Frugal Friday 346

Happy Frugal Friday!

Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- Last weekend we hosted my parents and sister for a Memorial Day Weekend/early birthday celebration for Owen. We took several fishing trips, long walks, played in the sprinkler, played board games, and enjoyed lots of free, at home fun. My parents generously supplied lasagna, salad, and picnic supplies for the weekend. We had friends over for bike riding and a picnic on Tuesday to help eat up the leftovers from the weekend.

- Mark and I celebrated our 11th Wedding Anniversary on Saturday. We did splurge and have dinner out. We chose a locally owned restaurant and were excited to eat out for the first time since February and for the first time alone since the Christmas holidays! Thank you for keeping the kids Mama, Dad, and Lu.

- My friend Jeanette brought us a dozen duck eggs (so we were able to spoil my family with German Pancakes on their visit!) and a big box of school materials for Owen. Many of the books and worksheets were doubles so we shared the extra sets with another Kindergarten friend. Thank you Jeanette!

- We have always had a flag pole in our front yard but in seven years have never put the string on it to hang a flag. A coworker of Mark's mentioned wanting to add a flag pole to his yard. Mark said if he would come take it down and have a vehicle to transport it that he could have ours for free. We were more than happy to share something that we weren't using.

- On Tuesday, Annabeth returned to the dance studio for her duet. This was her first lesson since March. We have saved $150 in private lesson fees during the Shelter in Place order.

- One of my Express Taggers messaged to say that she had cleaned out many more toys and a stroller so I went ahead and tagged those extra items for her. The one benefit of our annual spring sale being moved back was that we all had more time to clean items out.

- Now through May 31st you can join my Usborne Books & More team for just $30. This incredible business has given me so much confidence and financial freedom. Over the past three years, I have covered a new dishwasher, flooded kitchen, medical bills, and saved for a Disney World vacation just to name a few bills covered with my Book Lady paychecks. I have loved filling our homeschool bookshelves with beautiful, incredible books. Want to join me? I know I want you on my team!

We are looking forward to celebrating Mr. O's 5th Birthday this weekend!

Happy Savings to All!

Number 11.

Mark and I met at summer camp, courted and were engaged long distance, and then married with him settling into night shift just 6 weeks in. We've never *really* lived a "normal" life or schedule. This summer marks not only our eleven year wedding anniversary but also our eleven year anniversary to Law Enforcement. Our lives have been busy and most often lived separately.

We have always joked that we would like to just run away to the woods and to live alone with our kids. That we'd like a season of life that was slow, easy where we could just exist as a family of four without schedules, office hours, phones ringing, etc. We have always said "someday we'll make it happen."

Then this spring the world shut down. We got our "someday" now. 

The past few months of Shelter in Place haven't been exactly like that... Mark has stilled worked his office hours plus call outs plus Coroner calls but the rest of our lives were cancelled. We ate dinner on our back patio, we took long walks, he was home in the evenings a few times! We have played so many games, got the kids new bikes, worked on a house project, added a pup to our family, and spent more time truly talking to and investing in each other. 

This past year has been so wonderful. Eleven years in and we've really settled into married life. We have slowed down and it's been lovely.

No matter how we do life, I am thankful to do it with this man. The one who encourages me both in word and action, who lives to serve others, and who continues to choose me daily.

Happy #11 my Love.

 Fall 2019 - Pumpkin Patch Day

FPD Christmas Party 2019

*Be sure to check out the Anniversary Tab for all of our anniversary posts

Frugal Friday 345

Happy Frugal Friday!

Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- I did our grocery shopping and saved nearly $30 with coupons and earned $13 back with Ibotta! It's always nice to have an over $40 savings at the store! I am working on getting back into couponing hot and heavy again. I love saving money!

- I cashed out some Ibotta rewards to purchase party items for Owen's birthday. I was able to get hanging decor, cookie cutters, special candies, and his birthday shirt for FREE!

- I cashed out some My Library Rewards and used the $25 gift card to help pay for our upcoming Disney trip.

