Frugal Friday 424

 Happy Frugal Friday and Happy New Year's Eve!

This Frugal Friday is going to look a little different as I reflect back on our year. 

January 2021 - We were rapidly paying down a car loan, our first ever one of those. The kids and I were in an accident in May 2020 where our car was totaled. We, thankfully, were not injured and the other driver was safe as well. Unfortuntately, the damage was enough that our older car "wasn't worth the cost to repair" per the insurance. We opted to pay about 1/3 cash down and then to pay off the rest quickly on a new (to us 2018) low-milage (under 20,000) car vs paying full cash for something older and more miles. On top of the car, we were seriously looking at building a new house.

Mid 2021 - By March, we had made the difficult but firm decision to not move forward with the build. This was especially difficult as we loved the floor plan we had chosen and the kids had been along to several design meetings and toured the model home several times. We instead invested money into paying off the car loan completely and into some updates to our current house. 

End of 2021 - We are very happy with that decision to not move. At the beginning of the process, the builder said we would be in our home by this Christmas. They have not even begun work on the part of the neighborhood that we would have built in. We would have been waiting/renting probably a year or more for our house. God knew best even when we didn't. 

On a professional note, I am most proud to have donated over $7500 in cash and books in our community and across the mid-west. I have worked with ASSIST Indiana, Resources of Hope, Trinity Lutheran Church and School, as well as countless individuals in their efforts to fill their bookshelves and fundraise for causes they love. What a wonderful year to be a Book Lady!

As we look ahead to 2022, our family strives to continue to faithfully pay down our mortgage and to live with our eyes set on the goal of "owing no man anything but love" (Romans 13:8) We also have been praying over/discussing something new and fun in our business lives. Stayed tuned... 

Happy 2022 from the Rileys!

Frugal Friday 423

 Happy Frugal Friday and Merry Christmas Eve!

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

- Last Friday night, Mark enjoyed the annual leader's party with his Scout Pack/Troop. The kids and I used a $10 coupon to order pizza for pizza and movie night.

- Saturday Mark and Owen had a special day out with Mark's mom. They went to Costco, our Christmas gift is a membership which we've never had before so please let us know what's a great deal there, and out to lunch. Thank you to Kristi for such a great gift!

- Annabeth had gymnastics on Saturday and then we ran errands together. Saturday night when we all got home we enjoyed a family game night. 

- Sunday after church we took lunch to Mark's mom and played more games. Yahtzee is a current favorite for all of us.

- Sunday evening Annabeth had her Youth Group party and took a silly pillow for the White Elephant gift exchange. It was a pillow that we had received in a White Elephant exchange a few years ago so free for us to gift. She was very excited to receive a Rubix Cube. 

- Once we were all home Sunday, we popped popcorn, watched "Elf," and had an indoor campout. The kids especially loved camping out by the lights of the Christmas tree. Oscar enjoyed sleeping outside of his crate and treated himself to a good night's sleep in the Master Bed. 

- Monday evening we played games and Owen and I made No Bake Cookies after dinner. Mark and Annabeth watched a new cooking competition show. 

- Last week we made our annual gingerbead house. We never eat our houses so instead of just having it sit around the house, we entered it into the Nana's Daylight Donuts Gingerbread House Contest. The kids WON the 13 and under age division and won a $100 giftcard and gift basket! Thank you Nana's! 

- Tuesday evening we enjoyed a night out at Christmas at the Zoo with our church Youth Group. Since it was a family event, I took Owen along as he has never been. Annabeth went once when she was very young, Mark's parents took her as a treat, but it's simply too expensive for us to go as a family. Being able to go for free with church was a HUGE blessing. Thank you to generous church friends who donated passes and parking for all to go free. Saved: $83

- Mark worked overtime and I sold some of my remaining UBAM Inventory.

- Wednesday we had our at-home Christmas and enjoyed Christmas Dinner. This year this kids chose chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn casserole, and cranberry sauce. We had the meal for lunch and a quick heat-up of leftovers before Blue Christmas Service at church that night. 

Merry Christmas Eve to all of you. Thank you for joining us on our frugal journey, even on this holiday morning, as we work to "owe no man anything but love"

We pray that you spend this weekend celebrating the One Who came for us all. Born as a baby, lived as a man, but died that we ALL might live the life eternal. That gift, His gift, is free. We cannot earn it, buy it, or work for it - it's by the gift of grace that when we pass we will live forever with Him in heaven if we just believe. I pray that you do believe and if not already may this season stir your heart as your eyes begin to look towards Him. 

Frugal Friday 422

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Last Friday we spent the afternoon at the Johnson County Museum of History. Every Christmas we love to walk the indoor tree trail, vote for our favorite tree, and then enjoy the museum. Right now the special display is of the most beautiful miniatures. The kids spent an hour doing the scavenger hunts and looking at each of the houses/displays. We love this donation only museum - so fun and affordable!

- Saturday morning Owen and I had a Christmas date. I used a Starbucks giftcard, thanks Shop Kick (you can click my link to start earning money too!), and we had a nice coffee/cake-pop date. We also combined a sale and Kohl's cash to get Annabeth's Christmas gift from him at 50% off. 

- We had a very busy day Saturday with three things across two towns. We made a point to meal prep and because we planned ahead we had healthy meals from home even though we were busy running all over the place.

- Sunday morning the kids played Mary and Joseph in the church cantata. I am very thankful for a church that encourages children to become involved in worship early and often in childhood. We have a wonderful choir director who works diligently with the kids, helping them learn real singing skills and to play instruments. This year they played hand bells during their song. We treated Mark's mom, brother, and our niece/nephew to lunch after church. 

- Both Saturday evening and Sunday evening we had birthday parties. The kids really enjoyed being able to choose gifts for their friends and then loved the parties even more. We are so thankful for the blessing of great friends!

- Our friends messaged us about a hotel change for an upcoming trip. By switching hotels we were able to upgrade to a bigger room AND are saving almost $300 on the trip! This is a huge blessing and will give us more spending money for food/gas/state park admissions for the trip. 

