Frugal Friday 557

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- The boys spent last weekend at Lakeview. One of Mark's Scouts was working on his Eagle Scout Project so the boys went along to help. Our family always donates a certain amount of money towards each Scout's project, spends the same amount on each Eagle gift, and then donates as much time as possible towards each project. We set up budgets early on as many years there are multiple Scouts working towards their Eagle and as a leader it can become very expensive. Owen had a great time helping everyone. They were done a bit early so they had lots of extra time to relax. He still said his favorite part of the weekend was building the fence!

- While they were away, Annabeth and I had a relaxing weekend. She has finished all of the Twilight books so we watched the first two movies. A new boutique opened downtown so we went to the Grand Opening. We didn't see anything we loved so we left empty handed. 

- Saturday night we went to a Fall Party with some friends. A family member of theirs owns a beautiful property south of here and their kids are always telling ours about the Halloween walk, bonfire, and games. This year they invited us to go along and we had a great time! We took brownies and Annabeth Safe food for the pitch-in.

- Owen loves to rearrange furniture and had been really wanting to move a big shelf from the school room into his room. I made a deal with him if he could keep his room and closet perfectly picked up for thirty days he could make a switch. He did it! We switched everything out Wednesday afternoon. It was also a great time to vacuum, mop, wash curtains, etc in his room and the schoolroom. I was also excited to see that the kids selected about a dozen things to pass on without me even suggesting it! I love that decluttering has become part of what we all do.

- Earlier this fall, we realized between our cars and my parents' cars we had five booster seats. We passed several of them on this week to family and friends. 

- Our grocery bill was $65.01 for the week. We have had meat/cheese/fruit/veggie lunches, breakfast has been granola with yogurt or protein drinks, and dinners have been chicken/spinach/mushrooms, keto rubeun soup, homemade pizza, and take out pizza last night. 

- We spent many hours reading aloud this week. We read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and are now working our way through the sequel. We've also added The Story into our daily Bible reading. The kids really love the way it's written, like a novel vs Bible verses, and I am so proud of how many blanks they can fill in as we read!

- Yesterday we babysat for L&C. The kids had a great time playing and I love sweet time with everyone while they are little! We had fun playing and also ran over to Tuttle Orchards to enjoy some fall fun. I've babysat for all of the nieces and nephews and I feel so blessed to have been able to help in this way.

- Yesterday afternoon, our co-op's Middle Schoolers had a pumpkin carving party. I thought this was such a cute idea that the committee came up with. We purchased pumpkins from a farm outside of Evansville a few weeks ago and I had the kids wait until now to carve them. 

Pumpkins 2024

These are the first ones they have both

completely carved alone!

We are looking forward to a really exciting weekend!

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 556

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Friday to Monday the kids and I went down to Evansville to visit my family to celebrate Annabeth's birthday. She was very excited to receive the ice cream attachment to the Kitchenaid Mixer, safe snacks, and money for our upcoming vacation. Thank you everyone!

- We spent Saturday in Owensboro having the perfect day with Momaw and Uncle Lance. Lance has been out on the road in his new RV and we loved hearing stories about his adventures (and frugal finds!) 

The sweetest Saturday!

Four generations of women together - ages 13 to 94

- Sunday after church we made our annual visit to Goebel Farm for pumpkins. We have been getting our pumpkins from there as long as I can remember and even now, most years, we take our kids there too. The farm has expanded its operation quite a bit and they now have slides, a petting zoo, etc and the kids love this fall tradition just as much as my sister and I did. 

- After the farm, we split up boys and girls. My dad took Owen to Walther's to use up some more of his punch card on mini golf and mini bowling. The ladies went to the mall to look for a short list of items. One of the items, was a confirmation dress for Annabeth. I wanted her to have something special, and new, but it falls in early spring. I knew dresses would be full price then. We looked for a summer clearance deal over the weekend. Despite the fact that I did not give her a budget, and let her try on whatever she wanted, she chose a very well priced dress that she LOVES! The way her face lit up made all the stores worth it!

- Momaw, Mama, Lu, and I all traded clothes and shoes. I came home with three new winter vests and some new tops. We also trade with the Riley ladies so I will take a bag to share this weekend. 

