2) Our family
3) Friends
4) Teachers and other extra little gifts needed.

Now doing it this way made me adjust down some of the amounts I thought I could spend all the while staying within my money allotted for each gift category. So much easier for me to know exactly when I am shopping what the maximum amount is I could spend on each present. That notation is next to each name on my list. I also realized I could maybe make something like a baked good or meal for a few older neighbors. This is something they might enjoy more than anything I could buy. So far so good.

Linking to:
Time Warp Wife
Coastal Charm
BNOTP
Raising Homemakers
Women Living Well

Christmas Has Arrived

 It's here. The spirit of the season has hit me and the decorating has begun!

We spent all of yesterday afternoon and evening decking the halls. Our outdoor lights are up and the house is pretty much done. Our main tree has yet to arrive as we like to go pick it out as a family.

As always we moved some furniture around and placed both dry sinks next to each other to make room for the big tree. My prim tree is sitting atop the child's dry sink. It is my favorite tree. Filled the little cupboard shelves with our collection of sheep.

I will share more later on but this is my more prim side of Christmas decor. To me the more subtle colors are warm and welcoming. Of course other rooms have more bright red but in here it is more toned down. You will see some of my prim snowmen scattered about.

Linking to:
BNOTP
Coastal Charm
Table Top Tuesday
Return to Loveliness
Mod Mix Monday
Wow Us Wed.

Sunday Greetings

Just popping in to wish you all a blessed Sunday. The last day of this wonderfully long weekend. My husband works so many hours that it is such a treat to see him up watching the Military Channel every morning when I get up to make coffee. He loves all things history and can watch hours of the Military Channel or History Channel.
We spent the day yesterday working in the yard. It was 83 degrees. I was in shorts and a tank top. Crazy. We cleaned out planters and spiffed up the house to get it ready for lights today. In the morning though we spent over an hour in Walmart. It was blissfully empty and we got everything on our list and bought a few Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. I like to finish my shopping as early as I can. I am almost done.
So today the Christmas bins come down and the holiday magic begins. I can't wait to show Q. She is at the perfect age for the magic of Christmas. She of course keeps telling us she wants a trampolene for Christmas. Sorry Q but Santa will not be bringing one. We would have not much yard left with that on our lawn.
Hope you all have a wonderful last day of the weekend. Next time I will post some Christmas cheer.

Linking to:
Seasonal Sundays

Post Thanksgiving

Today I cleared out all of the fall decor. Every last bit was tucked away in their boxes and hubby put them away in the garage. I have yet to get out the Christmas decor and I have to admit something. I am liking the cleaned out less cluttered look of my house and almost hate to admit that I don't want to clutter it up again with the Christmas decorations. What is happening to me? This is so not me.
 I don't like this feeling. I want to be so excited to get the Christmas stuff out. Usually we do it the first weekend in December so maybe I am rushing myself from the usual routine. Every day full of errands and running kids here and there and doctors appointments. You just crave time to do nothing.  Today I watched and napped through two Doris Day movies. Heavenly. Tomorrow we will do a little Christmas shopping. Didn't go anywhere near a mall today. No way. This has been the first time hubby has had a day off in ten days so we try to squeeze in a little shopping because December is always a busy time for his department.
Okay, so you all get your holiday decor pictures on your blogs so I get inspired and run out to the garage and grab all my bins and holiday up my house. I am counting on you. My kids will never forgive me if it doesn't look like Christmas barfed in our house. That is their description not mine. 

Thanksgiving Wishes

It is Thanksgiving Eve-Eve and because tomorrow I will be busy cooking and cooking and then cooking some more I wanted to wish you all a wonderful blessed Thanksgiving. Thanks for bringing such warmth and friendship into my life. I am lucky to have got to know you all in some small way. See you on the other side with Christmas lights on.
 Oh and I am dying from this show "Last Man Standing" It is our life except that instead of the twenty year old having the baby, we did. The man has three daughters and a toddler grandchild in the house. We have the same age daughters and then our three year old and it is so us. We have had some of the same situations and conversations and it is as if someone visited our house and decided to do a show on us. In one episode the dad acts like a crazy man over something and a parent of one of the daughter's boyfriends acts shocked and he says that when you have raised three daughters (in our case four) then you see how well you do. Whoa, I am getting punchy now so off to bed. One benefit of having a three year old in your forties is that you have no trouble falling asleep and when you do, you sleep like a rock. Some of my friends complain of sleepless nights but not a problem over here. Q makes sure I sleep well every night.