- Saturday morning Mark took Owen out fishing. Annabeth and I took Oscar on a long walk (well, I walked, Annabeth biked, and Oscar was carried most of the way) We also enjoyed a picnic lunch outside. After lunch, Mark mowed our yard and our elderly neighbors. The kids and I played some games and they rode their bikes.

- Sunday Mark and Annabeth spent the day out fishing. Owen and I spent the whole morning working a 350 piece puzzle only to find out that we only had 348 of the pieces. :( Once everyone was home, we enjoyed dinner together.

Annabeth with one of her eight fish of the day!

- Monday morning I did a deep clean of the Master Bedroom and moved furniture all around. I have to move everything to clean thoroughly so sometimes it's fun to set it all up different for a few weeks too. We also did a clean out of the car and somehow during a Stay At Home Order the kids still had a whole laundry basket full of clothes, toys, cups in the car! Whew. We brought everything inside and put it away and then I shopvacced the car.

- We got the official word that Annabeth's week at church camp is cancelled due to Indiana's ReOpen Plan. We reviewed lots of other weeks and it's just not going to work this summer. The only other week she could have gone would have been when they will most likely cancel again. We donated the deposit we already paid and also purchased some items from their Amazon wishlist to donate as well.

- We also received the news that dance Nationals has been moved to an online event. We were able to cancel our hotel and travel plans. This is our third hotel cancellation of the spring. We have saved $1400 in hotel fees plus the cost of gas, eat out meals, and attractions. We will leave this money in our vacation envelope for future trips.

- We paid our car insurance in full for the year. We saved $130 by doing this.

- I cleaned out our fridge and freezer. We have eaten down most items so it was a great time to take everything out, wash, and return. I only found one expired item and it was a nearly empty bottle of mustard. I am proud of us for having so little food waste!

We are looking forward to a long, glorious Memorial Day Weekend!

Happy Savings to All!

Frugal Friday 344

Happy Frugal Friday!

Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- Saturday morning, Mark enjoyed a morning of fishing with his dad and our nephew. It was very cold and windy so the others headed home around noon. Mark stayed out all afternoon. He very much enjoyed some quiet time out with the fish.

- Saturday the kids and I stayed home. We made homemade soup, bread, and a cake for Mother's Day.

- Sunday we had a quiet morning at home with church online and a long phone call with my Mama. We went to Mark's parents' house and saw everyone for the first time in two months. We had a nice lunch and the kids had a great time playing out in the yard.

All the people (and the pup) that make me a Mama

- We did a hand-me-down swap between all of the kids. Owen took some Mickey Mouse board books to his younger cousin (This was a huge blessing as one he has had since his first birthday and I am very attached to. It made it "okay" with me to pass on knowing J will love it.) The older cousins brought Annabeth two pairs of shoes in the next size and my nephew brought some great camo, jackets, and Lakeview wear for Owen. Luke and Cassidy brought some dog toys to welcome Oscar - he is especially loving one of them this week! We love passing everything around like this!

- When we got home from lunch, we surprised Owen with his very first bike! We had planned to get one for him last summer but he broke his foot and was in a cast for most of the summer. He is very proud to be riding on his own! We look forward to helping him build his confidence and strength on it this spring and summer.

- Monday morning we were finally able to get Annabeth to the orthodontist to get her lip bumper out. Due to Social Distancing Guidelines she went in alone for the appointment. I was able to read out in the car for about 20 minutes which was lovely!

- Monday evening we got out for a little drive. We picked up more books and movies at the library and then also drove through Annabeth's dance studio for a fun parade. She was SO excited to see all of her teachers, the seniors, and to get the pins she has earned this year. It was so nice to be back at a place we love so much.

- Tuesday I put several hours of work into my Usborne Books & More business. We are much busier than usual for this time of year and I am thankful that Usborne paid ALL of our grocery bills and allowed us to order pizza in April. I used my Team Leader over ride to get something fun for each child and then saved the rest.

