30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 11

Today goes along perfectly with my 30 Days of Thankfulness blog series.  It's Veteran's Day.

So today I am thankful for all our veterans.  Those who fought for our country many times in the past, those who are fighting now, and those who will fight in the future.  It takes a special kind of person to give up his or her life and commit to serving our country with everything they have.  Many times, at the highest cost.  Even those who come back whole in body, sacrifice in other ways as well.

It seems like support for our military in this country is so small.  There is an overwhelming unappreciation for those who serve. The men and women who come back from overseas do not come back to a ticker tape parade as they have in the past.  It's a quite welcome home from their loved ones and communities.  Our veterans are misunderstood many times.  It's not the act of war itself that leaves the mental and emotional scars, but the loss of brothers in combat. Being in a state of highest alert for months on end, then coming home and be expected to just get back to "normal."

We need to continually show our support for those we know who are serving or have served.  Give them love and thanks more than just one day a year.  Show community support for our men and women coming home from overseas.  No matter your political beliefs, these incredible people deserve our love and devotion at the very least.

Day 1 and 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5 and 6
Day 7 and 8
Day 9 and 10

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 9 and 10

Made it through 10 days! Only 20 more to go!

Day 9:  As I mentioned in my last post, I am very grateful for my family. My extended family is wonderful!  Of course, they are quirky like all families are, but I love them dearly.  On my mother's side, she has 5 brothers and sisters, which makes for so many aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, etc!  Thanksgiving at my grandmother's house is crazy!  There are usually around 50 people there if everyone is able to make it.  So much fun with the little ones running around and the adults having conversations from room to room.  I like to float all around, to make sure I get a chance to visit with everyone.

My dad's side of the family is rather small compared to my mom's!  My grandparents on my dad's side are gone, but we do get together with my uncle, aunt, their kids, and their kids' kids when we can.

Jason's extended family is rather small too.  I really like it too, though, because everyone can sit in one room and be included in the conversation.  It's easier to keep up with what everyone is doing and where they are.  And there are usually some shenanigans going on.  Especially when you get together Jason and his twin 16 year old boy cousins! It's a lot of fun!

Day 10:  I am thankful for my job!  I have only been at this job since April of this year, but I really love it.  I love working at the University where I went to school.  I always said I would go back to school if they paid me, and well- they are!  It's different working with college kids than the general public, but I really like that better.  I also have some pretty great co-workers.  For the most part, everyone gets along really well.  I also enjoy the hours.  I work 8-4 usually, if I skip my lunch break.  I like having the option of not taking a lunch.  For one thing, it saves me money! I always feel like I have to go somewhere if I have an hour break.  So by eating a quick lunch that I've brought from home, I don't feel the need to go somewhere.  And leaving an hour early is very nice!

This has been a great thing for my career, as well as for our finances.  I did get a slight raise when I started this position, which is very much needed since Jason is in school full-time.

Comment and let me know some of the things you are thankful for!

Day 1 and 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5 and 6
Day 7 and 8

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 7 and 8

Ok, so this blogging every day thing has been harder than I thought! I got behind over the weekend.  Lots going on! So I'll take time now to catch up.

Day 7:  I want to take some time to say how thankful I am for my in-laws.  Jason's parents have been so good to me since day one.  They have treated me less like a daughter-in-law and more like a daughter.  They have helped us in so many ways since we have been together.  It is wonderful to know that my family grew when I married Jason.  I am thankful for them and all the family I have on his side.

Day 8: I am also thankful for the awesome brother and sister I gained! Jason's sister and her husband are great.  We don't get to see them as often as we'd like because we are all so busy, but it's great when we do get the time to catch up and hang out.

They say you not only marry your spouse, but also their family! I'm glad that is the case.  I love family on all sides!  Especially with the holidays coming up, I am so thankful to get to spend time with family.

Day 1 and 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5 and 6

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 5 and 6

I missed yesterday, so I'll make up for it today with two posts!

