Frugal Friday 435

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Last Friday night Mark and Annabeth went to a Daddy Daughter Dance. This is something that Annabeth has been wanting to do for years! We were so excited to have one in our area that was on an evening that we had open. It was a free event put on by a local church but Mark did splurge to surprise Annabeth with a corsage to wear. They also went out for pizza before the dance.

- Owen had a date night at home with Grandmama and me. They played several rounds of Sleeping Queens, we also enjoyed pizza, and then we watched the movie "Richie Rich" to round out Owen's dream date.

- Saturday and Sunday the kids had a dance competition. I made a quick grocery trip and grabbed healthy snacks and lunch items. We packed a cooler and ate safe, healthy food all day instead of buying concessions or going out to eat. Saturday night we had leftovers at home and Sunday evening we enjoyed dinner at a birthday party. 

- We do not buy any souvenirs at dance competitions. I started this Annabeth's first season and was very glad that I did as they always offer many items for sale (shirts, shorts, toys, etc) and none of them are ever affordable. Each year she gets one Nationals shirt at nationals but knows not to ask the rest of the year. This particular competition gifted each competitor a stuffed animal with a shirt with the company logo on it. They had additional clothing items for the animals for sale ($10/doll tutu) Annaebth said "I have so many things to dress my bear up at home!" I was so proud of her for using items that she already had on hand and for being content with how the bear came. 

I think the stuffed bears were the highlight of the weekend

- Monday after dinner we stopped by our friend the Kirby's house. The kids LOVED running in their yard and petting their horses. It was a great way to get out of town and onto a farm for a bit. We also walked at the Masonic Home and played at a park that evening. 

- Tuesday night Annabeth had a 4H meeting. They had a special presentation about the floriculure project and she enjoyed making her own bud vase at the end. 

I thought her arrangement turned out beautifully.

I cannot say enough about the lifeskills that I gained from 4H and I am so thankful

that my children are growing up in 4H as well. 

- Annabeth earned the right to choose our meals for the week. We had chicken/mashed potatoes/corn/gravy, stuffed crust pizza (the kids love the Sam's brand from Walmart), homemade pizza rolls, and we will have a few more of her choices this weekend. 

- Owen's baseball season began this week. Friends gifted him new cleats and a new bag. We donated a too small batter's helmet to our local Little League. We are passing on his old ball bag and t-ball bat to family members. 

- I listed several items online and sold one. I promptly made an additional Principal Payment on our mortgage for that same amount. I'll be updating at the end of the month how much additional we were able to pay down this month.

- I taught class at our co-op yesterday. My topic was snow, I was supposed to teach this in January but class was cancelled several times due to illnesses and weather, so I taught it on a 75 degree day! I have had so much fun this year and am very grateful for the group that we decided to join this year. Over our homeschool years, I have had mixed opinions about joining a co-op and I truly believe that God led us to just the right one in just the right time. We met friends at a park for play after class and we took picnic lunch. 

We are looking forward to a busy, fun weekend with gorgeous weather!

Happy Savings to All!