- Tuesday evening Owen had his end of the semester event for Cub Scouts. They had a gift exchange, pizza party, and award ceremony. Owen has now earned the rank of Tiger. We are so proud!

- Wednesday night the kids had their Dance Company party. They enjoyed pizza, games, and receiving their company shirt for the year. Owen has always been really jealous of Annabeth going so he was very happy to be included this year. 

- Annabeth's friend surprised her with a Harry Potter cookbook! It was such a sweet, thoughtful gift as Annabeth LOVES cooking/baking and Harry Potter. Mark surprised us all with the ingredients to make Butterbeer so we had a special treat Wednesday evening. Thank you Sichting Family!

- We did our end-of-semester deep clean of the schoolroom. This is my way of staying on top of all of the crafting projects. We organize, recycle, and I find that with everything neat and tidy the kids are more apt to play/create in that space again. 

- Mark had days of Christmas breakfasts, coffees, etc between work and groups that he volunteers with. 

We had a busy, busy week but I've been so thankful for weather in the 50s and 60s. We have spent so much time outside and it's been lovely. 

Praying for our family/friends in Western Kentucky who were affected by last weekend's tornado. Please continue to reach out if we can bless you in any way.

Happy Savings to All. 

Frugal Friday 421

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Saturday morning the moms of our homeschool co-op enjoyed a lovely tea at Rustic Root. I was on the planning committee and was so thrilled with being able to share such a great morning of fellowship with friends. It was also a very affordable morning out, under $20 with tip/person!

- Sunday after church we enjoyed pizza at Mark's mom's house. She generously sent us home with leftovers which was enough for two meals! Thank you. 

- Sunday afternoon I finished out a clothing challenge that I have been working on for a couple of weeks. I set the goal to wear only tops, skirts, and dresses that I haven't put on all fall. Any items that I tried on but didn't wear were placed in a bag. Then Sunday I took out all of the passed over items and tried them on one by one. I did find that several items I pass over often look nice on me and I'll wear them this week. In all, I have 18 items leaving my closet! I always let Mama and Lu look through them first and then we pass along to friends or donate. 

- Monday we had a "Christmas School Day." With a 5th grader and 1st grader, I really want to slow down and savor the season. I am very aware this year of how grown-up Annabeth is becoming and I don't want to miss the little moments. After just a bit of book work, we made Christmas crafts, listened to Christmas music, painted, made cards for friends, and started our favorite winter book The Long Winter.

I got these cute little craft kids for free with Meijer coupons

- Monday morning we also dropped off 12 puzzle and book sets to the Franklin PD Toy Drive. Thank you to all who donated towards the fun cause. We love blessing our community and always support our local police.

- Tuesday night Owen had the opportunity to visit a firehouse. He went once with our homeschool co-op as a baby but then by the time he was far enough into preschool to go COVID shut them down to visitors. He very much enjoyed going with his Cub Scout Pack. Thank you Indianapolis Fire Department for allowing our guys to have a great learning opportunity!

- I ran my last Usborne Books & More inventory sale of 2021. There are still many great books, and collections, all $15 and under in my VIP Group. Check out the SALE. There's also still plenty of time to shop! Order (here) by December 16th for Christmas Delivery. 

- Yesterday we stopped by a friend's house to deliver a book and she generously had cookies ready for us. Thank you Katelyn for sharing your baking talents with us! 

We are looking forward to a VERY busy weekend with gym time, birthday parties, and our church Christmas Cantata. If you live in the Indianapolis area and would like to enjoy our church's Christmas program please message me for dates and times.

Happy Savings to All!

Frugal Friday 420

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- We enjoyed Thanksgiving in Indy this year. We took macaroni and cheese, squash casserole, mashed potatoes, and chocolate chip pie. We enjoyed spending the day with nearly all of Mark's family. Thank you to healthcare heroes like my sister-in-law Cassidy who work holidays!

- Friday we had a quiet day at home. We put up our tree, found out that half of the lights on our 9 year old tree were out, and promptly decided to just pay $25 for new lights vs the cost of a brand new tree. Mark chose colored lights, our tree was prelit with white, and now it looks like we have a brand new tree! We had leftovers for meals and enjoyed a "Home Alone" movie marathon.

- Saturday we spent the day at Luke and Cassidy's. We all took items for lunch and shared the cost of pizza for dinner. The kids would have stayed another ten days probably, they love playing with their cousins.

- Sunday, Annabeth and Owen led the Advent Service at church. We feel so blessed to raise our children in church and in Truth. Sunday we had a long lazy, games and hang-out afternoon at home. 

- For months I have been making copy-cat Starbucks pepper egg white bites. For around $7 I can make enough for 9 days. This week, I bought supplied for a copy-cat iced white mocha that came pretty close. I spent around $10 for supplies to make over two weeks worth of coffees! I generally splurge on coffee 1x/week BUT this will be a huge savings over time. 

- Our big grocery win was that Walmart was out of the 8 count of Poptarts that I ordered. The teen filling my order just substituted a 48 pack for the 8 pack price! 40 FREE - WOOHOO! 

- This week I ran my 2nd Annual Puzzle Drive for the Franklin PD Toy Drive. The puzzle/book sets are ordered and we'll drop them off when they arrive. We are donating 12 sets!

- Yesterday was our co-op Christmas party. The moms who planned it did an incredible job of making it a day to remember! Our kids loved a pancake breakfast, games, crafts, and more! We are feeling much more in the holiday spirit now!

- Part of why I LOVE being a book lady is that I really, truly love sharing books that I love. This week we were able to send out two books - one to celebrate a baby on the way and one to a little friend with a broken bone. Matching the right books, to the right people, at the right time brings me so much joy! 

We had a great week getting back into the school/work rhythm after vacation and the holidays. 

Frugal Friday 419

 Happy Frugal Friday!

Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money the past two weeks:

- Last week we took our big family vacation for the year. You can read about the money we spent and saved in my last post 

- Before we left for vacation, Mark took Annabeth out for her special birthday gift from Nana. Last Christmas, Mark's parents gifted us the fun of a glass blowing class. We loved it so much and Annabeth wanted to learn as well. The minimum age is 10 and so Mark's mom gifted her a class for her 10th Birthday this fall. She was able to made three items!

