The Thrifty Homemaker

Penne Frittata with Thyme

2011-09-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

No picture! Sorry :( I sometimes suck at taking pictures when cooking, especially since this was an unplanned dinner.

Thursday evening, Andrew and I were watching Giada at Home and watched her make this meal. We both were like hmmmm.. this looks delicious! So, we changed our mind - no chicken fried steaks for us!
This is the original recipe from Giada

What did we do different?
Well.. we didn't add no lemon zest because I forgot lol. We both really enjoyed it. We used a whole box of penne but next time I think we are going to try to cut this in half. He asked me to put it on the next menu I make! Oh and we didn't have whipping cream - milk works fine!
We also decided next time, it needs some sharp cheddar cheese instead of just the pecorino that we used.

So.. the directions on the website.. But lets figure out if this is thrifty or not, shall we?

6 eggs - $.50 (Kroger eggs are often $1 per dozen)
1/4 cup milk - $.15 approx
Pasta - free (never pay for it with coupons!)
Parsley - Free for me because it came from grandparents garden
Thyme - $.20 (dried)
Pecorino - $2
Salt and pepper - $.04

Total - $2.89

When I add sharp cheddar, it will jump up the price a bit, but this was delicious!

Chicken and Yellow Rice

2011-09-11T09:44:00.001-07:00

This is another very easy recipe that I love and want to share with you. The picture isn't the best - it was taken quickly on my iPhone, but it is what it is!

The first thing you want to do is take a whole chicken and boil that baby!
I boil them for like 1-2 hours usually, mostly because I have a bad memory and just tend to forget it is in there, but that's what I do.

Once it is boiled, I debone the chicken. Put as much chicken as you want into a separate bowl. The rest put into baggies to be frozen for another meal. At this point, take the carcass and boil it down for awhile longer and make some yummy broth - season it and such. Freeze!

Ok.. so once you do that, you need a bag of yellow rice with saffron. You can find this is in a yellow bag in your local grocery store. It ranges from $1-$1.50, depending on the size and brand.

Follow the directions on the back of the rice bag. It takes about 15-20 minutes usually to make it. After about 15 minutes, I put the chicken into the rice and let it cook until the rice is tender.

That is it! Seriously, it is delicious and we all get seconds. I usually pair with corn bread muffins (either homemade or a jiffy box) and some veggie.

The price for this very easy meal?

Whole chicken - $5 (but half of the meat is for this meal and half for another meal so... the actual price is..)... $2.50 (won't even take out the amount of money I save by saving the homemade broth!
Saffron rice - $1.50
Jiffy box mix - $.49
Half of a bag of frozen veggies - $.50

Total price of this very yummy meal? - $4.99

It could technically be lower since I get about two cans worth of broth from it - each can at the store ranges from $.60-$1. Now use that other half of the meat for another yellow meal!

Meal Plan 8/6- 8/21

2011-09-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

Ok so I am a bit behind on writing on my meal plans, but here they are. I went grocery shopping yesterday.. but I had things for Tuesday for dinner. Monday we were at Andrew's company's picnic.

8/6 - Chicken with yellow rice, corn and corn muffins
8/7 - Breakfast for dinner: bacon, eggs and home fries
8/8 - we had country fried steak planned, but while watching Giada at Home, we decided to try her Penne Frittatta with Thyme and it was delicious! Meatless at that so its a cheap new option for us.
8/9 - Chicken and dumplings (leftover chicken from 8/6)
8/10 - Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
8/11 - Leftovers evening/sandwich night.
8/12 - Pasta with Clam Sauce
8/13 - Crock Pot - Chicken with Mushroom Gravy and mashed potatoes
8/14 - Baked Chicken Croissants (so yummy! Can't wait to post this recipe!!) and French Fries
8/15 - Easy Chicken Bake
8/16 - Caesar Chicken Pasta
8/17 - I bought a Velveeta Skillet Dinner so Andrew can make it - I am sure I will work.
8/18 - Tator Tot Casserole
8/19 - Pork Roast with some kind of potato
8/20 - Chicken Stir Fry and Rice
8/21 - Spaghetti

I buy some frozen veggies and a few cans of veggies so a majority of meals are paired with a veggie. Snacks are a bunch of fruit I bought, toast with apple butter, goldfish crackers, and yogurt. I bought some sweet potatoes to use so Andrew could try them. I am deciding if I want to make french fries with them, mash them, or make chips. Hm.

Sometimes I Wonder Why...