Day 5: I am thankful for my friends!  I have never been the girl with a ton of friends.  I mean, I only have 200 total on Facebook- I know people with thousands!!! But I have always had quality friends in my life.  I have had friends since I was born, since 2nd grade, family that are more like friends, and new friends that I have met along the way.

This is a new season in my life; not having friends right down the road to see often.  When I was a child, I always had at least one or two girls who were practically glued to my hip!  We were always going over to each other's houses.  During high school, we moved away, and I left my best friends back in Mississippi. But thankfully the internet and cell phone were up and coming, and I was able to stay in touch very well.  College was amazing with the amount of time I was able to hang out with my friends and make new friends.  I rarely spent a weekend alone.  It was great!  Now that I am grown (sort of!) and married, my friendships have changed.  I still have those awesome, quality girls (now women!) in my life, but we don't spend tons of time together because we are busy with our separate lives.  They have jobs and husbands too, and I'm sure soon everyone will start having babies! (Oh what a fun time that will be! Auntie Kaitlin...I like it.)

The thing that hasn't changed is that they are there for me when something great or something terrible happens.  There are still those funny or awkward things that happen in life that make me send a quick message to my friend.  I am so blessed to have such amazing women in my life!

Day 6:  I am thankful for my job!  In this trying economy, I know that I am very fortunate to have a full time job that pays well and provides decent benefits.  Especially now, since my husband is going to school full time and I am the sole breadwinner.  It has been a blessing to be able to move to the position I am in now.  I have great co-workers, and I very much enjoy where I work.  One day I hope to be a Work-at-Home-Mom (WAHM), but for this season, I am very grateful for where I am.

Day 1 and 2
Day 3
Day 4

30 Days of Thankfulness- Day 4

This is day 4 of my 30 Days of Thankfulness series.  

Today, I am thankful for my brother!  He is 3 years my junior, but way taller than me!  He is incredibly creative and spontaneous.  I love that he can pick up any instrument, and in a short time, play it well! He is a wealth of great ideas.  I love that I can go to him with a problem, and he will brainstorm a creative solution. 

This boy will go places.  With a little hard work, all those amazing ideas will take you so far! Keep up the good work, and I can't wait to see what the next few years will bring. 

Day 1 and 2
Day 3

30 Days of Thankfulness- Day 3

It's Day 3 in my series 30 Days of Thankfulness.  Today I am thankful for my big sister!

My sister is 3 years older than me.  She has always been the adrenaline junkie, the accident prone one, and the fireball of our family.  She is the oldest and the one who paved the way for me not to get in trouble for speeding tickets!  

I admire my big sister so much.  She takes big risks to get where she wants to be.  I admire her dreams and her work to make those come true.  She has become a best friend and encourager to me, someone I can come to with any problem and get a fresh and encouraging perspective.  I hate she doesn't live close by anymore, and that life has us both very busy, but I treasure the time we get to spend together when we do.  She is a beautiful person, inside and out.  I am so happy she has found someone to spend her life with, and he's a pretty great person too.  I love them both and am excited for what the future holds for all of us.  I love y'all!

Day 1 and 2

30 Days of Thankfulness- Day 1 and 2

Yesterday was the first day of November! I love the next three months, November, December, and January because of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year.  There are times spent with family and friends, great food, new and old traditions, and the promise of a new start.

Before I get caught up in the coming Christmas season, I have decided to make the most of my November.  I will be blogging through the month a series on 30 Days of Thankfulness.  I will attempt to do a short post each day on something I am thankful for.

Since I missed yesterday, I will post two things I'm thankful for today.

1)  I am so very thankful for my husband, Jason.  I was so blessed to meet him my senior year of college.  We met and started dating within a month!  It was quick, but both of us just knew we were meant to be together.  We have been through some very tough times, and I'm sure there are more hard things up ahead.  But through it all, we have stuck together and been there for the other.  I don't know how I could navigate this life without my other half.  I'm sure I could do it, but there wouldn't be this level of joy, stability, love, and comfort.  I am thankful for every minute together.  I am constantly reminded that this world is temporary, and that we need to make the most of every day.  I pray that I continue to remember and to always be present.