Photo Credits: Mark Riley

The flower she made.

Gorgeous!

- We ate down our freezer, fridge, and pantry stock before leaving on our trip. We were able to go the last two weeks without a grocery trip. This allowed us to really get down to the bare bones inside with just our meat freezer stocked in the garage. It was a great time/way to use up lots of fruits, veggies, etc. We did a big $150 trip when we got back into town to stock back up.

- We spent last Saturday in Evansville. Mark was able to help my sister with a couple of projects at her house and also purchased tools for her house. This will be the bulk of her Christmas gift from us. This year we are really trying to gift experiences and handmade items (with the exception of the kids in our lives who had specific book/science requests) 

- We only plan to send handful of personal Christmas cards this year. I ordered them through Shutterfly for 50% off with free shipping. Saved: $33 I also earned 2% cashback through Rakuten. Not already earning cashback through Rakuten? Sign up here to get started. 

- I used my last Rakuten check to buy a dinner on vacation. While I don't shop online often, it's great to get cashback when I do!

- I cashed out my ShopKick rewards for $20 in Starbucks giftcards. I will enjoy getting a couple of free coffees over the next couple of weeks. Don't already earn cashback from ShopKick? Sign Up Here. 

- Walking 35+ miles on our Disney trip showed Mark and me that we both need new tennis shoes. Mark snagged his online with a Black Friday sale and I ordered a pair from Kohl's with a sale. I also earned $15 Kohl's cash and 1% cashback through Rakuten. I chose the free ship-to-store option so I will have to wait until next week for them to arrive. 

Yesterday we enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holiday with Mark's Family. We are so thankful for the ones we shared the day with and missed the ones who were working, far away, or already Home with Jesus.

Praying you all enjoyed the holiday with those you love. Happy Savings to All! 

Disney 2020 vs Disney 2021

 We are just back from our second INCREDIBLE Disney Trip! 

We booked our first trip in March 2020. Our original reservation was for All Star-Movie Resort and 4 Park Days. The parks, with the rest of the world, shut down just weeks after we booked our trip. Since we weren't scheduled to go until November we waited to see what the world would look like. When the hotels/parks reopened, we were upgraded to the Pop Century resort AND received sale pricing on that. We saved around $250 with the upgrade and over $500 on the overall value. As a result, we were able to enjoy shopping at Disney Springs and three sit-down meals.

While we loved our trip, we also realized that so many parts of the hotel and parks were closed while we were there. Early in 2021, we decided to book another trip. 

Last time, only Owen really enjoyed Animal Kingdom so we made the call to book our room at Animal Kingdom Lodge - Savannah view and to skip Animal Kingdom Park. For the frugal record, while we did save the cost of a park day it was NOT more affordable to stay at AK Lodge vs one day at Animal Kingdom. We also cut our trip down to three park days, one resort day. 

Animal Kingdom Lodge Review: It was gorgeous! The lobby was just beautiful, especially with the huge Christmas trees. We loved our room, Savannah View which was 100% worth the cost! It was so wonderful to wake up to giraffes, zebras, and wildebeests. I will say that this was most likely the one and only time that we will stay at AK Lodge. This was such a treat for our animal lover Owen. 

AK Lodge Transportation Review: Our Disney planner did warn us that this park is the furthest from the parks and it does have the longest bus ride but we honestly didn't mind. There were zero lines for the bus at the hotel and then also coming back from the parks. The buses weren't full at all and the ride went quickly. I will say that we go over first thing in the morning and then go back one time at night - no running back and forth. If you are a person who likes to go back to the hotel for a swim or nap the travel time would really eat into your park time. We also enjoyed, at the end of a long day, that the AK Lodge bus stop was the closest to the park exit. 

AK Lodge vs Kidani Village: Animal Kingdom Lodge has two areas - Jambo House, where we stayed, and larger suites at Kidani Village. When we first booked, March 2021, only the Village was open so we booked there. By the time of travel, Jambo House had opened so we moved over. Generally Jambo House is said to be more affordable but we did not have a price decrease with our move. Our decision was ultimately made based on the hotel food options. With Annabeth's food allergies, we felt that the best/safest options for Annabeth were at Jambo House. We opted to stay close to where we would eat several meals vs having to walk the trail or take the bus for each meal. At the Lodge we enjoyed great food, a wonderful heated pool with slide, multiple animal viewing areas, bonfires, and night vision goggle experiences while animal watching. We did walk over to Kidani Village on our resort day to see their animals, to see the pool, and for movie night. It was great to have access to both areas. 

Since I write a Frugal Living Blog, and have been since 2013, I worried a bit about sharing our hotel choice. It wasn't remotely frugal BUT we saved and paid cash for the trip. Here are some ways we saved money/spent money wisely on this trip:

- We took advantage of 10% off giftcards which our Meijer store offers several times a year. We bought the Disney giftcards at a discount and turned around and applied them to our trip balance.

- We stopped in Evansville on the way down/back and my parents generously dog sat for us. We loved knowing that Oscar was being spoiled by the grandparents. This also saved us the cost of boarding him.

- We drove straight through and straight back from Evansville-Orlando and then Orlando-Evansville. We had originally planned hotel stays/activities both ways but cancelled for different reasons on either end. This saved us $300 in hotels and another $150 in activity prices.

- We packed a great deal of food. We ate our own food while travelling and for at least two meals a day while at Disney. 

- At Disney we drink water. We did splurge on the free refills cup at the resort. It makes a great souvenir for Mark and me and the coffee for days is worth it. 

- This trip we had only one sit down meal, last year we did three. We chose the Plaza at Magic Kingdom. It was fun to eat with a view of the castle and even with a 20% tip it was just $70 - much for affordable than the sit down options we had last year. We did do some more quick service than last year but it is shockingly affordable and I love that the kids meals come with fruit, veggies, or yogurt vs fries/chips.