2011-09-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

I did tell you that I would rarely mention Robert and I still plan on not mentioning him much, but today is not one of those days.
Some nights, I stay up late looking through photos online. There is something about flipping through pictures in "albums" on Facebook that makes me smile and cry at the same time. It is seeing 19 months of Caelyn's life flip by in a few minutes and realizing just how much she has changed in this period of time.
During the flipping of pictures, I am bound to come across photos online of Robert. His most recent picture with Caelyn was on Easter 2011, so just about 4 months ago. This is the last photo I have of them together and I am pretty sure it will be the last - permanently.
More days than not, I am at ease with the fact that he has made the decision to not be in Caelyn's life. Who am I to make that decision for him? I am her mother and that fact will never change; I know that I will never leave her side. But, I am in no position to convince him that her having a step-father and a biological father is not a terrible thing. This is his reason behind leaving - that she deserves one father that is always there for her, not two. I am still baffled by this because millions of children are raised with two fathers and come out totally normal. But, I couldn't convince him of this.
I haven't spoken to him since the end of July and will not unless 100% necessary. I do not plan on seeing him, unless necessary - which it will be one day.
I began having problems with him ditching her in the beginning of May - him lying to get out of babysitting, saying he would pick her up yet not doing so, etc. His last visit with her was on June 5. I remember it well. I worked and he had her. I left and told him I was stopping at Andrew's house, which I was about to move into, to drop off paint then I would be up to pick her up. He said no and that he was close to Andrew's home and would drop her off there. When he showed up, he said she was being Satan. He left her and that was the last time he has seen her.
How can a father do that? How can a father not see his child in 3 months?
I sometimes wonder when I am alone if he thinks about her. If she pops into his mind and if he ever wonders what she is doing then. I hope so.
He told us that he wants to give up parental rights and will allow Andrew to adopt her once we are married. We are planning on moving forward with that plan. I wonder if he will change his mind when we move forward with it. There is so much unknown and I hate that, because I like to have all the cards out in front of me. I wonder if his future marriage with his girl won't work out and if that will spur him to want to make contact. We hope by that time that we have had time to work the adoption out.
Most of all, I hope that he realizes that the decision will be permanent. He couldn't decide in 6 years that he wants to be a father to her again because he will have no ties to her except for blood relations and she will have no clue to who he is.

I do my best to not worry, stress, or think about it or him. Sometimes though, the thoughts make their way into my mind. I can't help but wonder. I just pray that God has a smooth plan ahead for us. And that Andrew's pager would stop going off right now. Amen.

Turkey Roll Ups

2011-09-01T20:18:00.001-07:00

I came across the recipe on diaperswappers, so it is not mine to claim! This was actually very easy to make. The preparation time is about 10 minutes and I loved that.

You need a pound of ground turkey
1 package of stuffing
1 can of turkey gravy
seasoning

Preheat your oven at 350

I started off by spreading the ground turkey out on wax paper that was on a baking sheet.
I cooked the stuffing which takes about 5 minutes, so do it while you spread out the ground turkey. Once it was spread out, I seasoned it with garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and pepper - but this is your meal so use whatever you want!

Once your stuffing is cooked, spread it across the top of the ground turkey as evenly as possible.

Now.... here comes the fun part! Use the wax paper to roll it together. If you just lift the wax paper, it is very easy to do this - slowly
It will look like this....
Pinch the sides closed.
You will want to bake it for an hour at 350. After 45 minutes, take half of a can of turkey gravy and drizzle over top. Save the rest of the gravy for spreading over top when eating.

This was delicious! We all, including Caelyn, had second helpings. This was definitely a good meal and there was even enough for lunch tomorrow for Andrew!

Serve with some kind of potato - mashed, garlic, whatever floats your potato boat!

Look at that swirl of stuffing yumminess!

So, time for a price breakdown to see if this meal was thrifty or not.

1 lb of ground turkey - $2.87
generic stuffing - $1.16
1 can of turkey gravy - $.97

If you serve with mashed potatoes.. that is about 6-8 potatoes for us, so about $1, plus some butter or margarine or whatever you use!!) - about $.25 and some milk about another $.25

The total of this meal, including mashed potatoes is $6.50
Now, this is not as cheap as I like, but if I had thought about it, I bet there are coupons for perdue ground turkey, stuffing and turkey gravy. But still, it is plenty cheap especially because it is a full lunch for Andrew tomorrow so no price tomorrow for lunch!

Make this for dinner and I bet it'll be a hit! Let me know if you do!

School.....Again!

2011-08-31T19:48:00.000-07:00

I started school... again! It is my last year at Franciscan University. I graduated May 2012 and I can do this.

I need to often remind myself that I can do this because my classes are not easy this semester and I think I might die from the amount of typing I will be doing... Or at least I will lose my fingertips.

Sounds fun right?

I am just ready to be finished. This is my 5th, yes 5th, year at Franciscan and I just feel defeated sometimes because I didn't graduate on time. Sometimes I wonder why I am doing this at all because my goal is not to teach, but to stay at home and raise my children. I believe God calls me to that. Sure, I want to teach, but I want to teach my children first, then children that are not mine. I feel in my heart that is what I am supposed to do with my life. If I have the choice, I will homeschool my children so I am often faced with... why are you in school? Why are you so in debt for an education you won't be using for awhile? And sometimes, I don't know that answer.

I am tired of hearing people say that being a SAHM is something that won't happen. Why? In a year if Andrew stays at this job and is no longer considered an extra, he can have overtime every and he will make a lot more money. Or, if he gets a firefighting job, he will be making more money. We know how to stretch a dollar and how to live on a budget. I will do so in order to stay home with my children because I believe it is so important.
I am tired of dreading having to tell people that I want to be a SAHM because somehow, in today's society, it is looked down upon. Somehow, in the span of the last few decades, a person's worth is judged by their income and job status rather than their character and the type of person they are. It is repulsive to me. Our children are our future and there is nothing wrong with wanting to stay home and raise those children.

I, thankfully, am at a school that a lot of women attend and were homeschooled and had SAHMs. They understand my feelings and share the same desires as I. We are receiving an education because of our love for learning and because it will better us as a human being.

I can do this. I have a year left and I will do good.

Or, lets hope I will!

19 Months Old!!

2011-08-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

My little princess is 19 months old today! Holy cow, has timed flown by!!

