Thrifty Thursday Sidetrack!

Because of doctor appointments, and funky work schedules, I haven't been able to do as much research on my Thrifty Thursday subject I had intended on writing.  I also missed my Tea-Time Tuesday, which upsets me much more. 

So today, I am going to brew myself a cup of tea, skip Thrifty Thursday, and make-up my Tea-time!  In all truthfulness, I have already had 3 or 4 cups today. 

I did have a very dear friend come with her kiddos for a visit.  We try to get together every week, and I so look forward to it.  We have so much in common, and it is so nice to just be able to talk to an adult! Barb Wire Man got to come home early too, which always makes the day a little better.  Our kids are always so excited when Daddy comes home!

However, we got our best news ever today.  OK, maybe not ever, but the best news we have had in a long time! 

My husband just found out that he got the job he has been wanting for the last couple of years!!!  He originally hauled hay for a man he had known for quite some time, and due to the economy was let go.  Hay just wasn't moving fast enough to warrant the number of drivers he had.  After spending time working in Colorado during the week, and coming home one the weekends, he finally found a job closer to home.  I don't know if you know any truck drivers, but they don't get paid like most people - they get a percentage of what the load costs.  So, if Barb Wire man ran like crazy and had a lot of loads, he got paid pretty well.  However, the job he is at is very slow, meaning no loads, which means no pay.  With a family of four, that makes things pretty tough. 

But, after visiting with the owner of the new company (he has been out there more than a couple times looking for a job), they finally gave him a chance!  We are so excited, because the pay is better, and it is his dream job.  We will eventually even have the opportunity to own our own truck!  The downside is he may be away from home for several days at a time.  I am thankful we have a very strong marriage, and deep love for each other, because it is going to be hard! 

I am also excited because I have a new tea being shipped to me!  Normally my mom and I get our tea through Teavana, but you all know how I prefer to buy things that are hand made and from small businesses.  So yesterday, I stumbled across this great Etsy site called Teaman.  He hand blends his own tea.  Since I have a couple allergy issues, I have to be very careful about flavored teas, and I was able to email him personally to find out exactly what was in his tea.  I ordered  the loose tea (of course, that is all I drink) in apricot flavor!  I am excited to get it!  The tea is also priced very reasonably, since loose tea can be brewed several times more than a tea bag.  The canister is also pretty enough to keep out on my counter, which is where I keep all my tea paraphernalia.  My tea habit is akin to an addiction....

Dear Mom, if you are reading this, and don't get me an awesome camera for Christmas, please purchase every loose tea available on Teaman's site.  (excluding the Earl Grey, since I can't drink that.)  On second thought, I would really like all of it even if you do get me the camera.  Love, your favorite daughter.

I pray everyone has a super blessed day today!  This is the day the Lord has made...rejoice!

Winning Wednesdays - V*Dazzled!

My Granny once told me that a lady never leaves the house without earrings and lipstick. 

Guess I'm not a lady!  I'm lucky if I have time to put on makeup, and even luckier if I find a pair of earrings in the inside-zipper pouch of the diaper bag.  But, that doesn't mean I don't have a love for jewelry!  In fact, my great-grandfather was a gemologist, and also made very fine silver jewelry inset with gemstones.  Anyhow, I am getting off topic.

Take a look at these beautiful earrings that were sent to me!

Aren't the pretty!? I just love them!  These beautiful earrings were made by Victoria Ruhl, owner of V*Dazzled on Etsy! 





Victoria, only 26, began her business in August of 2010, though she has been making jewelry for over a year.  Looking at these earrings up close, however, you would think she has been doing it for a lifetime.  Victoria has taken a class in jewelry making, although I am wondering to myself how in the world she had time, because she is a grad student, studying to get her PhD in cancer biology!  Now, normally here I would insert a witty comment about over achievers, but will refrain this time!!

Victoria spends all day in the lab studying, then spends any free time she has designing and creating her jewelry.  Victoria says this is a great way to relax, and get her mind off school.  She lives in Massachusets, which I would venture to guess is quite beautiful this time of year!

One of my favorite sections on V*Dazzled is the bracelets for cancer.  Some of you know, but some don't, that both of my grandmothers had breast cancer.  Thankfully, by God's grace, they were both treatable.  I'm thankful for people like Victoria, who are "over-acheivers".....I mean, people like me certainly won't find a cure for cancer! 