Overall Review: Honestly, this was a HUGE splurge for our family and so worth it for the incredible experience of waking up on the Savannah everyday. We loved the heated pools, great food options, wonderful service, and beautiful artwork in the lobbies and common areas. In all honesty, I would never book this hotel and not pay the extra for the Savannah view room. Without the animal view, it's essentially just a very nice hotel which is something that the Disney World Resort has many of. 

All of the AK Lodge blogs said we "had" to try the Zebra domes

and Zebra cupcakes. They were right - AMAZING! 

Frugal Friday 418

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Last Friday, we babysat our niece. She needed to be home from daycare and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law are just back from a trip so they didn't have days to use. The kids and I were MORE than happy to spend the day with her! The kids were so sweet and helpful and Little Miss learned all about long division and Ronald Reagan - things all babies should know. 

- I forgot to mention that last week my mama surprised Mark and Annabeth with a new-to-us sewing machine. They have been borrowing Mark's mom's this fall and have made many projects. Mama's friend mentioned cleaning out her house and that she had a sewing machine she didn't use/need. She kindly gave it to us to use and we are so thankful! Already the boys have made Owen a new pencil case and have begun teacher gifts for their dance teachers. 

- We are doing, FINALLY, a Homemade Christmas. I have talked about doing this for years but this year we're finally doing it! All of the adults in our family and many teachers will be receiving homemade gifts. We are SO excited for everyone to see what we've been working on! 

- Saturday was GORGEOUS and was our town's Holiday Open House. Mark's mom came down for the afternoon and we enjoyed Cans for Cartoons at our local Artcraft Movie Theater. (Where else can you still pay for movies with a can good, win prizes, and sing the National Anthem all before a movie?!) After the show, we walked downtown and Nana bought everyone treats at the Hoosier Candy Cupboard and dinner at Chicago's. It was hard to believe it was November in Indiana because it was so sunny and warm. 

- We are doing a pantry/fridge/freezer challenge. We are working to eat down what we have. One of my favorite ways to eliminate food waste is to pack out items that the kids have been passing over. When we head out to the park or on a field trip, I make a point to pack the pantry items the kids haven't been eating. When we are out and about, away from choices, the kids will happily eat non-favorite granola bars or pretzels. If items are unopened and no one likes them, I will generally donate but for open packages the pack-out is the way to finish them off!

- Wednesday I had an early morning appointment. Around 7:30, I stopped by Main & Madison Market for coffee and breakfast. I took a quick little walk around downtown and enjoyed watching the sunrise over downtown. That night Mark and I had dinner at The Willard and took an hour long walk as the sunset. It was fun to open and close the day downtown. We live in the sweetest small town and I am so thankful for it!

- This week was GORGEOUS! We spent a ton of time outside playing, biking, and walking. Mark went to his mom's house a couple of days and got some HUGE yard/deck projects completed for her. Yesterday it was rainy and after school the kids had the best time creating! They are in the process of turning a giant roll of packing paper into a Chinese Dragon. I can't wait to see it when it's done!

Oscar, of course, had to be right in the middle of the project!

I'll "see" you again here in two weeks - next week is my annual vacation from social media! :) 

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 417

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Before Halloween even arrived, the kids had bags of candy from Trunk or Treat. After they sorted it for allergies and dislikes, we made little Halloween treat bags and shared them at a free little pantry. Hopefully those who stopped by over the weekend enjoyed the little treats. 

- Last weekend we had my parents in for the holiday. We cooked our meals at home and had taco/nacho buffet night, freezer pizza, chilli night, and they brought us chicken pot pie for one meal. We had a great visit and the kids loved having everyone here to play games, go for walks, and to go to the park. I especially enjoyed a lunch date with Mama.

- While in town, Mama did some of her Christmas shopping. We have a great little local toy store in town and she chose to shop local at Toodleydoo vs a chain store. 

- Sunday night, Halloween, we had Mark's mom and Luke/Cassidy's family over for chili as well. We made chili, his mom brought fruit and desserts, and Luke/Cass brought a cheeseball and crackers. We had a great dinner and then a wonderful time trick-or-treating. Our nephew is 2 this year and it was SO much fun to experience the holiday through his eyes. 

Halloween 2021 

 

Annabeth found this dress ($10 at the kids sale)

and decided to make it "Hermione at the Ball"

My dad surprised her with the Harry Potter necklace

Owen went as Harry Potter

He and my dad made the wand and 

my dad surprised him with the tie and scarf.

- After we got back from Trick-or-Treating, Mark made some more little treat bags and took them to some friends. The mom in the family has covid so they, obviously, stayed home but we wanted their little girls to still have some Halloween fun. 

- We were able to eat weekend leftovers for Tuesday and Wednesday lunches and Monday, Tuesday dinners. This was a HUGE help to our grocery budget!

- I picked up our FREE Thanksgiving dinner thanks to Ibotta! Want your own? Sign up here. I also cashed out some of my earnings and used it to buy a Matilda Jane hat that Annabeth had on her wishlist. 

- Yesterday we enjoyed a great field trip to the Holcomb Planetarium at Butler University. This was a great affordable field trip! It was $3 each and just $4 for parking so a wonderful morning out for under $15. After the program, we had friends over for lunch and play.

We had a busy week and are looking forward to some fun plans this weekend.

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 416

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- A few weeks ago, during a big rainstorm, we noticed a window leaking. Mark called our friend Phil who works on windows and thankfully he was able to come over and fix it for us! This was a HUGE blessing as an initial search showed a huge delay on both new windows and people working on repairing windows. We are grateful for Phil's friendship and this gift.

- This year Annabeth has been borrowing a bike from her friend Audrey. Her family had an extra that was the right size so we borrowed vs buying. The back tire kept going flat so Andrew fixed it after dinner last week. Thank you to the Evans family for letting us borrow the bike and for fixing it for the rest of the year! 

- We changed some travel plans and cancelled a hotel. Despite the fact that we were not going for months, they had already charged my card ($189!) and it said it could take up to 10 days to process a refund. Ten days later, no refund so I messaged and called over and over. FINALLY I got the refund issued. I am confident that if I had not been so persistent they would have never refunded the money. Always check your accounts!