- On our way to and from Evansville, we checked some more Indiana counties off our list. We checked off Daviess, Owen, and Putnam. I want to be as intentional as possible about gas usage on this year long project. We did spend $15 at Gasthof Amish Village in Daviess Co. and $7 to park in Owen Co. at Cataract Falls. 

- While we were away, Mark stayed home and worked. He also celebrated Luke's birthday with the extra fun of having Matt in town. They took Luke out to dinner and cigars - choosing a time-together gift vs stuff. Matt took back a huge bag of clothes for Jenn and the girls from my sister and me as well as some gluten free tortillas. We had purchased the tortillas for company that had to cancel - we were more than happy to share. 

- I was able to shop ahead, for the first time in months, with our $75/week grocery budget. We had a funky schedule this week and into the weekend which meant we needed different kinds of food than usual. I was also able to stock up on some shelf stable items which were on sale - green beans, broths, and applesauce. Thank you to my Mama for the reminder to stock up when possible. 

- Wednesday morning, Owen went along with a friend to his homeschool club. They enjoyed a presentation from a beekeeper and playing at the library. Thank you to my friend Amanda for taking him along - he loved it! 

- I completed the new sections of the Universal Studios trainings ahead of the new Epic Universe opening on May 22, 2025! Sales open on October 22 - let me know if you'd like help with a quote or booking. 

- Yesterday, our co-op went on an optional field trip. It would have been $30 for the kids and me. While it was a cute, fall themed trip, it didn't directly go with our semester theme or anything we're studying at home. Neither of the kids were particularly interested so we saved the fee on it for gas money. We headed west for the day and traveled through Parke County looking at covered bridges, went to a bit of the Covered Bridge Festival, and stopped in Rockville at the library and G+M Variety. The kids loved the five and dime store! We drove on through Vermillion County stopping in Rileysburg and then onto Fountain County. In Fountain Co. we hiked the gorgeous Portland Arch Nature Preserve! It was by far our most beautiful hike of fall so far. Total cost for the day: $15 in gas

We had a great "Fall Break" week just two days of book work, lots of exploring, and time with people that we love.

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 555

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- Friday evening we celebrated Annabeth's birthday with her best friend. She asked to go to Claire's to shop and to have pizza. Claire's, thankfully!!, had some awesome deals and the girls shopped a Buy 3, Get 3 Free + $10 off coupon + 2 free pairs of earrings coupons. They were very excited and I loved watching them help each other pick the perfect crazy accessories. We picked up pizza and took it over to her friend's house. Their family's gift to Annabeth was a craft night! My friend Melissa is a Cricut Queen and helped Annabeth made a shirt and decorated a cup for her. It was the PERFECT no clutter, fun experience gift! Thank you all!

- We took a bag of dance shoes/clothes to friends and I shared some more t-shirts and shorts from the studio on our dance company Facebook page. Over the years, so many generous friends have passed company wear on to our kids so I always try to pass it on when we are done. It's a great cycle! 

- Saturday was Annabeth's 13th Birthday! Here's how we celebrated...

She spent the morning doing her dream activity: volunteering at the library book sale.

She was gifted a free bag of books for helping and it gave her SO much joy! 

Our kids always get one eat-out meal on their birthday. 

She chose the "Train Mexican Place"

Her dessert of chocie this year was ice cream sundaes with

mini marshmallows, chocolate candies, and caramel sauce 

- We have always let our kids pick one paid for activity and one eat out meal on their birthdays. They also choose the rest of the menu for the day. She chose donuts for breakfast and pizza rolls/fruit cocktail for lunch. My Aunt Nancy gifted her a Target gift card so we went there in the afternoon to pick up her choice of gift. After dinner, we had her sundaes, spent time reading, and did a living room camp-out. 

- Sunday at church we enjoyed World Communion Sunday and a Missions Fair. That evening was the church picnic, we each were to bring a dish based on the first letter of our last name. We had salads and I thought I was being creative by bringing a veggie tray assuming most people would bring potatoe or pasta salad - turns out nearly everyone brought a veggie tray. Oops! We'll remember for next year!