V*Dazzled also offers necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, all of which are absolutely gorgeous, so it might be hard to pick a favorite!

Now, those beautiful blue earrings?  All mine.  However....Victoria also sent a pair just like them, in teal, and they are all yours to win!  Victoria was kind enough to send a pair for me, and a pair for you!   How in the world do you win these earrings?  So glad you asked!!!

1.)  You must be a follower of my blog. That gets you one entry.

2.)  Take a look at V*Dazzled on Etsy, then come back here and leave me a comment telling me what your favorite item in her shop was.  Its going to be hard because its all pretty!!!

3.)  Tweet, Facebook, or blog about this giveaway, and include a link to Victoria's site.  Leave an additional comment letting me know you did so!

Please leave a separate comment for each thing you do, that way I don't accidentally miss something!

The contest will last until midnight (Central Time) on Monday November 22rd, so tell everyone you know!  I will announce the winner on my Tea Time Tuesday post!  Good luck, and remember the one thing I always try to remind people of....if we all make even one purchase from a small business we can change the way our economy is!  This country is run by people like Victoria and me...and YOU.  When we are succesfull, so is our country!

Memory Mondays

Well, here it is the start of another week.  I am slightly annoyed, because my much loved weekends, filled with my man and my two kids is over!  But, I have lived to see another week, so for that I am grateful!

I have three little boys here with me today, from 21 months down to 15 months, and its been quite an eventful morning.  Who would have though that such little human beings could cause such destruction and chaos?! 

And then, there was potty training.  Be warned.  I am about to talk about pee.

Yes.  My two oldest (my son and one of the daycare kids) have started showing signs of being ready to potty train.  So, I have two little potties sitting in my bathroom, and a plethora of NASCAR, Superman, Spiderman and toy car undies piled on the counter. 

I also am armed with rags and carpet cleaner. 

We have successfully gone potty on the potty twice each.  Which would be considered a success except for the fact that we have also gone potty on the floor about 5 times each.  And instead of thinking "oh no, we should have gone on the potty!",  they laugh! 

Watching themselves pee on my floor makes them laugh until, well, they pee again.  It is crazy.  They are typical males, and are flat out obsessed with what they can make those little things do. 

I am trying to remind myself to enjoy the little things about my son being little for as long as I can.  One day, I am going to look back at this, laugh, and wonder where that little boy went.  I might even miss having to clean up pee off the floor.  I know I will miss hearing his giggle and hearing "OOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!"  when he watches himself.  Its all so new to the boys, but one day, they are going to know it all.

I am getting very little accomplished today, as we are making a game of running to the potty every 15 minutes.  We sit there and sing or play or read books until something happens. 

A passerby would think I was insane, singing "lets make pee-pee, on the big boy po-o-tty" to the tune of Iron Man. 

I figure if I have to sing about pee at least I want a cool song stuck in my head.

So, have any of you had to potty train boys?  My daughter was so much easier.  Any tips or suggestions?!  I know its only day one, but I am close to laying newspaper down on my carpets!

A Fantastic Friday...with SNOW!

What a fantastic Friday today is!  My bed was so comfy this morning.  I was snuggled up with my hubby and didn't want to get out of bed because it was cold!!!  But, I did drag  myself out and poured myself a nice cup of coffee.  I looked out the window and to my surprise...SNOW!  Not your typical first snow of the Texas Panhandle, either, which is usually nothing more than a dusting.  This snow is piling up!  I rushed to wake up my daughter, because nothing will get her out of bed faster than knowing there is snow on the ground! 

The bad news...my camera is junked.  It will not work at all.  Hmmm maybe a family member will see this and get me a snazzy new camera for Christmas!?  So, the only pictures I have are off my cell phone.  I apologize for the horrible pictures....but you get the idea! 

No, it isn't deep enough to play in.  Probably only an inch, maybe two.  But still snow!  The trees are beautifully flocked, and it reminds me how no painter, no photographer, can capture the beauty of God's creation.  Only God Himself can paint such a beautiful picture in His nature. 