- We made our first grocery trip in two weeks. We have really done a great job eating down our stock which was great because we have quite a bit of company over the next few days so we had to make a pretty big grocery haul. As always, I earned cashback through Ibotta. Not already saving with Ibotta? Join Here. 

- Last Friday night we took Annabeth to see Simone Biles' Gold Over America Tour. This was her BIG birthday gift. We totally lucked out and due to show changes they moved our seats closer to the show! Mark did splurge and purchased three souvenirs for Annabeth. Her birthday wishlist was short this year and this experience/gifts were a huge hit with her! 

When I was 9, my parents took me to see the Magnificent Seven (1996 Olympic Team) on

tour and I STILL remember that night! I was SO excited to gift this to Annabeth! 

Forever grateful for our Miracle Girl

2020 Olympic Team Leo!

Dream Big, Work Hard Annabeth! 

- The weather has finally cooled down for the season. I still had the kids' drawers/closets half shorts/short sleeves and half long pants/long sleeves. We took a morning and made the big switch. This is the first year where both kids needed almost all new sizes from last fall/winter. Thankfully we have a good stock of hand-me-downs and thrifted items. They won't have quite as many choices as they have had in the past but they certainly each have enough.

- Tuesday evening I had a friend in for a long chat. She had an order mix-up earlier this year and generously gifted Annabeth and me a new diamond art project. Annabeth happily worked on that during a rainy afternoon this week.

- Owen loves to paint. He worked on some rock painting projects this week.

- The kids enjoyed Halloween events this week. Owen had his cub scout Halloween party where he received a whole bucket of candy and won a prize for Best Costume. The kids both enjoyed Trunk or Treat while at dance this week. Each of them are allowed one bucket of candy, the rest we will donate. 

We are looking forward to a weekend with family in town! 

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 415

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Saturday we had some friends over to celebrate Annabeth's 10th birthday. She chose a Harry Potter theme. I spent just $10 on decorations and the rest were Harry Potter items from around the house. We did the party from 2-4 so we just served snack foods. Annabeth and I made Fairy Snack Mix, HP Wand Breadsticks, Chocolate Frogs, and sorting house cupcakes (hidden M&Ms to show the color of your house) with Butterbeer buttercream cupcakes. We had a great time making all of it together!

SO thankful for 10 years with our Miracle Girl!

- Sunday we had lunch at Mark's moms' house. She provided bread and sandwich meat. Mark and his brother Luke picked up sides like salads, fruit, and chips. We had a great afternoon with the kids' cousins and the boys got a bunch of yardwork done for his mom.

- Kristi sent us home with lunchmeat to last the next few weeks. This was a great help for our grocery budget! This also made me feel better when somehow I ruined our bag of potatoes. I ordered them on pickup at the end of last week but somehow they got wet :( and thus moldy. I couldn't save them and had to throw them away. 

- The week of Brian's funeral, several friends gifted the kids little snacks. Our neighbors gave the kids little bags of cereal which the kids ended up not enjoying. After realizing that they were not going to eat them, we donated the rest to a Free Little Pantry. 

- After one busy day, we gifted ourselves the gift of delivery pizza. We had a credit so it was just $10 with the tip.

- Mark is serving a term on the Boys and Girls Club Board. They have a big event coming up in November and we volunteered to donate two baskets for the raffle. We are donating $500 in beautiful Usborne and Kane Miller books - a Bedtime Storybook Basket and A Year in Books Basket. We are so thankful for our many blessings and know that all we have is really God's and thus we will continue serving His people.

- We overbought filling for the gift baskets. Mark returned the two extra bags to Hobby Lobby. This returned $3.50 to our bank account. I know people waste so much money buying items that they never use or that they think "I should return that" but never do. I always return any items that we won't or can't use and know those little amounts add up.  

- Last night we had some friends over to dinner. After dinner, we enjoyed sitting out front and letting the kids ride bikes and play. We served corn dogs, veggies, fruit, and homemade cookies - nothing fancy just simple food, fast clean-up, but lots of fun.

We are looking forward to a busy weekend with an event that I have been waiting since June for!

Happy Savings to All!  

Frugal Friday 414

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- I worked my Usborne Books & More business. Now that we're into the fall I am back into parties and fundraisers - let me know if you'd like to talk about earning cash and/or free books!

- We saved a great deal on our grocery order as we were fed by our Trinity Church Family nearly all of last week. We did make a grocery pick up for some birthday meals for Annabeth to share with family and friends.

- Last Sunday, we had Luke, Kristi, and the kids over for a birthday lunch for Luke and Annabeth. Luke let Annabeth pick the menu and she chose Bagel Bites, fruit, veggies, and then I made Luke Captain Rodney Dip. Mark and Annabeth made a chocolate cheesecake for dessert. 

- Mark was off Monday for the holiday so he ran some errands with Annabeth and they ended out the weekend by making two New York Style Cheesecakes. I LOVE when great food comes out of my kitchen that I didn't have to make! 

- I cashed in two Shutterfly freebie offers. We will be giving the items as Christmas gifts. Saved: $40+

- Zulily had a great deal on something we needed but unfortunately when it arrived it was the wrong size. Since it was their mistake, they gave me store credit to cover my shipping, shipped my refund back to them for free, and refunded my order. While I would have liked my original item, I really appreciate that Zulily always has fantastic customer service. 

- Over the summer, I won some kitchen items and candy at Baby Showers. I held onto them without really knowing why. This week a friend, who is a teacher, asked for new kitchen items for her classroom and the kids' dance studio asked for candy donations. I was able to make donations without spending any extra money. 

- My parents brought up two dried gourds from their garden. Instead of buying/carving pumpkins this year the kids painted the gourds. Owen made a ghost/pumpkin combination and Annabeth turned hers into Princess Tiana. 