I love you, Jason!

2)  I am so grateful for my parents.  They have loved unconditionally, supported, directed, and enriched mine and my sibling's lives.

My mother is such a strong and faithful woman.  I aspire to be like her in many ways- her ability to make a house a home; her fierce love for her family; her many, many talents and abilities; her sense of humor and ability to say what needs to be said.  So many things that I have seen her model for me.  She knows me better than almost anyone.  Just from the tone of my voice over the phone, she knows how I am feeling.  She has picked me up more than once- physically as a child, and emotionally as a teenager and adult.  Thank you, Mamma, for everything you have done and all you continue to do for me and for our family.

My dad is hard working, steadfast, and caring.  He has been a model of hard work for my whole life.  Even as a child, when I did not understand nor appreciate the Saturdays of working in the house and the yard, he taught us the value of a strong work ethic.  We did work as a family; everyone pitching in, but we also took time to have fun as a family too.  When my siblings and I got older, we started a family tradition of going out on Christmas Eve for appetizers and dessert at a restaurant, then going to see a movie.  Looking back now, I treasure those times spent working and playing together.  Another thing about my Dad that I love is our goodnight/goodbye hugs.  Every night before bed, I would get a goodnight hug from my dad.  He shows us all that he loves us, and tells us so too. Thank you for the love, hard work, and support that you have shown and continue to show us!

Heartfelt

You know those times when you come across something so heartfelt, it touches you deep?  That happened to me this morning.  It started on Facebook, a post that a friend had liked.  I clicked on the link and was sent to a blog written by a father and husband.  You might have heard of him- he is one part of Joey+Rory, the country music duo.  But from this man's writing, you'd never know he was "famous."  They have an incredible story to tell- a precious daughter with Down's Syndrome, and the wife is battling cancer for the second time.  Reading the sweet words, I was almost in tears and praying for this family that I've never met.  I think we need moments like these.  They remind you that life is short and we shouldn't take any moment for granted.

Take a moment and read about their story.  I think it will bless you.

Money Making Mom: My first book review!

As mentioned in a previous post, I was chosen to be on the launch team for Crystal Paine's brand new book, Money-Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference.
The book release date is November 3rd, but you can pre-order the hard copy or kindle version from Amazon now! (Just click the Amazon link at the bottom of the post.) And, if you go to the Money Making Mom Book site, you can get some free bonuses for pre-ordering! Since I am on the launch team, they sent us a .pdf copy of the book, but I have already pre-ordered the hard copy; it was that good!

Without giving away too much information, I want to give you a quick overview of this book.

This is not a "how to make money quick" book.  It isn't filled with instant ideas to start a business.  But what it is, is a guide to help women (or men!) to find out what their talents and abilities are, to brainstorm ideas on how to bring in an income from home, and what to do after they start that business.  It is full of amazing advice and encouragement.

The first chapter discusses what financial freedom is, and what it means to you.  This is a great foundation to start on because you need to find your "why," what motivates you and will continue to motivate you when times are hard.  This is extremely important for this and many aspects of life, to avoid burnout and giving up.

The second chapter was probably my favorite.  Crystal walks you through a process to brainstorm what are your abilities, talents, and passions.  This was extremely helpful to me, because at first glance, I don't seem to have an overwhelming passion that could easily translate to a business.  Through this chapter, I was able to brainstorm and write down all of the abilities, talents, and passions that I have, and to triangulate which ones could potentially bring in an income for me.  So eye-opening and inspiring.

In the following chapters, Crystal goes through what the next steps are; how to get your business going.  There is some very helpful and practical advice on how to get your momentum going.  She also talks you through what to do when your idea doesn't work.  Crystal shares personal stories of things that didn't work for her.  While it looked like a failure at the time, it was actually a necessary step for what was to come.  It is very encouraging to know that when we fail, it isn't actually a failure, but a step to the next opportunity.