She is growing and learning with leaps and bounds. This is such a fun (and difficult) age. Something that excites me sooo much is seeing her love for reading, as noted in both of these photos! Currently, she is sitting in front of our bookcase reading out loud (well gibberish but she understands her own self). Its precious and I am so glad that all of our reading to her and encouraging her to read books has paid off.

She runs everywhere. I don't think walking is possible anymore.
She understands so much now. She loves to be a big helper and throw things in the trash for us when asked. She has her own little "chores" such as filling the dogs bowl with food, helping Mommy dust, and picking up her clothes off of the floor and putting them into the dirty hamper.

I think its so important to do things with her such as this. Don't let anyone tell you that they can't because they can AND they find it fun!

What really excites us is her ever-growing vocabulary! Watch out! And don't say anything if you don't want it repeated!
Lately, she has been telling me that things are mean: Mommy is mean, PapPap is mean, Ni-Ni (bedtime, naptime) is mean AND bad lol.
She likes to watch Buddy go outside and will tell me that he is outside and going potty.

There are so many more but it is just exciting to watch her learn! This month has just reminded me how much of a blessing motherhood is!

Sausage Gravy with Biscuits

2011-08-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure that gravy and biscuits are in their own separate food category of awesomeness. Nothing screams down home cooking like waking up to some gravy and biscuits, whether it has sausage or not.

Making sausage gravy and biscuits is easy. You will find a million different recipes to try, but I think the best, by far, is the kind that has milk gravy. You can buy the gravy in a can or in those packets that you mix with something and it becomes gravy. While I'm sure its good, its not as good as homemade gravy. So, let me teach you!

If you are going to make sausage gravy, you clearly start off by browning your sausage. If you are just making the gravy, I suggest using some kind of animal grease - bacon grease, sausage grease, because it gives it that special gravy flavor, but using butter, lard, or shortening works as well.

Once you brown your sausage or melt whatever you're going to use, you need to make a roux. All you need to do is add a heaping tablespoon or two or three until no more flour can be mixed in thoroughly. This basically makes the grease thick. Its how your milk is going to thicken.
This is what it will start to look like but this clearly has no sausage in it. I just wanted to give you an idea of what to look for. You want to let it brown for a few moments.
Then comes the milk! When making sausage gravy, I just pour enough milk to cover all of the sausage, usually amounting to about 4 cups, but if you are just making the gravy, then 2-3 cups should be good depending on the amount you are cooking for!

So, you add in your milk. Add some seasoning. For just gravy, I use a heavy hand and super season it, but my normal seasons are garlic powder, onion powder, lots and lots of pepper, and maybe some seasoned salt. For just gravy, I add some Worcestershire sauce.

Bring it to a boil, stirring to make sure it doesn't stick, then turn it down and let it thicken up to your likening!

Make your biscuits however you make them, whether its from a can, a frozen bag, or homemade! Buttermilk biscuits are the best though.

So, is sausage gravy and biscuits thrifty? Lets find out...
I buy sausage from my local meat market and I usually buy the packets of loose sausage for $1.90 for a lb.
3 tablespoons of flour... maybe $.10 since I buy the 25lb of flour.
3-4 cups of milk... the price of milk is ridiculous but I will say that it is about $.80-$1 depending on the current price of milk.
Seasons.. well we will say the total for the seasonings are $.50 - if you buy the large containers of seasoning its even cheaper!
Then biscuits.. a can is $1.50 here for 10 biscuits. The price would clearly be cheaper to make the biscuits, but we will go with this price..

Total price ends up being $4.80 - thrifty? I think so! And it makes a large amount and feeds all of us plus usually some for leftovers or for Buddy!

Just milk gravy and sausage would be cheaper.
A tablespoon or two of butter would probably be about $.56 and you don't use sausage so... the total price would be $3.46.

Grilled Pizza Pockets

2011-08-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

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On the meal plan, I listed grilled pizza pockets as tonight's dinner and that is what we had!

Now, ours didn't turn out nearly as pretty as the one in the picture. In fact, one fell apart.. but despite that, it was still yummy. Andrew wants more things inside next time, so I think I will double the crust recipe so I can stuff it even more.

Now, my prices are a bit different than 5 Dollar Dinners - where I got the recipe. Oh, and if you have never checked out their website, please do! I love it and I will be linking back to it a lot because a lot of their recipes are awesome and thrifty.

So, lets break this down and figure out how much our dinner really cost us.

3 Corn on the cob ($.30 each) - $.90
1 box of Jiffy pizza crust - $.50
a handful of mozzarella cheese - $.50 approx.
Ragu pizza sauce ($1.14) but we only used half of the jar so - $.57
Pepperoni ($2.50) but once again we used half of the bag so - $1.25

Andrew also made himself 4 hot dogs so that is $.98 (1.97 for the whole package)

Our meal total cost us $4.70 - try and get a meal for that at a restaurant!

Meal Plan 8/23-9/7

2011-08-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

I decided recently to keep myself on check with the grocery budget and to show that a smaller grocery budget does not mean the same old, boring, cheap dinners.

Now.. my meal planning strategy is pretty simple. I don't plan out breakfasts and lunches. I do keep track of how much bacon and sausage we have on hand because Monday & Tuesdays (Andrew's days off) I make nice breakfasts. Usually we have pancakes and bacon one day and sausage gravy with biscuits another day. Some times, I switch it up. On other days, Caelyn and I have oatmeal, toast with apple butter and some kind of fruit, scrambled eggs, etc.