- We had a very low key week back to school and getting into our new normal after Brian's passing. I tried very much to get back into a routine this week while still leaving plenty of time for cuddles, conversations, and tears. THANK YOU to everyone who called, texted, and messaged this week! Thank you especially to the friends who kept checking in even when we said "We're doing fine." We love you for knowing us well enough to know that asking for help is so difficult for us. 

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 413: A Reflection on a Life Well Lived

 Happy Frugal Friday.

Our Frugal Friday looks different today because last Friday changed our lives. After a short battle with covid, Mark's dad, Brian, was called Home. 

I am thankful for the swiftness, for the lack of pain and suffering, and for the place at THE party that Brian was able to claim on Friday. 

For the rest of us, I am so deeply saddened by the loss of him.

This week for us has been navigating a path of kindness, patience, and understanding as the kids have asked so many questions. Our children have lost great grandparents, friends' parents, and even a family dog but never a person so close, that they loved so dearly. 

Early last Friday, we drove home from Indianapolis, just the kids and me, as the sun rose. The farm fields were bathed in a beautiful orange light. Owen said, "How did God make a day so beautiful?" Just hours later, Brian entered the Life Eternal. 

How God? How did You create a day so beautiful? A day so sad yet filled with rejoicing for a life well lived.

I thank and praise the Lord that Brian was raised in a family that valued time together, hard work, and the Lord. I am thankful that he met and married the love of his life. I am thankful that they had, and raised, three boys who all love the Lord and serve Him with gladness. I am thankful that Brian served his family, his church, and the Mexico missions with such quiet kindness. I am thankful that my children sat with him, heard his stories, and that he shared his orange slice candy with them.

I am sad for us here but also so deeply certain that last Friday Brian met Jesus face-to-face and He said "Well done, my good and faithful one." 

Owen and PawPaw

on the first night of Tigers. 

Frugal Friday 412

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- In May we created a new behavioral chart in our house. The kids earn a tally mark for complete obedience. When they earn 30 tally marks they get to draw a prize from a basket. Most of the prizes are free - choose which library we visit this week, pick a park to play at, go on a walk with Mom, etc. This week Owen earned the prize "Choose all of our dinners for the week" We had: homemade pizza, taco night, spaghetti and meatballs, breakfast for dinner, and candy pizza as a special dessert.

Owen's Candy Pizza

Chocolate chip/M&M cookie, white chocolate chip frosting, and 

KitKat. M&M, and chocolate covered pretzel toppings

(Not Anna Safe)

- Saturday morning Mark and Owen had a breakfast date and country drive. Annabeth and I headed to the Franklin Fall Festival. She performed with her SDA friends and we enjoyed cheering for everyone. 

- Saturday afternoon we helped with some set-up at Style for the dancewear sale. We took over three costumes and helped organize the ones that were already there. We hope this sale will be a great way for dance families to earn some money back from expensive dance wear and costumes.

- Mark volunteered Saturday and Sunday at a youth Scouting event. He enjoyed the one night camp out while the kids and I had tacos and movie night. They chose "Cheaper by the Dozen" (again)

- Sunday the kids sang at all three services at church. By the time we were done at church, Mark was home and had made a big brunch for us.

- Sunday evening we dropped off nearly 1,000 items at the Here We Grow Again Indy South Sale. It was a ton of work but with all four of us working we set everything in under 90 minutes!

- Tuesday evening we had Owen's Pack Meeting. Owen has earned his Bobcat as well as five Tiger electives. We are very proud of the work he has put into Tigers this year. 

- Wednesday we shopped the HWGA Sale. We went in looking for just two items for each kid. We didn't find three of them so we purchased just one item - a Halloween costume for Annabeth. Each of the kids took a small amount of their own money and each chose to spend some of it small toys. They saved the rest of their money for something else for the future. 

- We changed some upcoming travel plans. We are skipping a cute, boutique hotel and staying in a nice chain one instead. While I love cute places hotel prices are currently through the roof and this change saves us $50+ We would much rather put that money towards an experience for the kids vs a cute place to stay

We are looking forward to a great weekend filled with outdoor adventures, family visiting, and lots of birthday fun!

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 411

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- I purchased a party set from a friend. She had tons of cake plates, straws, plastic utensils, etc leftover from a graduation party. We will keep some and pass some along as well. I'll be able to host 10 or more parties with what I bought and it was at a huge savings!

- I mentioned shopping the Matilda Jane release with our Trunk Keeper Danielle. In addition to my $10 coupon, one of our items was back ordered so the company generously sent me a FREE pair of earrings while I wait! What a great deal! The kids will each get an item and Mama got a free pair of earrings! They are a $16 value!

- Mark and Owen worked on a HUGE project over the course of the week. Our house was built in the late '90s and some of our light switches have begun to go out so this week they replaced all of the ones that have not already been updated. This would have cost several hundred dollars to have an electrician come and do. 

- Saturday night, Mark and I had a date night at GRT Hot Glass Studio. This was a VERY generous gift from his parents. I have loved blown glass since I was a little girl and have pieces from years of traveling and visiting museums and antique stores. The gift of making my own was incredible! Thank you Brian and Kristi. 

- Mark's brother Luke was our babysitter for the evening. We packed the kids' dinner, they helped entertain their cousins, and we thanked Luke with the gift of coffee.

- We continued our fall clean-out and took Disney and Lakeview hand-me-downs to the cousins. We also donated two bags of items to Goodwill.

- We are located near Camp Atterbury. They are currently 6.000+ refugees being housed there. We have been praying for Atterbury staff, military and civilian, as well as the refugees. After lots of prayer, we were presented with a list of needs for the community there. Many local to us have been collecting and donating diapers and formula for the babies/toddlers so I decided to donate the next most important thing  (in my opinion) - feminine hygiene products. If you want to help and want to ship straight to Atterbury you can shop their Amazon list here

- With great help from the kids, I tagged nearly 1,000 items for the Here We Grow Again Sale. This is SO much work but all of the money goes into our vacation fund and that makes it so much easier to push through the work. 