Unfortunately, I have lived in this part of Texas long enough to know that by 3:00 pm this will most likely be melted off, and we will be trading out sweaters for t-shirts.  But it sure is pretty while is lasts!  And at least we get to see the snow.  My cousin lives down south, in San Antonio.  Cold to her is 50 degrees, and she had a friend who, at 20 years old, had never seen snow until she brought him up here once!  Can you imagine never seeing snow!?

Today in the daycare I have three boys, one my own, and a little girl.  Each of them is standing at the window in awe, constantly yelling their new word-of-the-day "SNOW!!!!!!  SNOW!!!  SNOW!!!!"

I also get to see my Mother-and Father-In-Law today.  They are driving down from Colorado to visit us this weekend, as Barb Wire Man turns 31.  Hehe!  31.  I take solice in the fact that he will always be older than me.

My little Flower and I will have to change our plans, however.  Our Girl Scout troop is selling nuts and candy to raise spring funds for our troop, and we were to go out selling today. 

"I'm sorry honey.  I am the assistant troop leader, and spend hours helping plan our meetings, but I am not going to go door to door selling nuts in the snow.  Call Nana!"

If anyone is interested in buying some nuts or candy, please contact me and we can work something out!  Mattie has set a personal goal to sell 50 items in the next two weeks, and our troop would like to sell 250 items.

And now, I must attend to the laundry.  That is the not-so-fantastic part of today.  Oh well. 

I hope everyone has a marvelously fantastic Friday! 

Top 10 Uses for Bread on Thrifty Thursday

Good Thursday morning, and Happy Veteran's Day!  I want to take this moment to tell every Veteran THANK YOU!  I know more Veterans than I can count...from some good friends, to family members, my ex-husband to the husbands of my closest friends.  Unless we live that life, we can never truly understand the sacrifices of these men, women, and their families.  Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!!!

My little sister is coming today to help me bake bread and cinnamon rolls today, and that got me to thinking about all the great uses we have for bread.

I try to make most of the bread my family eats, but I do buy bread as well.  You see, the Barb Wire Man is probably one of the pickiest people I know, and really the only person I know who does not like homemade bread!  Strange, huh!?  So, I go ahead and buy bread for the sandwiches he takes to work each day.  That usually amounts to about 1 loaf a week at $1.25 (I buy the cheapest loaf I can find!  If you live close to a bread store, a loaf can often be purchased for 99 cents.)  If, however, I bought all the bread  my family and daycare kids ate, I would be buying no less than 4 loaves a week.  The kids love toast, sandwiches, French Toast, and I like to eat bread and butter as a snack with my tea. That is about $20 a month, and $240 a year. 

Instead, I make my own homemade bread, and no, I do not use a bread machine.  I am a firm believer that everyone should know how to make things the old-fashioned way.  Go ahead and use a bread machine, but at least know how to make bread without one!

Now, to really justify turning the oven on, and heating up the house, I make about 8 loaves at one time, and try to do all my baking on one day.  (It makes for a pretty long day!)  I also reserve a bit of the dough to make a homemade pizza dough! 

The recipe I use is an old Amish recipe.  (I will include it at the end of this post!)  If you want some good eats, friends, find an Amish or Mennonite cookbook.....most recipes are super simple, very thrifty and absolutely delicious!

Anyhow, before I get too far off track, I will explain my process to you.  I make the bread dough early in the morning, because it needs plenty of time to rise.  After it has risen once, separate into loaves, saving a good handful for pizza dough!  Once you reach this point, you can do one of two things....put the dough into pans to rise again, or shape into loaves and freeze the dough.  (I don't have much freezer space, so I don't do this often.)  When you are ready for fresh bread, put the frozen loaf into a pan, sit on the counter, and it will rise as it defrosts. 

Part of being frugal is thinking outside the box.  Bread is a great filler, and very versatile.  Here are a few hints for using bread.

1.) Stale bread makes the best French Toast, because it absorbs the milk/egg batter better.

2.) Make your own bread crumbs.  Cube stale bread, then bake in a 350 degree oven until completely dry.  Put into a large plastic sack, then beat the hell out of it until it is crumbs!  (This is also a great stress reliever, or a good project to help kids get the wiggles out!)

3.) Use bread torn into small pieces instead of crackers in your meatloaf.  This helps cut down on the amount of meat you need, and helps the meatloaf hold together quite nicely. 