Concluding the book, Crystal delves into the opportunities that an income from home can provide.  It is great to make an income from home, but what we do with that income makes all the difference in the world.  If is great to have money, but if we don't use it wisely, there's no point to having it!

I learned so much from this book.  I want to share it with everyone I know! My mother and I are in the process of starting an embroidery and monogramming business.  I realized that my talents are best used collaborating with my mom and her plans- plans that I am very excited about too!  I will be able to use the marketing and public relations that I learned in college, along with the creativity and organizing skills that I have.  A great match!  I will keep you updated on how the business is progressing.

Lastly, I just want to encourage you again to pre-order this awesome book.  I know you will be glad that you did!



If you want a taste of the material that is in the book, you can sign up for this free 5-day course, "How I Make a Full-Time Income From Home."

*Disclaimer: contains affiliate links

Be Present

I just watched a video that really got to me and convicted me.  You can watch it here.  It's a Periscope video from The Tag Team, a group that trains direct sellers on how to have effective and successful businesses.  Now, they talk about more than just business, but how, women especially, should live their life.  Check out this video here that talks about how we need to get rid of negative self talk and to tell ourselves the opposite of what we think: for example, I am beautiful, I am loved, etc. This particular scope was about how to find balance between family and work. Please watch these even if you aren't a direct seller or business owner, or a woman.  These are things that everyone needs to hear.

Anyway,  In the first video I referenced about how to balance work and family, Amanda talks about how she has believed before that she isn't a good mother.  So, she has committed to telling herself, "I am a good mom."  Rachel and Amanda (The creators of The Tag Team), have both committed to be present with their families in the evenings and on weekends instead of work taking over.  Amanda said how she asked her kids what they needed or what would make them feel more loved.  The answers differed, but basically boiled down to her actually spending quality time with them, to be present instead of just being in the same room and being on her phone.  She gets emotional in the video and really speaks honestly about the struggles that moms and wives face regarding being present.

This really hit home with me.  My husband and I have had several conversations about me being constantly on my phone.  It has actually been a problem with me for quite some time.  It has caused issues with my family in the past, and now with my husband.  I have tried to be better about being on my phone when we are spending time together, but it has become such a habit, it has been hard to break.  It is not that I don't enjoy spending time with him, I very much do! He is so fun to be around.  He is silly sometimes then other times we have amazing and deep conversation.  But this nasty habit has been hard to break, and I haven't tried as hard as I should to remedy it.  So, I've decided to delete the Facebook App on my phone.  The app makes it too easy to click on, and up pops my news feed.  I don't want to completely get rid of Facebook altogether, because of the few friends I keep in touch with, and my business page, but I have decided to only check it periodically at work.  If he is watching football or something, and I have time, I can check it on the computer at home.  Basically, I want it to be an intentional thing, not just habit.  I have also deleted the Pinterest App on my phone as well.  I can get caught up in the endless scrolling and waste time that way also.

So here it is, in black and white, plastered all over the internet that this is what I am going to do.  This is my accountability.  I am striving to be the best wife and friend and family member that I can be.  Not to mention to use my time more wisely than wasting it on social media.

Where do you stand on the phone issue?  Do you use yours too much?  Are you really present with your family?  Have you found a way to keep it in check?  I would love to hear from you!

Find Your Peeps!

Yesterday I look a couple hours off work and headed 2 hours south to attend Premier Designs training with the ladies in the Premier group I started with.  I was great to see these encouraging and inspiring ladies!  I don't go to training every month there, because of the two hours (one-way) drive, but I am thankful for the times I am able to.

One of the biggest blessings that I have found through Premier is getting to know these amazing women.  I expected the pretty jewelry, the income, the business-y part of things, but not the relationships that I would gain.