- Sunday afternoon, we had the Rileys over for Annabeth and Luke's birthdays. He kindly let her choose the meal: homemade pizzas - we did chicken BBQ, chicken Alfredo, and pepperoni for the little kids. I also put out Cesear Salad, raspberries, and kiwi. I made Annabeth her choice of cake - lemon with vanilla frosting. She had a great time with the cousins and enjoyed opening two gorgeous pairs of Mickey ears for an upcomg trip!

13!

- While we have finished our 2,024 in 2024 challenge, we have still been cleaning out! Last week, two totes of items left our home. This week, I cleaned out the kitchen cabinets and we donated some silverware and Tupperware to a Free Little Pantry and have some other items to donate to a local non-profit. Space for us, gifts for others!

- Last month, a generous company donated school supplies to our co-op. In the boxes, we received hundreds of children's safety scissors. Once our group had taken what they needed, I brought the excess home. We have been able to donate to 5 other organizations thanks to the excess! 

- Tuesday evening I had a board meeting. The hostess served a lovely dinner and dessert. It's always nice not to have to cook and we had a great evening making plans. I highly encourage you to put yourself in groups where leadership is in constant prayer and consideration for the group. It means so much to know others truly have the best interest of everyone at heart!

- A friend of Mark's listed some gym equipment for sale on his Facebook. Mark and I have been debating over a treadmill for a while but other things kept coming up as we saved. This one was a steal for a great, quality one so we went for it! Mark went to pick it up, ended up helping his friend move some things around in his basement, and then carried the machine up the stairs. When he was loaded up and went to pay, his friend wouldn't take the money. It was SUCH a gift to us. Thank you! 

- Last night, I took dinner to some friends. I made chicken fajitas with rice and added GF tortillas, oranges, and boxed Goodie Girl Cookies. They are receiving Meal Train meals many nights a week so I tried to take some shelf stable items so they aren't swimming in leftovers. If you would, keep "M" in prayer and as you pray please pray for healing for her.

- Last night, I was getting ready for bed when I took one last look at Facebook. I saw that, for the second time this year, people near us were seeing the Northern Lights. Depsite a great effort last time, I still have never seen them. I threw on some sweats and hopped in the car and drove until I found them! 

Northern Lights in Whiteland, IN

This is very close to what they looked like with the naked eye

Mark stayed home with the sleeping kids and saw them from our yard 

after I left. We did wake the kids up to be sure they could see them. 

What a glorious week! We've seen God answer prayers big and small this week and we're forever thankful for his love and mercy.

Happy Savings to All! 

Thirteen Years With Our Miracle Girl

 Thirteen. 

Our little home baker turns a Baker's Dozen today. 

We are so incredibly proud of the wise, sweet girl that Annabeth has become. When she was very young, on a sunny afternoon in our school room, she said "Mama, Jesus died for my sins. I know that He did on the cross. What do I do now?" After I cried, my sweet girl and I prayed that she might live a humble life but speak boldly of Jesus.

I think back to her birthday and in those hours between her arrival and me knowing she was alive, before I ever met her face to face, I prayed, I begged the Lord to save her. I bargained with Him saying "Lord, if you save her, we'll do anything for you!" I am ashamed to not have trusted His plan and to have tried to bargain with the One who created the universe. But I did. And I've worked daily to keep my promises made in those dark, painful hours of waiting. I gave her to Him and it never ceases to amaze me how He's already used her.

Twelve could have been the worst, hardest year for her. Life threw her some big challenges, big hardships, and very few ever know it. In the middle of countless appointments, PT and rehab work at the office and home, and in the midst of great disappointments Annabeth chose JOY. 

This last year, in the middle of great personal struggle, Annabeth chose service, she chose others, she chose to go beyond herself to be there for other people. 

Even as her own dance plans had to evolve and as she was asked to give up tumbling, changing goals forever, she agreed to teach others. When her ability to do a thing she loves deeply was taken away, she chose to happily teach others. To watch her grow and teach each week is such a gift. She is never bitter, never angry to help others develop skills she's had to walk away from. 

In a year, that was physically so painful and so hard. She worked to rehab so she could participate fully in life. In the midst of hard days she was there for her friends, helped others, and served faithfully in every way she was asked at church and home. 