Lunches are sometimes leftovers, Mrs. Grass soup, PB& J (or Nutella!) sandwiches, and almost always a fruit.

Dinner is my major meal planning. Being a mom, a worker, and a full-time student is hard enough without having to guess every night on what to make for dinner. It takes me about an hour usually to plan out the menu and there are always new and different recipes I get from searching the internet!

Tuesday (today) 8/23 - Gnocchis, salad, and fresh Italian bread from our local Italian grocery store!!
8/24 - Grilled pizza pockets and corn on the cob
8/25 - Sloppy joes & tator tots
8/26 - Velveeta skillet meal (I will be working so this is Andrew and Caelyn)
8/27 - Grilled Cheese and soup (another night I am working)
8/28 - Hot dogs and Italian french fries (I am working)
8/29 - Brisket, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob
8/30 - Chicken Salad with french fries on top
8/31 - Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken and Noodles
9/1 - Turkey Rolls Ups & Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
9/2 - Easy Chicken Bake
9/3 - Chicken with Yellow Rice, Corn on the Cob, and Corn Muffins
9/4 - Caesar Chicken Pasta
9/5 - Trip to Kennywood for Andrew's work so nothing planned
9/6 - Cowboy BBQ Beans and Beef
9/7 - Breakfast for dinner

Idk my exact grocery shopping day yet since my school schedule isn't totally decided, but I will grocery shop either the 4th or 5th I think.

A lot of these recipes we love and some are new. I hope to be posting some recipes up soon as we make them.

My budget every two week is $125 and our trip to Wal-Mart was $99. So, I am $26 under the budget. Yayyy!

Now.. the nights that Andrew stays and hangs out with Caelyn while I work are usually easy meals. He works so I know he won't enjoy cooking some crazy meal. I leave easy ideas or maybe there is enough leftovers for him to make that. It works out well for us.

Oh and as for leftovers, usually they go to lunch with him. This really cuts down on grocery costs! I buy less lunch meat because of it and I feel like we are really cutting down on wasting food since if they don't go with him, they may get lost in the abyss that is our fridge!

Homemade Apple Butter in the CrockPot

2011-08-17T21:09:00.001-07:00

Recently, my family and I went up to Sugarcreek aka Amish country and I purchased a jar of apple butter. It reminded me of how much I loveeee apple butter! But, I'm not about to constantly pay $2-3 a jar to have apple butter.
So, when my grandparents asked me to go a local orchard, I went with them and purchased a peck of apples. It isn't totally apple season yet, but this is the perfect practice I need to develop the perfect apple butter recipe.
You are going to need around 20 apples. This is such a simple recipe and you can tweak it however you like! If you like a stronger cinnamon taste, add more. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar, etc. This is your apple world, so dive right in!

The beginning part is the most tedious. It involves peeling and coring multiple apples (don't throw them away! Look up uses for them besides composting!). It took me 30 minutes to fill up the crockpot. You will want to leave a few extra to add later on or maybe your crockpot is larger than mine. I didn't use the entire peck of apples.

So, anyway, dice up the apples and throw them all in the crockpot. I added about 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup apple juice. Start off with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp cloves and 1 cup sugar. In the end, I added about a total of 3 cups sugar. But, I suggest to you to slowly add the sugar and cinnamon.
Now.. the secret ingredient... red hot candy! I added about 6 because I like apple butter that has a strong cinnamon flavor.
Now, trust me! This hint came from my grandma who used to help my aunt make apple butter in a copper kettle to sell at the local apple festivals. She does know what she is talking about!

So.. add it all in and turn that crockpot on low. You and your crockpot are about to develop a strong bond for the next 18-24hours. I started it in the afternoon and slowly added more apples as the butter cooked down. Then, I went to bed. It is important to keep the lid on when you aren't stirring. I stirred like once every 30 minutes, tasting to decide if I wanted to add a bit more sugar, cinnamon or cloves.

Andrew stirred it at 5:30 when he went to work then I stirred it when I woke up. I let it cook even more. Finally, about 22 hours later, I decided it was done.
It will stay on the spoon in a nice clump. I spooned most if into a blender and pulsed for a few moments, put back in and spooned it back again and pulsed it again.
And..... this is the result.

Beautiful... creamy.. yummy.. apple butter!

Now, the next step is canning. Prepare the cans as you normally would then fill the jars with 1/4 headspace. Use a water bather and boil for 10 minutes.

Ta-da!! 6 beautiful jars of homemade apple butter! It was super simple and yummy!

What is a Thrifty Homemaker?

2011-08-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

I renamed the blog and some of you might wonder why, although the name can give you hints.

Like many people, Andrew and I live paycheck to paycheck. While it is fairly common, it is also quite difficult. Andrew is having a harder time adjusting because he is so used to have smaller bills and extra left, while I am very used to not having extra to spend on haircuts, video games, or anything else.

Thats where the thrifty homemaker comes into play. I am still learning. Andrew works hard for his money and I do too. Stretching our dollars is sooooo important! One of the easiest places that a homemaker can stretch the budget is the grocery bill. If you pay attention like I do, you will notice that the grocery prices lately are rising and it is quite sad. When you pair the higher grocery prices, to lower coupon prices and stricter coupon rules in most stores (Thanks Extreme Couponing!!), it makes it even harder to keep the grocery bill down.