Linking to:
BNOTP

Yellow Day and a Wonderful Surprise

Made my weekly stop at Goodwill and for some reason there were some darling things and all in yellow. First, an older rolling pin with painted yellow handles. Eee gads I have lots of rolling pins with painted handles but have never found a yellow one. I then spotted the little golden plaid thermos and had to have that but the find of the day was this yellow check drink cooler. It is so fun and has all of its parts. I don't think I would use it but for display how cute is that? My basket was full of a little bit of sunshine I tell you.

Also, last week I received this darling surprise in the mail from Debbie at My Vintage Daydreams. She is the sweetest thing and knows my daughter and I love owls. I love the faces on these bowls. She also tucked in two fall towels and a maple leaf hook. I am so excited to meet her in person on Dec. 3rd. We are having a little blogger meet up so I will get to see her and thank her in person. Thanks Debbie!!



Well today is house cleaning day in prep for all the cooking and baking I will start tomorrow. Wrapped up my grocery shopping yesterday. It was busy but everyone seemed festive. All of us trying to choose the right turkey. I grabbed a Starbucks in the store for a treat and took my time and got in the mood.
Right now I am sipping a cup of coffee and summoning the will power to get up. My dryer died yesterday so we have laundry hanging all over the house. This is only going to last for a few days as six people and no dryer equals lots of wet laundry. Don't they make things to last any longer? My dryer is less than nine years old. Last one I had was hubby's grandma's, an old Maytag, and it lasted for over 30 years before it croaked. I think we will be in Lowe's on Friday if it can't be repaired before then.

Blast From the Past

My girlfriend just sent this to me and I about died. We were roomies at the Miss United Teenager pageant way back in 1984/85? What a crack up. Could I have had any more eye makeup on? Some girl there told us we had to have very dramatic makeup. She said dramatic not clown like so I guess this shows I had no clue. I still don't wear much makeup. Some comic relief for the day.

Farewell Colors of Fall

Anyone like me and sad to see the warm colors of fall give way to the brighter colors of Christmas? Don't get me wrong I love Christmas and love the red and white but there is something about the warmth of the reds, oranges, greens and golds of fall that just stir my soul.

My home is sort of decorated in those colors all year long so I must love them. I even have two prints with pumpkins on the walls all year long. It is just my most favorite time of year weather, food and decor wise. What is not to love?

We are enjoying a cool fall day with rain on the way and literally that just makes me giddy. I think when you live where is is warm a lot of the year, cool days are such a treasure. You really savor them.

Oh to be able to tuck pumpkins in among my little shelves all year. There are people that celebrate Christmas all year so I will officially be the person willing to celebrate fall all year.

Somehow I think I won't find many Christmas trees in oranges and purples so I will have to be content with the fading flowers on the patio and enjoy them for one more week because then comes December and out comes my second most favorite color combo, red and white. So who could say no to decorating with those colors.

Linking to:
Seasonal Sundays, Sundae Scoop
Sat.Night Special, Sister Sunday
Met Monday, Life Made Lovely
Tabletop Tuesday, Coastal Charm

Straight out of the 80s

I was gifted with one of these milk cans with geese way back in 1989. Remember that blue and those geese? It has been rolling around in the garage forever so I decided to paint it.

So first I painted it black and then over that with white and sanded it in spots to show some wear but it looks anemic so I need some advice. What can I do to further age it? Give it a little more character. Should I rub on stain or something? I don't want it to be brown though if I use stain. Okay, so some of you do the best stuff so let me know how to distress it more.

Linking to:

Met Monday

Wow Us Wed.

When Your Blog is Deleted

Last night as I was blogging and hopping around when all of a sudden my blog was deleted by Google. Do I dare type their name for fear of retribution? Just all of sudden poof. I was shocked for a second and after poking around Blogger they directed me to Google who had taken it down. There was a link to place a request for Google to rethink or review why they took it down. I just decided I wasn't going to worry about it. If the blog was gone then it was a sign that I needed to spend less time online but then I recvd. an e-mail with an apology but no explanation from Google and the blog had been restored. Goes to show you what you think you own in cyberspace isn't really your own and it can be gone in a second. So I am back. Whew.
I did have my blog backed up but they control your domain name so I would not have had my same URL if they had not restored it. Just thought I would share my experience.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

As we prepare for Thanksgiving which I didn't even realize was just next week, I always get a little nostalgic. In our house it is a very quiet holiday with just our family. My in laws are always gone to their cottage so we have become accustomed to our quiet day. I cook a full meal with all the trimmings.

Of course I now cook most of it the day ahead so I am not dead tired on the actual day and what is it about Thanksgiving leftovers? Reheated they taste twice as good. I cook my mom's exact menu and never vary from it. It would not be allowed in this house. My husband always loved my mom's cooking so it is a little like  being with her again in some little way.