- Wednesday morning we drove up north to surprise Annabeth's friend with a birthday gift and card. I surprised the kids on the way home with our first Starbucks stop since February! They each got a cake pop and since they messed up my order I got two drinks for the price of one! Saved over $5!

- Wednesday afternoon our friends Jeanette and Audrey came over so the kids could ride bikes. They had a lot of fun playing and "feeling normal" as Annabeth said when they left. I enjoyed a long chat with Jeanette and Oscar.

- Wednesday night after dinner Mark took Owen to a big, empty parking lot to ride his new bike. Annabeth played outside and then had dance class on Zoom. She is very much looking forward to the hope of being back in the studio in June!

- Yesterday we had storms that I wasn't expecting so we stayed home in the morning doing chores. Then we spent a few hours out in the yard and then we packed up to go get our library holds. We also took Oscar to his first park! He kept up on our walk for a little while but eventually we just had to carry him. We enjoyed a good couple of park hours before another storm rolled in.

Oscar's First Park Trip

We had a good week, with an appointment and seeing Mark's family for a bit life felt a bit more normal. That was good because this week also came with the sad confirmation that Annabeth's week at camp was cancelled. Unfortunately, we have quite a few other summer plans that are still "on" for now and we aren't able to add her to a different section. She has been looking forward to returning to camp since her time there last summer and it nearly broke my heart to tell her she has to wait until next summer now. Praying for all children feeling that same sense of loss for their summer fun.

Looking forward to a weekend of lots of outside play between the rain storms.

Happy Savings to All!

Frugal Friday 343

Happy Frugal Friday!

Here is how we saved money, made extra money, and spent money wisely:

- Last Friday was our last day of school. We usually treat the kids to dinner out. This was my family's last day of school tradition and I love letting the kids pick where ever they want to eat. Since restaurants are still closed we did a McDonald's picnic in our yard.

- Saturday morning the kids enjoyed Music Class with Miss Becky from church via phone chat. She is SO incredible. She calls ALL of the children in our church and plays/sings several songs with them each week. It has been such a blessing for our children to connect with our church family in this way. We still enjoy Children's Time and Sermons via YouTube but this way we can actually interact with them.

- Sunday morning Mark took advantage of a free fishing day and fished at Atterbury. I often view Mark's time at work as "time off" since he's not home (my workplace) and I also often make the mistake of forgetting that his job is taxing and stressful even on the best days. I am trying to be better about allowing him time on his own.

- That morning I cleaned out my closet. I was able to part with many items. Most went into a bag to trade with my sister and three were listed for sale online. They aren't her style and are boutique brands so I may be able to sell.

- Monday morning the kids and I deep cleaned and move furniture in three rooms - Annabeth's, Owen's, and for the first time since moving in the living room. Mark and I had moved a chair around one night and then I just kept moving things until I got it how I kind of like it. I LOVE our open floor plan and would never want to go back to the separate rooms like we had at our old house but it has made arranging furniture a challenge for me.

- Monday our libraries opened for curbside pick up!!! We returned our three huge bags of books that we've had for six weeks and got one new bag! Of all the places we wanted to open our library was #1! We were SO excited to see our friend Miss Kalen when we picked up books. We picked up another bag of books on Wednesday.

- Our friends the Evans family have loaned us a bike for Annabeth for the summer. They dropped it off over the weekend and Annabeth has already logged many hours riding. Thank you!

- We are debating using potty pads for some puppy potty training. My friend Cindy had a whole pack of extra ones and let us have them. Thank you Cindy!

- Tuesday morning I did a big School Room clean-out. Again. I think I just did this a few weeks ago but we use our school room HARD and it needs a good clean very often.

- We cleaned out the kitchen before the new stove came and parted ways with our tea kettle and spice rack. I never use either and just move them to dust them over and over. It was time for them to leave.