To have a child who loves the Lord, who loves others, and who shares the Light in the midst of her own darkness makes me incredibly thankful. Countless times Mark and I cried out this year, "Why her again?!" as we were frustrated with waiting without answers. But only once did she cry for all that she was losing. Instead she kept sharing, giving, and learning new skills. 

Our Miracle Girl keeps fighting, keeps defying the challenges, and never lets any situation steal her joy. We've reflected a lot on the thought that "our joy comes from the Lord not from our circumstances." She's living it, daily. 

People have always said to us, "there's something different about her, something special" - of course there is! It's the same thing that makes each of us incredibly special - she was perfectly, wonderfully made and is saved by grace. If you want to know more - ask! I'm incredibly proud to say my gal will boldly share Truth with you that you might come to love the Lord just like her. 

So Annabeth Sage - Happy 13 to the one who already knows all of the important, eternal lessons, lives life beautifully, and inspires me to be better everyday. You are deeply, forever loved by us and Jesus.  

Annabeth Sage

Frugal Friday 554

 Happy Frugal Friday!

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

- The boys were scheduled to have a fall campout with Scouts this weekend so I quickly did a turnover of Owen's dresser from summer to fall. In doing so, I realized he had just three pairs of pants so I made a quick list for fall thrifting. In the end, Mark cancelled the campout due to the high winds and powerful rain that came through Friday evening with the hurricane. We were very glad he cancelled as it would have been very dangerous for them to be out in the woods, in tents. 

- We shopped the Kids Sale on Thursday after I realized O needed pants. I spent $22 on four pairs of pants for Owen.

- We shopped the Kids Sale again on Saturday with my sister-in-law. She drove down for it and since we hadn't seen each other for about three months I tagged along so we could catch up. Owen came along to entertain the baby and we managed to find some deals on 50% off day. We found two pairs of jeans for Annabeth (Loft and Banana Republic $10 for both), a top for me (Matilda Jane $5), and three shirts for Owen (Izod, North Face, and Abercrombie $9.50 for all) Not a bad haul for $27 with tax! 

- Sunday after church, Mark and Owen went out to Hendricks County to enjoy the afternoon there. They went to Downtown Comics, with a small budget, so Owen could choose some new comics. They also went to dinner and a movie. This is Mark's dream kind of day and he really enjoyed sharing it with Owen. 

Movie guys - they saw "The Wild Robot" in 3D

- While they were out and about, I volunteered with Annabeth's youth group and drove for their field trip. We went to visit several unique, beautiful churches in Columbus (IN). We toured First Christian Church which was designed by Eero Saarinen who designed the St. Louis Arch as well as First Baptist Church. It was wonderful to see the kids really engage with other churches, their traditions, and to examine architecture in their own ways. 

- I picked up our unsold items from the kids' sale. We will hold back some of the games and books for the spring sale. The clothes and some books, we took to our co-op on Thursday to share with families there. I put my sale check into savings. 

- The ladies I express tag for brought me back their extra wire hangers. I will reuse these for the spring sale. My friend Sarah also brought me a massive amount of them. Thank you all! This is a great help to me as it saves me from buying hangers out of pocket.  

- Our friends the Slaughter Family brought a HUGE bag of hand-me-downs to Owen. We were so appreciative - thank you! Some of the clothes did not work for Owen so we took the extras to our co-op to share. 

- Since the boys camping trip was cancelled last weekend, they changed plans and made arrangements to camp in November. It was a weekend that we had a night at hotel booked so we cancelled the hotel in favor of camping. Saved: $345

- After co-op yesterday, we went to Appleworks. We haven't been there in several years and the kids loved being back with friends. We packed along our lunch and Owen cashed in a ticket from Summer Reading for a free cup of animal food. 

- We wrapped up our Shelftember Challenge. We used up heaps of frozen fruits, veggies, and cuts of meats. I also made a point to use up the meals I had frozen over the summer. From the pantry I used up lots of open packages of pasta, quinoa, etc. I tried really hard to get partial items used up first and then really purposed to use the full ones next - all before shopping. 

We are looking forward to a busy, birthday weekend. This week we are especially thankful for the lives of Luke and Annabeth - we pray the Lord will bless them and keep them in their next years of life. 

Happy Savings to All!