The point of this post is not to gush about Premier designs (which I could do all day, by the way, just ask me!), but to encourage you to find your peeps! Find those people who are kindred spirits, who enjoy things you enjoy, who have kids your kids age, etc.  It is SO important, especially for women, to find those relationships and surround yourself with encouraging women.  Life is not meant to be lived alone.  It isn't meant to be lived with JUST your spouse, or JUST your kids.  We are meant to live in a community of family and friends, those people who encourage and uplift us.

Now, I realize that not all your family or friends are uplifting.  There are people in our lives that we cannot avoid, and those people are meant to be sandpaper to smooth your rough edges.  However, you should not waste all your time and energy on these people.  Life is too short to fill your time with people who put you down or discourage you.  Find those people who love you for you, and no matter what, will be there to encourage you.

Who are your peeps?

Frugality

I have always loved to save money.  I am a sucker for a good deal, and have always tried to be a good steward of the money I have.

Being young and semi-newly married (December makes 3 years!), saving money has gone from a hobby to a necessity.  Recently, since my husband has gone back to school full-time and we are down to one income, our money has gotten tighter; and now, due to some unforeseen circumstances, it is even more so.

So now I am faced with the challenge of paying all our bills and finding some way to afford gas and groceries as well.  I will admit that I had a breakdown at first- a moment of "how in the world are we going to manage this and still eat?!?!" But then I settled into my attitude of "there's always a way."  We won't let this defeat us, and we will find a way to break even.

First, let me acknowledge that we have some amazing family, and neither side would let us starve to death.  For that, we are so very, very thankful.  But now that we are married and living on our own, it is our responsibility to manage our own finances and not rely on someone to bail us out.

The first thing we did was find ways to bring in more income.  I read on The Humbled Homemaker that you might not have a spending problem, you might have an income problem.  Both my husband and I are going to work part time helping my parents to do some work on a house they are trying to sell, and another property they are fixing up to rent.  We can make more money that way, and it is also more flexible with our schedule than both of us getting separate part-time jobs.  Not to mention, we can do this together, and not be spending weekends apart at other jobs.

I am coming up with a few strategies to save extra money as well.  First, I am cancelling our non-necessary bills.  There aren't many of them, but every little bit helps.  We subscribed to Netflix for $9 a month, so that has been cancelled.  We are also debating whether or not to cancel our internet service.  It isn't on contract, so we could cancel now, and get it back when things improve.  Also, we have unlimited data on our phones, so using that instead will work for homework and browsing the web.

Our cell phone and satellite are both on contract, and each one would cost $300 to cancel.  Yikes. So we will continue with those for now.

Our gas and grocery budget is another thing to tackle.  We are being very mindful of unnecessary trips.  I don't leave work for lunch (bonus: I get to leave an hour early!) and Jason doesn't leave campus until he is done with school for the day.  His class schedule makes it difficult for us to commute together.

As far as groceries go, My family has a full beef in the freezer, and we all are able to use that as we need.  Not having to buy meat will save us a lot. We are cutting back on extras like frozen, pre-cooked items, convenience breakfasts, eating out, and sodas and drinks.  I am trying to look at the things I already have in my pantry, and finding meals that I only need one or two ingredients to complete, instead of planning meals where I need to purchase several ingredients.  I am looking at making some soups and stews too, as those are very cost effective. Red beans and rice is a very inexpensive meal that is tasty too.  You can leave out the sausage to make it only pennies for a serving!

As I come up with other strategies to save/make money, I will be posting them here.

What are your favorite ways to earn or save money?

Return to Reading

As a child learning to read, I struggled.  I didn't like reading, and I especially didn't like sounding out words out loud and reading out loud. But through the continued example and encouragement of my mother, I eventually developed a love for reading.  Through my middle school years, all the way through college, I have read a lot.  Most of my voluntary reading has been fiction, mostly Christian fiction. I could go on and on about my favorite authors and series of books.  And if you want to know, please ask!