Part of my goal for this blog is now to start blogging about thrifty meals and recipes. Another great way to stretch the grocery budget is to cook from scratch. This is because a pantry full of the basics can make so many amazing things. The sky is the limit.

Remember: Almost anything you can buy in the stores, you can create at home.

The key is figuring out the price to make vs the price to buy. Some people completely don't care about the price to make because they are in it to make sure that their families don't eat the chemicals and that is totally respectable. I try to be the same way, but it doesn't always happen!

Another way to save money is canning! I am so happy to say that I am a beginner in the canning world. I can't wait to start sharing my recipes and experiences with everyone. When canning is going to come into huge play will be next summer when Andrew and I plant our first garden.

Thriftiness is learning how to stretch the budget, but still providing your family with wonderful meals, a beautiful home, and a great life.

I have so many ideas to blog about and I can't wait to show you what goes on in this little mind of mine!

My Rather Long Absence

2011-08-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

Friends! I have been gone for awhile! Close to 3 months. I have missed blogging so much, so I am glad to return.
Shall I explain my absence?
You see, I tried to continue blogging around Robert and I split up, but it was quite difficult. I needed some time.
So, I stopped blogging and went on with my life. During this time period, Andrew and I moved in together, along with Caelyn, in June. For some people, they may freak and say that is so soon to move in together, but we are so happy! I guess maybe Andrew was right when he said we were meant to be together.. way back in high school!

So, Caelyn and I moved in with him and it has been wonderful.
Onto Robert... You won't see me mentioning him much in any future blog posts, except for random times because... he is not in Caelyn's life. I am sure I will post my feelings on this later, but it is extremely difficult. He himself has made this decision despite me begging for him to be in her life. He has told me that once Andrew and I marry, he wants to give up parental rights and allow Andrew to adopt Caelyn.
Oh well.. It is impossible to change his mind once it is set.

Meet Buddy!
We got him on the 4th of July. He was 14 months old. We love him! He is Caelyn's partner in crime, he is our second child, and the biggest baby ever! He is such an amazing addition to our family! We are truly blessed to have found such a perfect dog for our family.

Here is our first baby, the most precious one!

Caelyn is 18, almost 19, months old. She has an ever-growing vocabulary. She is just amazing! She cracks Andrew and I up on a daily basis and is such a loving little child.

I start school, my last year, on the 30th of this month and I am soooo dreading it!

But.. last year and I can do it.

Now, onto blogging... the name of this blog will probably change, who knows. I do plan on switching directions for it slightly. I plan on doing a lot of posting on budgets, cheap but yummy recipes (I love cooking even more lately!!), my ever-growing faith, and relationship/family life. I have many ideas and I hope to really work and expand this blog to its full potential.

Flats Challenge Day 1

2011-05-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

Well yesterday started the Flats & Handwashing Challenge and we accomplished our first day totally fine!

I wasn't feeling any type of fancy folds, even though I know how to do them just fine. Since yesterday was major laundry dry, I just picked to padfold and we went through 6 diapers. Totally normal for us. For nighttime, I padfolded two flats with a preemie prefold in the middle of them under a Bummis SWW!

With the challenge, you can only have 5 covers.. too bad my covers aren't dry right now because its chilly out and its just not drying fast in my bathroom. I actually used 5 covers, I have no idea why I did that. I just did. So I am using a Thirsties cover until they dry.

I love this challenge. Handwashing is totally easy to do!
First, I run water in the tub and rinse the flats.. just run water over and wring them out. Then, I put some water in the tub, stop the drain and put some Tide in the water and let them sit a bit.. move them in circles a bit. Then, drain the water and rise again. Probably took me like 10 minutes total. Hanging to dry is the hardest for me because my bathroom is tiny. If it was nice out, they would be on the line and they dry super fast in the wind.

As I was washing the diapers last night, I was reminded of this article I read lately that stated that since the economy has gone down, parents are having a terrible time affording diapers. People actually reuse disposable diapers. I find it sickening. I understand that times are tough.. but in my eyes, parenting comes with responsibility. Even if you don't want to cloth diaper and don't want to have to handwash the diapers.. we have a responsibility that comes with parenting. Disposable diapers are a luxury if you can afford to use them, if not, then they shouldn't even be a option. The responsibility of a parent is to diaper the child in a proper way. I am sure doctors would say that it is unsanitary to reuse disposable diapers and the rashes that will come from it will probably be painful for the baby. I can afford disposable diapers, but I don't like them. They smell like chemicals, they give rashes, they are terrible for the environment, and cost too much for something that gets thrown away.
I hope that someone who reads this or any of the other blogs that are linking up for the challenge and realize their are alternatives.

A set of flats, 12, is about $30, depending on where you get them from. But, some of the best flats are flour sacks that you can get at Target or Walmart, or the ikea burp cloths are huge and often used as diapers. Receiving blankets are commonly used, I have used them. The burp cloths that are given at the hospital to use, at least in my area, are cloth diapers. Covers can be cheap, especially previously used. Amazon sells Dappi covers which are very cheap.
We are parents have a responsibility. Diapering is one of them.

We are onto our second day, so I will update later!

Sweet Springtime!

2011-05-22T22:15:00.001-07:00

How can that face just not make you smile?!
This weekend was so much fun! Friday I worked, but Saturday turned out to be totally beautiful. Andrew was in a wedding, but Caelyn & I went down to his parents house to spend the day with his mother. Their backyard is paradise for children.. a swing set, so much room to play, bushes to play in, plus toys. Yup, my girl loved her time!

