Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather::: Beautiful, 70s-80s

On my reading pile::: Still in Acts

On my TV::: Nothing

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Tomato basil veggie burgers & roasted vegetables
Tuesday - Lamb burgers & sweet potato fries
Wednesday - Dinner out
Thursday - Swedish meatballs & broccoli
Friday- Rigatoni w/ riciotta & garlic bread 
Saturday - Chicken fajitas & spanish rice

On my to do list::: Not much this morning. I will have another 2 year old here :)

My "project" of the week::: Yard work. Weeding our mulched area and garden!

What I am creating::: Homemade bread crumbs- I meant to do it a few weeks ago but didn't! Now I am almost out.

Looking around the house::: Quite. Cora is sleeping, Ken is at work. It's chilly here! 2 baskets of laundry on the couch waiting for Someone to put away. Ha!

From the camera:::  Salmon cakes were last week's poll winner :)

Highlight of the past weekend::: Sharing chocolate frozen custard w/ cookie dough w/ my Mae. Saturday we went on a date to Culvers! It was cold and rainy and we needed to get out of the house.

Looking forward to this week::: The 80 degree temps!!!

Bible verse, Devotional::: From Acts: 3:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (NIV)

Salmon cakes Win!

Salmon cakes: Makes 4 cakes
1 egg
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. sour cream
2 springs of green onion, chopped
zest from 1 lemon
3/4 c. bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. bacon crumbles (2 slices, cooked)
10 oz. of Salmon (I like the pouches)
1 Tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. Old bay seasoning
Salt & pepper

-Start your grill to medium heat.
-In a medium bowl whisk the egg, mustard and sour cream.
-Add green onion, zest, bread crumbs and bacon. Mix until incorporated.
-Gently stir in the salmon and seasonings.
-Form into 4 cakes by pressing and patting w/ your hands.
-Place cakes on a generously greased piece of foil.
-Grill for about 3-5 minutes on each side.
{This week it was cold and rainy so I made them inside on my panini press! Worked great!}
-Serve w/ cocktail or tarter sauce. I made a lemon/caper yogurt sauce and served w/ rice pilaf!

1 cake is 3 WW points!

5 Regular Splurges

5 Splurges:
1. Organic chicken: breasts, thighs, whole chickens etc. Ken was insistent on this b/c he is grossed out by chicken to begin with.
2. Drinks- This one might seem odd?!?! I've heard from several people that they only drink water at home to save money. I do drink a lot of water at home but I also always have different kinds of drinks. The drinks I'm referring to are; Vitamin water, Gatorade, Snapple, OJ, Diet 7UP and sometimes even chocolate almond milk. I almost always buy these items when they are on sale and stock up. I still consider it a "splurge" b/c these special drinks are not necessary although Ken prefers drinks other than water.
3. Gas- We spend a substantial amount a month in gas. But that's just the way it is! Our church is 20 minutes away and I am there 2-3times a week. Also, both of our families are 3 hours away and we visit about 1-2 times a month.
4. Cooking for Others: At least once a week I am making snacks for something going on at church or taking a meal to someone from church for various reasons. Example: This week I made a breakfast casserole for a Mom's Life get together and I am making 3 different baked goods for our bake sale Sunday!
5. Home Improvements: We bought our house 2 years ago and it needs several updates. Our weekends are often spent at a home improvement store buying supplies for whatever that weekend's project is. Last weekend it was lawn fertilizer, leaf blower and a rake :)

What is something you consider a regular Splurge? I do not mean a once a year vacation!

5 Ways I have earned $ as a Homemaker

5 Ways I have earned money while being a Homemaker:
1. Babysit other children in our home & for our church
2. Rented out garage space to 2 neighbors
3. Blogging
4. Using our credit card for most purchases because we earn "points". (I pay the balance off at the end of the month.) I have cashed in our points for gift cards and/or a credit towards our credit card balance.
5.Garage sales, Ebay, {Craigs List}: My Mom's group is getting ready to have a BIG garage sale in June! I've sold several college books on Ebay/Half.com. I have never personally sold on Craig's List, I just mentioned it because it is so popular.

5 Ways I save money

5 Ways I save money:
1. Couponing: That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone :)
2. Price matching at Walmart: My Excel spreadsheet shows that 3 months worth of price matching has saved me $91.68!
3. Vegetarian meals/leftovers: 1 night a week I make a vegetarian meal & usually 1 or 2 nights we have leftovers. I also have several meals that are just a few ingredients or the needed ingredients are cheap!
4. Pay our credit card off every month: No interest or late fees
5. Gardening and canning/freezing: I can't imagine how much money I have saved this past year not having to buy: Green beans, corn, carrots, tomatoes, blueberries, peaches. It is a substantially amount, I'm certain!