Since graduating college, I haven't read nearly as much as I used to.  I'm not sure entirely why.  It wasn't for lack of time, or because I couldn't find new books to read (there has always been a library nearby when I didn't have the money for new books).  I really can't pinpoint the reason.  But whatever the reason, I have started reading more, beginning this summer.  I moved jobs, from the banking industry to being in a secretarial/clerical position at the university.  I started my new job in April, and soon thereafter, summer had come and students had gone.  There wasn't much for me to do as far as busywork, just to be present to answer the phone, emails, and any questions from people stopping by the office.  Because of that, I had lots of dead time during my workday.  So, being low on funds, I picked up my Kindle (a graduation present from my parents) and searched for all the free fiction books I could find.  A lot of the free books from Amazon are good, but some aren't as good as my beloved, tried and true authors.  I also borrowed a book and found some oldies but goodies to re-read.

Lately, I have been following Crystal Paine over at Moneysavingmom.com.  I have discovered a new form of social media, Periscope.  It is a live streaming app that alerts you when people you follow are streaming live.  Crystal has been "scoping" every week day morning, and I try to hop on, or view the replay later (it is only available for 24 hours after they've gone live).  Crystal is an avid reader and posts reviews and recommendations.  The books she reads are different that my normal fiction books; most of them are self help/encouragement/how to.

It has occurred to me that other than my jobs, I haven't learned anything new in a long time.  I haven't taken time for self improvement.  Now, I have started taking classes to earn a master's degree, but as far as personal improvement, I haven't done anything.

Now, I won't abandon completely my fiction and classics. But I think if I add books to my reading lists about finances, social media, blogging, entrepreneurship, and spiritual and individual growth, that I will grow as a person.

I wish I had an unlimited Kindle book or Barnes and Noble budget, but since that is only a fantasy, I have reserved some books from the library on campus.  I find myself eagerly checking the website to see if they are available to pick up.

Here are the titles I have reserved:

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode by Crystal Paine

The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

For the Love by Jen Hatmaker

Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell (I thought my husband, as well as myself would enjoy this one)

The Book Theif by Markus Zusack (This is a work of fiction, but the movie was so good, I had to read the book)


What is on your reading list?

Book Launch Team

So I have some exciting news!  I was picked to be on the book launch team for Crystal Paine's new book Money Making Mom that will be released November 3rd.  I was so excited to be included!  I was sent a copy of the book to read, and I have joined a Facebook group to discuss with the other team members.  All we have to do is read the book, mark quotes and ideas that inspired us, then write reviews for the book on Amazon, our blog, and social media.

So far I am LOVING this book.  Crystal Paine, the creator of the blog "Money Saving Mom" and author of several books, is all about helping families save money and live frugally.  Money-saving ideas and ways to cut your budget are important, but this book addresses another aspect of budgeting: when you don't have a spending problem, but you have an income problem.  It helps inspire and create ideas as well as practical applications on how to create income, especially at home. Visit the book's website here.

This is a book after my own heart.  It has long been a dream of mine to be able to stay home when we have children.  It is very hard to live on one income, especially when that one income isn't very large.  While we are young and don't have children, my husband and I are trying to work our way up to a larger income.  My husband went back to school full time in January of this year to finish his degree.  I am working full time, and part time with my Premier Designs jewelry business. When he graduates and gets a job, our focus will be saving and paying off debt.  Then, hopefully, we will be ready to start our family, and be in a position for me to stay home.  That's the plan at least!

Just wanted to give you a sneak peek into Money Making Mom. If it sounds like something you are interested in, you can pre-order the book here. You can also do a free 5-day course on how to make a full-time income at home. Let me know what you think!

27!

Today I turned 27!  A birthday is a good time for reflection and being thankful, so that's what I thought I'd share with you today.

Some people, the older they get, worry about their age.  Each birthday is dreaded, and they don't like telling others their age.  I don't feel that way, at least not yet.  I don't see anything wrong with being a year older.  Sure, there are a few things I wish I could change- my weight, those small wrinkles popping up, being able to scarf down a Baconator and large fries without worrying what it will do to me.  Despite those things, I am content.