She has a sandbox there.. And my girl just loves to play in the sand. Its more that she likes to scoop it and throw it everywhere. But, its enjoyable and I just love to watch her.

Her favorite thing to do is swing! Donna, Andrew's mother, found this cute dolphin swing at the flee market for like $1!! They put it on their wooden swing set that his father and grandfather built when he was a kiddo.
At parks, she hates swings. I think that the sides make her feel insecure. But this thing provides hours of play. She can swing all day if someone will push her.
They have a little dog named Gracie and her and Caelyn are best friends. She "throws" the stick and tennis ball for her and Gracie follows Caelyn wherever she goes in the yard.
I just know that this summer is going to be sooo much fun for us. Last summer, she couldn't crawl yet, but now.. she is a ball of energy and fun. I guess I better get used to being outside because this girl from the time she wakes up wants to run outside and play.
This is the back back of their yard.. with Andrew's dad's barn in the back. They have a nice piece of land and she just likes to be able to wander around.

She is amazed by God's creation - nature. Everything just fascinates her. The trees, birds, flowers, and bushes are just fun to her. She loves to investigate and I find it so exciting to watch her learn. Her excitement when she points and says tree and is correct is just amazing. Her excitement is contagious. Our day went so fast, 6 hours outside flies by!

The Yummiest Pancakes!

2011-05-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

(image credit)

Now that school is out.. I have been way into cooking again more. Before, it was hard to get up and make a full breakfast and get ready for class.

I have a box of pancake mix sitting in my cabinet never touched, but when I was looking through a new website I found, My Wooden Spoon, I found a recipe for Old Fashioned Homemade Pancakes!

Oh, be still my heart, these are delicious!

The recipe is:
1 egg
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk (I use a bit more, closer to 1cup because I like it to be a bit thinner)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp oil (I use veg oil or canola oil)
1/2 tsp salt

I cook them on my family sized griddle - an awesome Christmas present from my parents! - and set it on 300 degrees. Once they bubble up, I flip and they are done pretty quickly.

I like to add a few chocolate chips!

Lately, I have been doubling the recipe, making them all.. and then what we don't eat.. I put on a cookie sheet, freeze and them into a ziploc bag. Then, pop them into the toaster and they are a quick breakfast. I can't imagine buying the premade kind at the store! This is saving so much money, but yet, they are so much better than the ones there!

I like to pair with some bacon from our local meat market. Oh the bacon there can make you drool! It is amazing

Toys and More Toys

2011-05-19T20:43:00.001-07:00

Within the last week I realized that my living room is being eaten alive by toys! It began at Christmas when we went so overboard with the amount of toys that Santa brought. Well, when Robert & I split up, some went with him, but... there are still too many! In fact, I realize that most of the toys are not being played with.

So, Monday I took out a full laundry basket of toys! I am going to put them into a garbage bag and either keep them or yard sale them this summer. I also threw away some junk toys.

Then, I came up with a system because most of her toys were not being played with and, to me, it feels as if I wasted my money buying toys that she doesn't play with!
Here is her beautiful toy box that she got as a Christmas present from Pap Rich & Grandma Nancy.
At night after she goes to bed, I clean up toys. It only takes an extra few moments, but I pull toys from the bottom of the toy box and put them on the top. Caelyn is way too young to think of digging for toys at the bottom, so I help her. I do keep the bag of wooden blocks within her reach, but otherwise, all toys are rotated.
This way, every morning she opens her box of toys, she pulls out a different toy that wasn't on top yesterday. I feel so much better because this system is already working and it honestly doesn't take me anymore extra time than I was using before.

This girl also has a lot of books. These are just the ones that she hasn't
a) destroy or
b) are paperback and are kept in my room until she is old enough not to destroy them or when I want to read them to her.

So, my new system? As I am gathering them up off the floor, I pick a few from the floor and a few out of the bin and put them into this little basket she got on Easter.
It goes in the middle of the bookshelf. These are the books for the day. It helps! She does pull out the bottom box, but she goes right for this little basket, she can carry it out into the middle of the room, unlike the other bin. She loves to read! So, this works great for us.
I find that toys end up being a pain in parents' butts.

I got a lot of inspiration for my toy situation from a book for Catholic mothers by Tami Kiser.

I also have been encouraging Caelyn periodically throughout the day to clean up her toys, yes at almost 16months! It takes me showing her and helping her, but she does catch on. For example, today she played with her wooden blocks but after breakfast, she lost interest. I grabbed the bag that they go in and said, lets clean up these blocks and put them in the bag and she watched me and helped. She was so pleased with herself and I thanked her for her help. Oh the look on her face - priceless!

New Blog Name!

2011-05-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

Isn't she just getting so big? Its amazing to think that on the 28th of this month, my baby girl will be 16 months old! Holy cow, does time fly!

As some of you will be able to tell, I changed the name of the blog. Why? Because my life has changed, a complete 180 turn, in the better direction. Now, I am beginning the adventure of single motherhood. I think it is going to be wild - just me and my girl, who has a wild soul.

These last few months have been difficult for me, but I never forget that this is also difficult on Caelyn. She is too young to understand why Daddy isn't living at the house and why she doesn't see him everyday. She does understand that she misses him and that she doesn't see him nearly as much as she wants to or as much as I want her to. He is living his own life now and there is no reasoning with him. I wish I could know how she feels. Some days, when she can't stop whining all day and she is desperate for my attention, I wonder if it is her acting out because of how much she misses her father. It is painful for me, but I realize that it will get better. Most days, I don't think she notices.