And lest you think we always spend our money wisely, I made a ridiculous purchase a few weeks ago and it arrived this week. While I did wait for a coupon code, it was still silly expensive. Check out our newest artwork titled "King Oscar"

Portrait from Crown & Paw 

We had a busy week getting school and sale things done. I did take the week off from my Usborne work. I work very hard to create a balance of school/work in our home and sometimes things have to give. 

We are looking forward to a busy weekend and especially to the sale drop off this Sunday.

Happy Savings to All!

Frugal Friday 410

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Last Friday night we enjoyed Cub Scout Movie Night at Camp Belzer. We popped our own popcorn and just paid a donation to the camp ($15) to get in. I had never been there so Mark took us on a short tour before it got dark. The kids loved snacking and watching the movie outside. 

- Saturday morning Mama, Lu, and I headed to Ohio for Lu's 32nd Birthday. Mama treated us all to a weekend away so thank you to Mama for giving me the best sister and for the time away!

- Saturday afternoon we visited the newly reopened Warren G. Harding Presidential Home and Library. The library is the newest Presidential Library and was so pretty. We enjoyed touring his house as well. 

- After the tour, we drove on to Columbus and settled into our hotel. We had dinner at The Old Bag of Nails and then on to the Chihuly Glass Exhibit at the Franklin Conservatory. We were able to get in a bit ahead of our ticketed time and explored the gardens a bit too. It was all so beautiful and for sure a place I want to return to with the kids! They would have loved it!

Chihuly Glass at Night

- Sunday morning we had breakfast, and took plenty of baked goods to go, from the North Market, window shopped in the Short North district, and then on to window shopping in Yellow Springs as well. It was WONDERFUL to have time away with just Mama and Lu. I did purchase donuts to bring home to Mark and a book for the kids by a local author. 

- Sunday evening Mark treated us all to dinner back in Franklin. Annabeth was at youth group but the rest of us enjoyed a Mexican dinner. We made a point to eat our souvenir Buckeye treats before Annabeth got home.

- Monday Mama and Lu took the kids out to the park, library, and grocery to pick up special lunch items. I was able to work on HWGA fall sale tagging for 3 uninterrupted hours. THANK YOU! I now have all of the sale items organized and entered into the system.

- We made due with meals this week and opted not to have a big grocery trip. We still ate well and ate down plenty of stock. For dinner we had: pancakes/bacon/fruit, Alysha's chicken and noodles, bbq pork and salads, and homemade pizzas. I just added fruits and veggies to each meal and called it good. We had plenty of leftovers for lunch as well.

- As I worked though entering all the sale items, I saw that I was going to be short on hangers. Before I shopped for some, I asked Facebook friends if they had any. Our friends the Asher Family had saved enough for me to finish my tagging! They generously gifted these to me. Thank you all! 

- Yesterday, after co-op, we met up with our co-op friends for park play. I packed our lunches and the kids enjoyed a couple of hours outside with good friends.

- Mark worked overtime this week and I worked my Usborne Books & More business. 

We are looking forward to a fun weekend with some great plans!

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 409

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Last weekend, the kids and I took off down south for Labor Day Weekend. We enjoyed a little fair in Darmstadt, fun at Reimann's Farm Market, playing at Stoplight City, and Manna for lunch. The kids made a bonfire with Dad and played outside until after dark. They spent the last 30+ minutes of the day playing in the hose, in the dark. Sunday after church we went to Momaw's for lunch. We also had our last pool day of the summer swimming at G&A's. The kids swam for about three hours and I have to say it was pretty glorious as a grown-up too! Monday we headed to the lake and the kids enjoyed both a boat ride and rides in Grandpa Louie's 1964 Buick. It was an amazing weekend away with Mama, Dad, and Lu!

Clearly no laboring on Labor Day Weekend for Owen

Our 21st Labor Day at Lynnville Lake 

Deckhand and Skipper

- Mark stayed home to work Labor Day Weekend. He also helped with a project at his parents' house. He worked long hours this week as well. If you see an officer today, please thank them for their sacrifice of family time. 

- Monday evening Luke brought over two dressers for us. They were ready to pass them on and Mark was in need of new dressers. Thanks Luke and Cassidy!

- I wrapped up Noah's Book Drive. We are shipping 104 "That's Not My..." books to the Riley Cheer Guild at Riley Children's Hospital. I also donated my full commission to Noah Eilerman and family. Please continue to hold little Noah in your prayers.

- I also finished out two Cards for a Cause Fundraisers for dance studios. In just three weeks, we were able to raise over $700 for dance students in Franklin, IN and Louisville, KY.

- We changed some upcoming travel plans and cancelled one night in a hotel. Saved: $150

- We had a cancelled appointment this week. Saved the cost of the appointment.

- I won $10 off my September order from my Matilda Jane Trunk Keeper. Thanks Danielle! You can shop the new September release with Danielle here: Matilda Jane 

- My last two Express Taggers dropped off for the Kids' Sale. This sale I am only tagging our own items and then for three express people. We plan to use the funds for "fun money" on an upcoming trip.

We had a good, but incredibly busy, week. I am looking forward to a fun weekend ahead!

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 408

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Last Friday, Owen and I met Mama, Dad, and Annabeth in Montgomery to pick up Annabeth. We had lunch at Gasthof Amish Village and did some flea market shopping as well. This was a place I grew up visiting with my grandparents so it was fun to take the kids along as well. They enjoyed seeing the Amish schoolchildren, horses and buggies, and learning a bit about their culture.

- Our neighbors LOVE Gasthof and go quite often. Gloria suggested that we visit Dave's Discount Grocery while there so we made a special stop. I had not thought ahead and forgot to take cash (without phones they only take cash/checks) but Mama generously bought the kids some fun items from the grocery. 

- Saturday Mark and Annabeth spent the day working on sewing projects. Together they finished two skirts and two little bags for her. Mark also made a new summer weight sleeping bag for himself. He saved over $100 by making his own.

- Saturday afternoon/evening, I went down to Huber's in Borden. My best friend won us a spot in a photoshoot for Sunflower and Blooms Boutique by Jac. We were gifted dresses, earrings, and will get copies of the professional photos. Jaclyn also bought us all dinner and drinks. It was so fun to get dressed up for pictures and to have a fun night out with friends. Thank you Jac for such a special treat!