This is a big deal for me, because I have always been one to miss the past or yearn for the future. Even though there are hard things in my life, I can honestly say that I am happy where I am.  I love our little family, consisting of my husband and our two silly puppies.  There are things I don't love about our apartment complex, but I love our cozy apartment.

I am thankful to have my family close, and my husband's family pretty close too.  It has been a blessing to develop a friendship with my mother and mother-in-law.  I don't have a ton of friends, but the ones I have are true friends, and will be there for me no matter what.

Of course there are things I look forward to in the future, and I will continue to dream and plan.  But I love just where I am right now.    

Our First Freezer Cooking Day

My mom, sister, and I decided to start freezer cooking about once a month.  All of us need quick week night meals that will prevent us from eating out, which is both healthier for our bodies and our wallets!

I have read many, many blog posts about freezer cooking.  So I thought I had done the appropriate level of research.  But apparently there is always more to learn.  

First, we started with our plan.

Instead of trying a bunch of recipes that we had never had before, we went with a few tried and true family favorites that would freeze well.  We planned out our grocery list, then a plan of attack!

*Here is where we learned that you can't plan to make multiples of 9 meals in one day! It's way too much going on at once.  Instead, it would be easier to make several of only 3 or 4 meals. 

Here is our lofty list!!! We didn't get all of it accomplished. But what we did do, went well!

Here's the french fries that we made:

The veggie cutter that my mom had
definitely came in handy! So much
quicker than by hand

The cut potatoes!

Next we partially cooked the fries in oil.

Then let them drain and cool.
After they cooled, we placed them
on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper
and popped them in the freezer.
Once they were partially frozen
and wouldn't stick to each other,
we put them in a freezer zip lock bag.
Once we are ready to use them,
just preheat the oven, and pop them
in to crisp up. I added a little cooking
spray to mine to help get extra crispy.
So good!!!

While the potatoes were going, we also browned ground beef, and cut and cooked onions.

We have a whole beef in the freezer and
it's so nice to have fresh beef whenever
you want it! Much cheaper too.

We cooked the meat and put into
freezer bags to make quick
spaghetti or tacos.

Those skills I learned from my stint
at the Art Institute's culinary program
pays off.

After cooking the onions til soft, we
set aside what we needed for the recipes
and put the rest in quart size freezer bags
to use in future recipes.

Next, cooking our homemade spaghetti sauce.  My mom has always made her own spaghetti sauce, no Ragu for us!  This proved a challenge for making it in a large quantity, because she doesn't have a recipe! It's a little of this, some of that kind of thing.  But we kept track of the amounts that were going in so we can replicate it in a large quantity again. 

We decided to freeze some of the sauce,
and can the rest of it.  We did not add
the ground beef into the sauce, so
it only needed a water bath to can.

Next was Chicken Parmesan:

Grated Parmesan. Much better
than the canned stuff!

Fresh mozzarella! Yum.

The finished product! We also made homemade
marinara sauce. So easy and tastes wonderful.

*In the future, we will use shredded mozzarella
because it got a little watery after frozen then thawed.
Another thing will be to not pre-cook the chicken breasts
as they got a little overcooked and tough.

Lastly, we made chicken spaghetti!

Because it was near the end, this is the
only picture I got! This is smoked chicken
that my dad smoked for us the day before.
Added such great flavor!!!

Also not pictured, was the "Bisquick mix"
that we made.  All you do is add eggs and milk
for pancakes, or just milk for biscuits.  Super easy.

So, that's about it! Like I said, next time, we won't plan so many different meals, but stick to a few, or ones that have similar ingredients.

Have you experimented with freezer cooking before? What do you think?

Passion Planner Review

I apologize for those of you who have been eagerly awaiting my blog, clicking the refresh button every 5 seconds in hopes of a new post appearing. I promise I will do better about posting.

So, as most of you know, I am pretty much addicted to planning and organizing.  And all things office supply.  So I was pretty stoked to find that Passion Planner had their academic calendars for 50% off! I can't resist a deal.