When I smell the sauteing celery, onions and sage in preparation for the stuffing I am swept back to Thanksgivings as a child and getting up to my mom who had been in the kitchen for hours. I even prepare it in the same pan she did. My connection to the past is important but I want my kids to have the same warm memories of the holiday prep I did.

Our day is very informal and we always watch A Christmas Story after dinner. Then the day after, the madness starts. The countdown to Christmas and all the shopping, wrapping and baking beckons.

There is one little tradition I started a few years ago that is so perfect for the holiday. I gave everyone a notecard and pen and told them to write on it what they were thankful for and then we share them at dinner. Now each year they are placed on the table for us to re-read and laugh over. Some of those were touching but also funny when written by a young kid.

Here are some darling ones I found online.

Thanksgiving Notecards

Thanksgiving blessings to all my blogging friends. I wish you a safe journey and time with the ones you love.

Linking to:
The Charm of Home
My Romantic Home
Common Ground
Potpourri Friday

Quick Pop In

I am in the middle of loads of paperwork to get my daughter into a particular school next year. It has been a little traumatic for me (not in a bad way) as for the first time in 16 years of homeschooling, I may have a daughter in public school. New pathways for me for sure. I am also cooking lasagna and fixings as a neighbor of ours has passed away and I am taking dinner to the family tonight. Off to the store right now. Hope to visit and catch up soon.

Back to Reality

We are back from a long weekend at Elle Cottage on the Central Coast. You can see the little cottage here. It belongs to my husband's family. We had sun, rain, wind but always beautiful scenery. After the rain on Saturday we headed to the beach to go tide pooling. We find the best stuff in the tide pools after the storms.

Here hubs is showing Q and the other kids a star fish. Of course our little one wanted to bring it home like the one in our bathroom. We had to tell her this one was alive and needed to stay in the ocean.

We had four adults and five kids in the little cottage so it was busy with lots of very large meals and snacking whenever we found an excuse. We have to walk a lot to burn calories up here so we took a very long hike in the hills. It was beautiful and we got back to the cars just before the rain.

The deer visit the cottage's yard twice daily in the early morning and at sunset. They raid the bird feeder and try to eat the apples from the trees. We never tire of watching them. Back to life and school and laundry and keeping the home fires burning. I have stocked the kitchen again, unpacked and put all the laundry away. Whew!

Linking to:
Wow Us Wed.

Indulgent Me

I have to apologize for my last self indulgent post . You all responded to sweetly with such encouragement that I just feel guilty. There are so many people with real problems and I was complaining about my life that was hectic from a busy week with nothing troubling or any illness. There are so many people out there with real needs for prayer and encouragement that I feel bad. Anyway though, thank you to all of you that just sent me the sweetest thoughts and words and know that I read them and feel so blessed. How I wish I lived near all of you so we could have coffee and a real chat. I think a lot of us are missing that connection with women that prior generations used to get on a regular basis. I remember my mom and the neighbors having "coffee and". That is what they called it as in coffee and cookies or whatever was available. All in their housecoats they would get together for regular chats in one another's kitchens. Boy I wish it was still like that. I never even see my neighbors.

So I am packing and we are off this weekend as friends we see once a year will be there so I am very blessed and lucky and THANKFUL and need to finish my lists of meals and such to feed all of us. Thank you everyone and I guess sometimes we just blog in the moment and that is where I was. Love my blogging sisters. You guys are the best.

New Do

I was in moldy type of mood this morning with tons of things on my plate and just letting the stress of the everyday things get to me. Tried on some winter pants and felt the tug of a few extra pounds and that made me bummed and mad at myself. But really what was I pouting about. I ate the Halloween candy and can get those pounds off and my life is busy because I have this big family and we are all busy and living life. I sent my husband a text that I felt fluffier and was unhappy and he smartly sent me a text that he thinks I look good. What else could he say and still come home at the end of the day? Poor guy. I am lucky and he is smart and keeps me grounded. 

So I decided after tackling a couple items I would walk. That is what I need to do. Eat less, walk more. It was the perfect day. Then my SIL came over and did my hair. Boy does that give you a pick me up. I decided to cut it shorter and then straighten it today. I love it. I needed a change. It was hard to get some sort of shot of my head while holding the camera myself and not show four chins or something. More items are checked off the list tonight and tomorrow is a new day with more appts. and errands but these are things I need to remember to be thankful for. My daughter comes home from the hospital and always needs to decompress and her stories remind me that the busyness of life is a blessing and not to be cursed or taken for  granted. Thank God for my busy life.

Gobble Gobble

Want to show you a few of my Thanksgiving turkeys. I love to scatter them throughout the house. These two are candles and really pick up the light in my front window.