- Sunday after church Mark and the kids enjoyed our church's Back to School Splash. They had lunch at church, did a slip-n-slide, and then headed over to Mark's parents' for Sunday dinner.

- While they splashed, Mark's mom and I went to a family baby shower. We enjoyed catching up some of the family and showering Shelby, Toby, and Baby. I won one of the shower games and the kids were VERY excited about the candy I won :) 

- We painted Owen's room over Memorial Day Weekend and took advantage of some Lowe's rebates. The giftcards from those finally came in the mail and we look forward to our next project!

- Monday we the big fall clean-out of Annabeth's room. This was quite the process but we got it really organized and she felt good about the many items she was able to let go of. We found clothes, books, and toys that we were able to pass on to friends or donate.

- Tuesday we had a rainy day. We still spent 1+ hour outside - we just got wet doing it! The kids have talked about it all week!

- Thursday we started our new co-op. We'll go just two days a month but both kids really, really enjoyed it. This is our first ever big group, formal co-op and we're all pretty excited. We met up with friends at the park afterwards and played for three hours!

- Through September 7, I am running my Annual Fall Book Drive and this year, instead of our usual Cuddle Bears, Riley Cheer Guild asked if we could donate "That's Not My..." books so we are. Our drive is also named Noah's Book Drive in honor of a little boy from our church who has just been diagnosed with Leukemia. Noah's Book Drive Support

We hope you all had a wonderful week and that you have a great holiday weekend!

Happy Savings to All!

Frugal Friday 407

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- I spent Thursday thru Saturday in St. Joseph, MI with my best friend. We haven't gotten away together since 2012 so it was VERY much overdue! We spent 10+ hours on the beach, shopped, ate great food, and enjoyed life together! We split the hotel, gas, and food so the trip was very affordable for both of us. I took a cash budget for food/shopping and came home well under budget. 

- Mark and Owen enjoyed three days together. They took a spontaneous trip to the Albanese Candy Factory and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. They also went to Back to School Night for our new co-op. 

- Mark had been pricing sleeping bags for Owen and found that the cheapest one for the quality/weight he was wanting was at least $150. He bought the materials online, borrowed his mom's sewing machine, and he and Owen made their own for just $70 in materials. I am seriously so impressed as they even did a drawstring and zipper! 

- Sunday we enjoyed lunch at Mark's parents' house. Owen very much enjoyed having Nana and PawPaw all to himself! 

- Sunday evening we did a big pre-sale cleanout of Owen's room. He parted ways with several large items that he's outgrown and that we've replaced with older kid versions of them - namely a suitcase and sleeping bag. We also sorted his toys and shoes. I listed many items online. Made: $30

- Mark took that same time Sunday night to clean out his stuff in our room. He cleared a whole dresser which we passed on. He also bagged up many items for trash and to donate. Our room looks huge now!

- I purchased some dance wear from a friend. I LOVE finding good deals on dance items for our kids. Thanks Stacy!

- Owen and I really enjoyed a nice, quiet week together. He loved having the school day to himself and we had so many great read-alouds and chats. Wednesday we had his best bud over to play for the day and they had a great time playing with trucks in the mud. Last night, we did go out to dinner and got him a $5 craft at Hobby Lobby to finish off his week with just Mama and Daddy.

Today we are driving to pick up Annabeth! We left her with my parents LAST Wednesday and while we know that she's had the best time, we cannot wait to have her back!

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Thursday!

 Surprise! We're a day early this week - Happy Frugal Thursday!

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

- Last Friday we cashed out our last summer reading coupons. We all went bowling and used the coupons for free games so we just paid for shoes. It was a great way to spend a couple of family hours.

- Saturday we enjoyed a slow morning with Mark working and the kids/Oscar/myself took on a long morning walk. We stopped to talk to lots of neighbors/friends and enjoyed watching the ducks at the pond. In the afternoon, we went to Mark's parents' house to visit with the St Louis Rileys and all went to church together at Trinity. We skipped dinner out and had dinner at home.

- Sunday afternoon I picked up my nieces and nephew (ages 11 and 9) for an afternoon out with Auntie Amy. We had the BEST time hiking and river stomping. When they were toddlers/babies I used to babysit them on Wednesdays but in years since it's been hard to find time just me and them. I really enjoyed hearing what they had to share with me and looking for treasures in nature. We met up with the rest of the family at Luke's for family dinner. L&C provided pizzas and salads and we brought fruit and more salad. The cousins all had a great time just being together.

- Monday the kids and I escaped to Lakeview for the day. Earlier this month, Dave had posted that they were looking for volunteers due to staffing shortages. We cleaned all 12 cabins on main camp, did all of the windows (in and out) in the dining hall, and swept all of the porches. The kids put in a solid 3 hours of work before I let them escape to tether ball and the tire playground while I finished up. We saw so much wildlife and it was such a treat to have camp all to ourselves! 

- Mark borrowed him mom's sewing machine for a BIG project that he's working on. While that's still in the works, he did sew several patches/badges onto Scout Uniforms this week. He also repurposed two bandannas into a pillow for Owen. They are cool cloth maps of Spring Mill State Park. Once Owen had a pillow, Annabeth needed to make one too. They found some affordable fabric at Walmart and made her a great pillow too.

- Yesterday my parents treated us to lunch at Mother Bear's Pizza in Bloomington. We sent off Annabeth for a 7+ days down south. She has been looking forward to this alllll summer! 

One of the things we've been looking for more and more is the opportunity to really volunteer and serve with the kids. They are old enough to really help and/or stay out of things while we work. This week it was such an honor to have them work alongside John Dobrinski at camp. John, and his wife Karen, taught Mark and myself SO many skills over the years. We are blessed to have had them guide us in lifeskills, practical skills, and most of all in faith. John and Karen are by far some of the most humble servants I have ever known and it was such a wonderful gift to have my kids learn from him as well. 

Frugal Friday is a day early this week as I prepare for a great adventure! Details to come!

Happy Savings to All!