So far, I am loving it.  I went to Walmart yesterday and bought a set of Papermate Inkjoy colored pens.  I am all about some color coding!  I love the Sharpie pens that I was using with the printed planner I made, but I read a review saying that the Sharpie pens would bleed through the Passion Planner, and we can't have that happening.

This planner is more than just a planner; it's meant to incorporate elements of a journal, sketch pad, and goal worksheet.  I have yet to fully utilize it all, because it just came yesterday! But here's a sneak peek.

Monthly View
Notice my color coding guide!

Blank weekly view.
There's space to write everything down by time each day.
It goes from 6 am-11pm

Here's the current week I have started filling out.

At the end of each month, there is space to journal about your month.
What was good, what was bad, what to improve, new goals, etc.

Have you ever used a Passion Planner?  What planner are you using that you love?

Faith Not Fear

Homemade Pizza Dough with No Yeast

Over the weekend, I planned a small grocery shopping trip to buy as few items as I could get away with to make meals this week and next.  I am trying to use up some items in my fridge and pantry, as well as save some money at the end of this month.  It's a great thing to do when you're strapped for cash.  We usually have way more food than I think we do, so I try to figure out what meals I can make with what's left, and only adding one or two ingredients.

So pizza was on the agenda for this week.  My husband and I both got a craving for pizza at the end of last week, but managed not to order out.  Making your own is a great way to satisfy that craving, for less money and fewer calories!

I was supposed to pick up some yeast for this fantastic freezer pizza dough from Money Saving Mom, but alas, I forgot it.  So I scoured the internet for a yeast-free version. I found this recipe over at diethood.com. It worked out great!

I mixed the dough up with my Kitchen Aid mixer, kneaded the dough, then pressed the dough flat on a cookie sheet.  It probably would have been easier if I had rolled it with a rolling pin, but I didn't bother.

After flattening on the cookie sheet, I pre-cooked the dough in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.  I was making the dough for use the next day, so I cooled the dough, then wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. If you are making the pizza right then, skip this step.

The next day, I pulled the pizza crust out of the fridge, added homemade pizza sauce (my own concoction of tomato paste, ketchup, water, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, garlic, onion powder, and whatever other spices catch my fancy), pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese.  I cooked it at 400 degrees for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese was browning.

Ta da! My husband LOVES pepperoni pizza.

This is my version, jarred Alfredo sauce that I had leftover in the fridge, shredded chicken, spinach, and banana peppers. So good!

See these beautiful pears? They were picked fresh from my parent's place over the weekend.  They are sweet and crisp.

 I happened to have a little bit of extra dough, so I made a pear, cinnamon, and local honey tart! No idea what happened to the other half...

I will definitely be making this pizza dough again.  I am planning to make it, pre-cook, and store in the freezer for quick meals later on.  My mother, sister, and I are planning a freezer cooking day, so be on the lookout for a blog post featuring our adventure!

What's Up Wednesday 7/22/15

So I don't have much today, but I realized it's Wednesday today (after thinking it was Wednesday all day yesterday) so I thought I'd check in.

Swagbucks- I have earned $45 in Swagbucks gift cards so far! Pretty excited about that.  I have one visa gift card that can be used anywhere online, and three Amazon.com gift cards.  You can get anything on Amazon! I'm a prime member too, which has paid for itself with the free 2-day shipping and Amazon streaming video.  We have watched several seasons of tv shows on there already.

School- School officially starts in a couple weeks.  I think I am ready to be a student again... It's been a while!

Money Saving Mom- I love this blog.  I follow her on Facebook, and when I remember, on http://moneysavingmom.com/

Weekend Plans- I am going to go to the local farmer's market this Saturday to see if I can get some veggies to put in the freezer. Plus, I want to make some biscuit dough, cookie dough, and lasagna in the freezer too.  So helpful for when you don't have time or don't feel like cooking much.  Even my hubby can make supper that way ;)