- When Annabeth cleaned out her room, she chose to part ways with many trophies and medals from dance and gymnastics. The next day, our studio posted a request for trophies to gift to the recreational students. Annabeth was very happy to be able to donate them locally. We usually ship to https://www.awardsmall.com/ for donation and/or recycling.

Since we were without a stove or oven for a bit, thought I would share what we did for food with our crockpots and breadmakers. I did not cook breakfasts and we just did fruit, yogurt, cereal, and bar choices. Lunch was sandwich choices with fresh fruits/veggies and chips a few days as a treat or leftovers heated in the crockpot. Dinners I made: Hot Dogs and baked beans, chili, tortellini alfredo and Italian bread in the bread maker, beef strew with the remaining Italian bread, and Greek Chicken Orzo.

- My sister came to visit starting on Wednesday. We have not seen her since February and it was really lovely to have her here! Yesterday she took the kids out on an adventure and I was able to do my usual Thursday cleaning ALONE! Bonus was the kids had a great time as well!

Hiking by the river.

They found SO many neat shells, rocks, and even some antique treasures.

- Last night Annabeth's friend came over to ride bikes. They didn't actually play together to stay socially distant but they did ride bikes and talk. I had a great talk with my friend and my sister. Jeanette also brought us duck eggs - thank you!

We are looking forward to a good weekend and to celebrating our moms for Mother's Day!

Happy Savings to All!

Frugal Friday 342

Happy Frugal Friday!

Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- We had purchased the dog food we thought the breeder had been feeding Oscar. It turned out that she had sent a different name than the sample bag they provided and Oscar refused to eat it. We gave it a few days to see if he was just adjusting to our home but when we fed him from their sample bag he ate the whole serving. Mark bought the preferred kind and we donated the rest of the other to the Humane Society. We didn't love spending the extra money but were happy to not put the other to waste.

- I ran a fundraiser for the Pink House Little Free Pantry. We were able to donate some great meal bags to this little free pantry to help them stock their shelves. We were happy to support our friend Heather and such a great cause. Supporters purchased Cards for a Cause boxes which arrived last night. We will deliver them this weekend and people will be able to write cards to their loved ones.

- Monday I messaged a friend about dropping off a present for her birthday. She ended up surprising me by stopping by to pick it up and bringing me a smoothie in the process! We had a great chat on the back porch and it took everything in me not to say, "Please stay for hours!" Thanks Jeanette!

- Monday night I went to cook dinner and while my fries were baking it seemed like my meat was taking a while to brown. It was. The stove-top had gone out sometime between lunch and dinner. When Mark got home, he quickly cooked up the meat on the grill and then went to work on the stove. Mark worked and worked and read and watched videos and it was apparently NONE of the common/easy fixes. He took it apart and looked at other things he thought it might be and nothing was becoming an obvious problem. We turned the oven on to test it and it had gone out as well leading us to think it was a computer type issue aka super expensive. Ultimately, we shopped a sale (10% off) and simply purchased a new one. We have had this one over ten years as it was new in our first house and we replaced all of the inner parts of the oven last fall. We'll remove those newer oven parts to keep in case our new one ever breaks.

I love to watch Mark help the kids learn 

via hands on experience

- The rest of the week was like Ultimate Quarantine Cooking Challenge. The first night, I did order Door Dash (for the first time and used a coupon and a free delivery deal) and the kids and I enjoyed Chicago's Pizza. Other than that, we made due with what we had on hand and enjoyed creative meals. Our new range will arrive at the end of next week at the earliest.

- Wednesday night we had grilled hot dogs and baked beans from the crock pot. After dinner Mark cooked up a pound of hamburger on the grill and I added it to crock pot chili last night. Today we will have left overs.

- Most of our week was spent helping Oscar feel more and more at home with us. I did lots of laundry and mopping as I tried to stay ahead of muddy paws on the floors. I forgot about the challenge of puppy training in the mud!

My three favorite little faces

We are looking forward to another nice, slow weekend. Mark will be working but the kids and I plan to work some new puzzles and to work on training Oscar to sit.

Happy Savings to All!