4.) Give some to the kids to feed to the birds.  This will keep them occupied for awhile!

5.)  Make your own croutons!  Butter the bread and season to your liking.  Cube, and bake until crispy.

6.) Bread Pancakes.  I stumbled across this recipe (located after the bread recipe) while looking through my Granny's old cookbooks.  I have never tried it, so can't completely vouch for it, but see no reason why it wouldn't be good!

7.) Bread pudding!! One of my most favorite things in the world!  I wish I could share my Granny's recipe with you, but I can't.  She doesn't use recipes, so I was taught by watching her and hearing "You put about this much milk in.....then about this much cinnamon,.... then about this many eggs...nope, I think we need another egg....its done when it looks like this..... (these are always the best recipes!)

8.)  When making rice, sometimes all the water is not absorbed.  Put in a slice of bread and replace lid.  This will dry the rice and make it nice and fluffy.

9.) So you burned your rice?  I do it all the time.  ALL THE TIME.  Put a piece of bread in and allow to sit for awhile.  The burned taste will all but disappear.

10.) Use a bread slice to help pick up tiny shards of glass from a dropped glass.  This goes without saying, but please throw this slice away!  (I would like to think no one would try this, but we do have to warn people that coffee is hot, and not to stick their fingers in blenders these days.)

What is your favorite use for bread?  I have so many more, but I will stick with these 10 ideas.  I would love to hear what you use your bread for!  One side note here.  This homemade bread, once baked, does not last as long as store-bought, because there are no preservatives!

I hope everyone has a very blessed day today.  This is the day the Lord has made, so rejoice!


Amish Bread
2 quarter ounce packages of active dry yeast                           1/2 C Sugar
1 TBSP Sugar                                                                         1 C. Boiling water
1 C. warm water                                                                     2 1/2 C. warm water
1/4 C shortening                                                                      10 C or more of flour
2 TBSP salt

Dissolve yeast and 1 Tbsp. sugar in warm water (careful not too hot!), and set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine shortening, salt, sugar, and boiling water.  Mix together until shortening is dissolved, then add 2 1/2 C of additional warm water.  Now add the yeast mixture and blend thoroughly. 

Next, add 5 C. flour, gradually mixing and adding more flou until dough can no longer be mixed.  Knead the remaining dough for about 20 minutes to add any remaining flour (or extra flour if needed) until the dough becomes soft and is no longer sticky.  Allow to rise (in a very large bowl) for 2 hours.

Punch down dough, and separate into 4 large loaves or 8 small loaves, and place in bread pans.  Cover with a heavy cloth and let rise for an additional 2 hours. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until it makes a hollow noise when tapped.



Bread Pancakes
1 cup stale bread crumbs
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs beaten
4 Tablespoons melted margarine or oil.

Soak bread crumbs in water 10 minutes, add milk. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, add to bread mixture, add beaten eggs and margarine and mix well. Bake on lightly greased hot griddle. It makes about 12 cakes.

Winning Wednesdays Featuring Sporkful Designs!

Good Wednesday morning friends!  We are halfway through this week!  I don't know about you, but after my last few days I am ready for the weekend!!!

Today, I get to tell you about a really cool Etsy shop called Sporkful Designs!  Sporkful Designs offers photo cards, invitations, and MUCH more!

About the Shop Owner - Meg:

Meg is from a small town in Minnesota and enjoys spending time with family and friends.  Meg can often be found on the tennis courts, cuddled up with a good book, and going for an afternoon jog. 

One of Meg’s most favorite places to be is in any of the Minnesota State Parks.  She loves nature, hiking, and camping.  Although she often gets chomped up by mosquitoes, she still loves it!

Meg’s love for graphic design began when she joined the yearbook team for high school.  She furthered her education and graduated college with a major in Marketing and a minor in Graphic Design.

Why Meg Loves Handmade:

Meg loves handmade items for several reasons, but her favorite reason is the stories behind everything.  The story of the stay-at-home mom making crafts for extra cash, the story of someone raising money for their daughter to have a cat, and purchasing items from real people and helping real families (versus corporations) is what drives her to love handmade.