Just tucked a few on the dining table.

I am in dire need of a new tablecloth. I want a light off white/taupe check and can never find one long enough.

Don't toss your Indian corn. I have had this lot for more than five years. Just store in your house so critters don't get into it.

Linking to:
Met Monday
Tabletop Tuesday
Coastal Charm
Wow Us Wed.

A Perfect Saturday

This weekend I had a wonderful day meeting and playing with some fellow bloggers. Sweet Patty from Lemon Lane Cottage invited me to tag along with her and her sister in law on a little road trip down to meet another blogger I know many of you will know, Maryjane with The Beehive Cottage. What a fun day. First we made a stop at Patty's sister in law's house. What a treat. Shelly is not only one of the nicest people ever but her house is just eye candy you can't believe. Think of the cutest cottage you have ever seen in red and white. I just couldn't take it all in it is that cute. I didn't take pics because we were in a hurry but oh how I wish I would have. We want her to start a blog to share her darling home. You would love it as much as I do I am sure. Shelly it's time!! Share your home with us!!!

Anyway we headed down to Murrieta to Ivy Street Market where Maryjane had her vintage cutie trailer and all her wonderful vintage paper goods. We shopped and chatted and she is just the sweetest, warm lovely thing ever. She gifted us each with some wonderful items from her goodies and we were just overwhelmed with her generosity. We hope to see her again soon so we can get together and visit. If you haven't seen her darling paper goods you can visit her etsy shop here http://www.etsy.com/shop/beehivecottage?ref=em.

And the day kept getting better. As we were visiting with Maryjane who would we see also visiting the little trailer but Kris from Simplify. I was thrilled. She hugged us all and went along with us for lunch and we had the best time getting to know her. I am good blogging friends with her so to see her and give her a hug was wonderful.

Last Patty, Shelly and I went to the new Hobby Lobby for the first time. Patty and I had not been yet so it was so exciting. Boy was it packed. They have so much in there it is overwhelming. I wanted to post pics I took but I had my old camera and for the life of me cannot find the cord I need to upload my pics. I am already having one of those weeks. You know the kind, if you think of all you have to do you might cry. Yep one of those. At the end of the week we are heading out of town so I have to throw packing into that.

Thanks so much Patty for including me and to Maryjane for our wonderful gifts and to Shelly for sharing your home with me and to Kris for showing up at the perfect time so we could meet. Blogging has opened such a lovely group of women to me that I otherwise would never have met. I love you guys!!! I wish I could meet all my blogging friends. That would be so awesome!!

Rainy Day Puttering

We have had a glorious rain today. Yesterday we were in the 80s and today only in the 50s. I am loving it. I pulled out all of my Thanksgiving doo-dads and have been playing around.  Read some under a blankie and then put dinner in the crock pot. Hubs and I have an appt. when he gets home so I wanted to have dinner all squared away. It is called Supper in a Pot. And it really is a complete dinner in one dish. The family loves it I make it in the cooler months.

It is simply layers of meat and veggies. I use ground beef or turkey browned, then layer with sliced potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, bell peppers, mushrooms, corn. Whatever you like. Hubby hates peas so I use corn.
Little salt and pepper with each layer and then about 1/2 c. milk and one can of cream of whatever soup you have poured on top with melted cheese. Add a little liquid and cheese between the layers too for extra creaminess. Set on high for four hours and serve with a salad.

Here it is already for the lid and to cook away. When we get home, dinner will be ready.

I will share my pilgrims later as I am still tweaking. I like to buy a pair every year to add to my collection.

I am blogging on my couch in its new spot. I knew I would love it here so I could look at and watch the rain fall.

Linking to:
Show and Tell Friday
SNS 106

Thankfulness

Just got in the house from doing my weekly yard chores. The lawns are mowed and the front planter is on its way to being cleared out and ready for winter pansies. I work until I fill our green barrel and then I am done.

Hard work just clears your head and really does release the good juices in us. Though I am filthy and on my way to a shower, I am happy and content. Rain is supposed to be on the way so yard chores are done and I can stay in and be cozy tomorrow.

Ever thankful that I have food to eat and my kids have never gone to bed hungry. My mother went to bed hungry many a time as a child so she made sure we never did. I am so thankful my kids have never had to either. It might get a little slim around here between trips but there is always food for the making.

 Thankful my 13 yr.old will indulge her little sister and play dolls with her. It warms my heart when I see this scene.

I divided my Dutch Iris bulbs. I love how every year they give me more and more. These were originally in the yard from our old house. Now I have about 60-70 bloom every year.

Linking to:
The Charm of Home
Potpourri Friday
Inspiration Friday
Common Ground