Summer is here and I have until the end of August to focus on regaining my life. I hope to move soon - out of this home that is where we began our family - and I also can barely afford to live here. I am learning how to pinch pennies because I have to, no longer because I want to. It is a necessity.

My grandfather told me when all of this began that he believed that great things laid ahead of me, and I hold onto that.

I am glad to be back to blogging. It is the perfect outlet for right now. I am very excited for the Flats Challenge happening next week as well! I am looking forward to Saturday - I don't work AND it is finally supposed to stop raining! Caelyn and I are going stir-crazy because of all of this rain! We need some fresh air and sun, especially me because I look like a ghost. My kiddo was lucky because she inherited her father's awesome olive complexion. Girl looks tan all year round.

I hope the weather is better wherever you are!

Back from my Break

2011-05-06T22:15:00.000-07:00

I took a nice break from blogging. With the family issues that I was having, I didn't feel like blogging because everything would have been depressing to be completely honest and who wants to read crap like that? Not you! Nor I.

To update on what the situation is as of right now:
Robert moved out in March into an apartment about a mile or two away from me. Him and I have a touch and go relationship right now. To be honest, one day it is good and the next it is not. We have been separated for about two months. I recently discovered that he is seeing a new girl. My feelings on that are up in the air, as one moment he wants me back and the next he hates me and everything about me. Oh well.
I too am seeing someone else, but for right now, I don't want to discuss that. I just want to be cautious about what I say.
I do hope that things settle. I feel like my heart is in a constant upheaval and it literally makes me nauseous at times. But, I know that I will survive. It isn't a simple break-up when there is a child involved, such as child support and child visitation. When I know more about that, I will post.

On the bright side, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, I have exams and then I am finished for the summer! I will continue to work more. I am planning on moving to a different house hopefully within the next month or so as I cannot afford to live here much longer. So... I would say, you all are going to have a lot to read about! Moving is always fun to blog about. On top of that, my little girl has grown and changed so much in the last few days.

I have so much planned for this summer and so many things I want to do when I no longer have school work bogging me down. I am excited also to blog again. I am considering where I want to take this blog. How far I want to take it. I consider it a personal journal, but with an upside that others can read and comment.
At the end of this month, I will be doing the Flats & Handwashing Challenge, so that will be fun to blog about!
So, as I said, stay tuned. I hope I haven't lost some of you and I hope that I can gain some new readers soon.

Another Month Has Gone By

2011-03-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

I last posted on February 4th; time has flown since that day. Adding a school, a baby, sorority, work, tutoring 2 days a week, and a house to take care of makes for a busy mom, but nothing that I can't handle.

I have been thinking about this post because it is going to be hard to type out. I want to talk and straighten out my feelings, but not tell much of my personal life to the blogging world either.
Robert and I are having issues. Yes, we just got engaged on Christmas and there are issues already. But, the issues were there a year ago right when she was born, but they finally escalated and almost literally erupted.
Robert has a major problem with his anger; he has been unable to control his anger and his yelling. For a year, I have been getting yelled at for the littlest thing and despite my insistent begging for changes. As she got more active, the yelling also turned to her and that started another issue. Yelling at a young child is not something that I think is right. Nothing I could do could make him stop.
Except, two weeks ago, threatening to leave.
Now, lets stop and rewind. There is the anger issues. I feel as if I was being almost verbally abused, not to the total extent of how bad it could be, but it was bad enough for me to feel that way. The last two weeks I have seen a major change in him. But, it may be too late.
A change should not have had to come from me screaming and exploding and threatening to leave. Every couple fights and has issues, but I think that a hallmark of a strong and great couple is a couple that has issues, but listens to one another and works the issues out. Unfortunately, I never received much of either.
The first year of her life, I received little help in her care. The care was sporadic, like if I was working, and often time me asking for help was the catalyst for a fight.

Now. You can see why I have exploded. I held it in for long enough, but he KNEW that there was problems. Now, onto my problems. I have no idea how to get over the resentment that I feel towards him because of this all. I don't know if I can move pass it; it was a year of my life. I resent feeling how I feel, not having any help, and feeling alone when I was not.
Another bigger problem that I need to address: I am doing this all for Caelyn. My dad tells me that couples all of the time do it all for their kids and are happy, but I may not be one that can do so. When we got back together when I was pregnant (we split for about 2 months), I did so because I do care for him but I also really wanted to see if it could work for her. When we moved in, he did it for the right reasons (but he also needed out of his dad's house), I did it because I felt like it was the right thing for her. It turned out to be right for me as a person because I was really able to figure out who I am. I wanted to get married because it was right for her, in my eyes. This is not to say that I do not love him, because I totally do. But, it is time for me to do what is right for me, not for her and hopefully, whatever it is right for me, is right for her as well.

I don't want Caelyn growing up in a house with two parents who are not meant to be together; I want her to see her parents wild in love. I know that we can try to make this work and we may succeed, but we may not as well. I have no idea how to let go of my resentment. I don't know if we can make this relationship about us, not about her.
I am worried and scared. I am trying to be strong because I need to be, for myself and for her. Whatever happens, it will be what is best for me and I know that whatever ends up making me happy, will make her happy as well.

Birthday Party!

2011-02-04T21:06:00.000-08:00

This is a bit delayed, but as my last post said, we have been a busy family lately!