Why Meg Began Sporkful Designs:

Sporkful Designs recently began in the Fall of 2010.  Meg decided to finally give an Etsy shop a chance, because of her love for graphic design.  She wanted to create an awesome photo card for her and her boyfriend this year, and couldn’t decide which to pick from…so she decided to share her designs with others!

What You Can Find at Sporkful Designs:

Photo cards for holidays, birthday parties, baby announcements, baby showers, graduations, save the dates, address changes, announcements, invitations, thank yous , and so much more!

At Sporkful Designs, you purchase the image so you can print your image anywhere and print however many you would like!

Sporkful Designs also does custom graphic design work such as background removal and custom Etsy shop banners/avatars.  Custom work is always welcome!

Where to find Sporkful Designs:

Etsy Shop:  www.sporkfuldesigns.etsy.com

Facebook (Fans get exclusive specials!):  www.facebook.com/sporkfuldesigns

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/sporkfuldesigns

I love Sporkful Designs, because Meg has the same passion as I do....handmade.  There are so many interesting stories you learn about people, from all over the world.  Maybe I am also a little biased, that she is in Minnesota.  (Barbed Wire Man's family is all in Minnesota.  So beautiful there, but being a Texas girl...I salute anyone who lives there.  I spent one week there last Thanksgiving, and all I can say is its too damn cold for me!!!)

But, I am sure you are wondering what awesome deal is in this for YOU today?!  You know you want one of her invitations.  You know that as soon as you saw those you mentally put your own picture in there and had ideas!  I already know what I am going to get!  Well, from Meg herself, here you go!

 "Savings for the Holidays!  Get $2 off your first custom photo card order for any occasion at http://www.sporkfuldesigns.etsy.com/!  Simply use the promo code: PLUMBLOG during the checkout and your paypal account will be reimbursed $2! Valid through 12/31/2010. Limit one promo code redemption per customer."


Take a few minutes, won't you, and check out this great Etsy shop!  I am a firm believer that if each of us supports small businesses like this, our economy will change!  Drop her a note!  Let her know what your favorite thing is...THEN ORDER IT!  

Tea Time Tuesday

Do you ever just feel like your life is just spiraling down around you, and you are powerless to do anything about it?

Welcome to my world.

Last week and this week has been a real test of my patience, faith, and even some relationships.  The coming weeks will be further tests, no doubt.

If you ask my family and friends who knew me when I was younger, "patience" is not a word they would have used to describe me.  Two husbands, two kids, and a daycare later, I have extreme patience. 

However....I have ZERO patience for lies, gossip, and stupidity.  Those three things I just cannot tolerate!  I call things like I see them, and I speak my mind.  I wasn't always that way, but once I started....ahhhhh......a sense of relief came over me.  I started telling people "No".  I stopped pretending like I was interested in the gossip people told me, and most people stopped even bothering to tell me their gossip.  95% of gossip is a lie anyhow. 

But there are a few who actually resented that fact that I did not cater to their gossip.  A few who even went so far as to deceitfully bring me into their stories, and cause a lot of pain for alot of people.  After a confrontation of the people involved (because I refuse to sit on my haunches and allow people to destroy me like that) a couple of relationships were lost, but you know what?  Those aren't the type of relationships I want anyhow. 

I'm thankful I have a God in whom I can place my trust. 

My husband has been presented with a job opportunity, and we are just waiting on final words back from all involved.  In a way, its going to be great for our family. A lot of financial stress will be relieved, for certain.  But it is also going to test the determination of our family.  I am beyond thankful for the unbelievable amount of trust my husband and I have with each other, and the amount of love we have for each other.  We may be going days, if not weeks, without seeing each other, and that is going to be hard.  Really, really hard.  That man is my best friend.  But God has proven Himself to me time, after time, after time.  And I have to have faith that if this is His plan for us, He will see us through it.  I am also thankful that I won't be alone.  My closest friend will be right there with me, going through the same thing.  Our husbands will be going through the same things.  This will be a totally new experience for us!  It is scary and exciting at the same time.  I feel like I am walking into a pitch dark room, having to trust that there is a floor beneath me, and someone will switch the light on!

Thanks for letting me vent today!  I'm sure many of you know how I feel!  Tomorrow, I have an awesome Etsy shop to tell you about and can't wait!  And tomorrow, the week will be half over.....YAY!!!!