Caelyn's party was on January 30th. It was a great time!

We had it at my parents house from 1-3, but it definitely ran over to close to 4. Oops! It was a puppy dog theme!
I sent out invitations that were hot pink cardstock that I had cut out into a dog bone shape. I wish I had a picture! But, it said "Come Wag Your Tails for Caelyn's 1st Birthday at Grandma's Doghouse!"
Totally cheesy, I know, but come on.. I had to think of something!

I had the tables set up with white table cloths and then I used a stamp and stamped hot pink paw prints on the tables. I tried to get a picture, but they didn't turn out right!
Her cake was oh so cute and oh so yummy!

I made a huge huge batch of puppy chow the night before. It was a hit. I can't wait to make it again, except this time, its just for us! I had these little green bowls that are Caelyns and we use them for her snacks, so I took them and put paw print stickers on it for the puppy chow.

Oh and lets not forget the doggy bags for the kids with a lot of candy in it and the crescent dogs to eat! There was a lot of other food as well.

As for the cake.. well we enjoyed it, but.. Caelyn was too dainty for the whole smashing cake. My sister thought she would help her and she really wasn't happy about that.

You can't tell but she was fussing and NOT a happy girl!

All in all, it was a great party. She got some really nice presents. Mommy needs to get cracking on the thank yous! I have to get to Wal-Mart, probably tomorrow after work, to buy them!

I can't believe my baby girl is 1!!
Speaking of being one, today we had her one year check up. She is 31lbs and 6oz. Sweet! She gained like 2lbs since her last appointment about 2-3months ago and she is 32inches tall now! She had two shots, but she was awesome! I gave her my iPhone with some Baby Signing Time YouTube videos playing, she cried for about a split second then just continued to watch it.
Sigh.. my girl is growing up.

Happy Birthday!

2011-02-02T06:06:00.001-08:00

I have been totally MIA lately! It's been a busy time here lately.

My baby girl is 1!! One! How does that happen?! I cried!

On her actual birthday we took her to applebees for dinner and she got a corn dog! We went and bought her shoes and an outfit then went home. We bought her a cupcake to smash and eat! Yum yum!

She enjoyed it for sure!

She had a sugar high for awhile.
On Sunday we had a nice party for her but that is for the next post!

I can't believe that my little girl...
- eats all table/finger foods.
No more baby food!!
- runs!!
- points to the things she wants
- plays peak a boo all the time!
- wears 24 months clothing and size 6 1/2 shoes!!

I love my little girl! I am just so proud to say she is my daughter!!

Pro-Life

2011-01-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

I am going to simply say this. I am pro-life - 100%. I believe abortion is murder and in no case is it acceptable.
It breaks my heart that women use the excuse that it is their body. No, it is not your body. It is a body, a life, within your body and that is two different things. There are 2 beating hearts within your body - your own and your childs. It is not ok to stop one because you want to. It never will be.

One of my good friends wrote a post that.. is strong and full of passion, just like her. Nicole wrote this blog post, its not for the fate of heart, but its exactly how I feel. Read it.

Country Style Green Beans

2011-01-23T22:10:00.001-08:00

I love cooking, it is becoming a passion of mine. I honestly would never have believed it if you had told me it a year or so ago.

Part of my love of cooking is the adventure of finding and creating new recipes. We also are eating healthier..... Well just less processed junk more homemade from scratch items.

Side dishes are important to a meal. I like dishes that compliment whatever else we are having. Our dinners usually consist of a meat of some variety, then potatoes (my family are meat and potato type people!), then a veggie.

I like to work with fresh veggies if possible but frozen will do.

Doesnt it look delicious?

Ok down to how to make it... You can do it a few ways. If you are a crispy bacon type person, you start with the bacon, otherwise leave it for last.

Cook your bacon. I use about 4-6 slices, chopped. Then, I take a handful or two of fresh green beans and snap the ends off. This is where you can change how you do things. Either cook the bacon then remove it and MOST not all of the grease or just remove some grease. Dice up an onion and 1 clove of minced garlic and put it into the skillet. Let cook for 2-4 minutes. Add 1/4cup butter and the green beans. Season with some salt and pepper. ( if you removed the bacon, let this cook for awhile and add towards the end to reheat it). Now, you have to let the beans simmer for 20-25 minutes or even longer, especially for fresh beans.

Robert LOVES this! I hope you do as well! Oh and the flavor of the dish is even better if real butter is used!

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Spring Semester of School

2011-01-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, I feel so overwhelmed and busy right now! I am surprised I even remembered to blog about it!

Monday the 17th I began the 2011 spring semester of school. It is kind of bitter sweet because this was the semester I was supposed to be graduating from if I had not changed my major too late and tacked on an extra year! Bummer. I look at May 2011 and kind of get sad because I should be done, but I will instead graduate May 2012.

I like school, don't get me wrong. I LOVE my history courses which is why I love my history major. I love education, which I why I love my education courses, but I HATE being away from Caelyn. She is MY child; I don't want anyone else watching her but her parents and that can't happen while I am in school.

I am taking 6 courses, 17 credit hours, I am jammed pack. But, I am just trying to stay organized, stay on top of things and just hope my daughter doesn't get upset that she is without me for so long. I keep looking at it like, I have like 3 1/2months of it then I have my daughter to myself for basically May-August. Thats great. I have to just push forward to that. It will come and come soon, I know!