Tell me a few things you do to SAVE money that I have not listed! Hopefully, I can put your ideas into practice too :)

5 Things I do NOT buy

Do you follow Money Saving Mom? She did a post on 7 things she does not buy. I decided to do the same thing only with the #5!
This week I'll post:
"5 Things I do NOT buy"
"5 Things I Splurge on"
"5 Ways I save money"
"5 Ways I have earned money as a Homemaker"

5 Things I do NOT buy:

1. Bottled water: I drink A LOT of water but not bottled, Brita filtered!

2. Laundry soap: I make my own. Check out the recipe here!

3. Dish Sponges: I do not have a dishwasher and I used to buy sponges. I'd go through them so quickly. ICK, they'd get that nasty moldy/musty smell. Now I use cloths and just wash them

4. Beef: My wonderful In Laws purchased a whole steer and split it 3 ways for Christmas! Best present ever!

5. Coffee from a drive- thru: I make it every morning! In the summer I even make an iced latte (Recipe compliments of my Aunt Sharon) Yes, there are occasions where Starbucks calls my name. It's usually when Pumpkin Spice Lattes come out in the fall. :) Along w/ #5 is Creamer: Ken and I both drink our coffee black. Yummm!

There so many other things I could list but the list would get too nitty-gritty. Leave me a comment of the #1 thing you DO NOT use that people might be astonished by...

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather::: Mid 60s & sunny :) Lots of time for "walk abouts" and the park w/ my Sweet Pea!

On my reading pile::: Still doing a couple more weeks of Women's Bible Study but I also started reading the book of Acts.

On my TV::: Nothing!

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Prosciutto grilled cheeses (they got skipped last week) & sweet potato fries
Tuesday - Beef Stroganoff & wilted spinach
Wednesday - Salmon cakes & rice pilaf
Thursday - Mexican Casserole
Friday - Grilled chicken & corn

On my to do list today::: Monday is my running errands day- So we'll be going grocery shopping, chiropractor appointment, & I need to return a movie. Also, catching up on laundry!

My "project" of the week::: I started following The Fly Lady online and this week's focus is the master bedroom. So I'll be decluttering it (which I don't really have much clutter in there) & just doing some spring cleaning type jobs in our bedroom!

What I am creating::: Next Sunday my mom's group is selling our cookbooks and baked goods at Walmart as a fund raiser. I am making Red velvet cupcakes & my sister in law's Chocolate Oat Squares.

Looking around the house::: Quite, its early morning :)

From the camera:::

Highlight of the past weekend::: Saturday we went to Bass Pro to roam around. We got a few items for an upcoming camping trip. Then we had homemade pizza & rented 'Jack & Jill'---Ha, it was good!

Looking forward to this week::: My 2mile walk on Saturday to raise money and awareness for our local Pregnancy Assistance Center and Esther House. http://www.peoriarescue.org/esther-house.html. I'm excited b/c it's a short distance and family friendly so I'll push Mae in the stroller the whole way!


Bible verse, Devotional:::“Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” –Proverbs 13:11

Target Trip

I paid $11.33 for this purchase! My total without coupons would have been $49.74! Here's what I did:

Claritin, $18.89: $7/1 from Sunday paper + $2/1 Target coupon= $9.89 for 40 ct
Nutri Grain bars, $2.54 x2: $1/2 from Sunday paper + $1/2 Target coupon= $1.54 x2
Starbucks coffee, $7.99 x2: $1.50/1 (used 2) from coupons.com + $5/2 Target coupon= $7.98
Jelly beans $2.19: Easter items 90% off= .65
Cadbury eggs $3.80: Easter items 90% off= .95 x2

After all the coupons I used:
Target Red card for another 5% off
Reusable bags for .15 off
Two $5 gift cards that I got on a previous visit!

I was most excited about the Starbucks coffee deal- Ken and Mae were most excited about the Cadbury eggs :)

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather::: Beautiful, 60s-70s all week, no rain!

On my reading pile::: 2 more weeks of Women's Bible Study: "Knowing God by Name"

On my TV::: Nothing, right now.

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Chicken quesadillas & Tomalito
Tuesday - Coconut Curry Beef over Rice
Wednesday - Cajun Chicken Penne *Trying this new recipe :)
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Homemade Pizza (Ken requested b/c he loved it last week so much)
Saturday - Prosciutto Grilled cheeses *Trying this new recipe :)

On my to do list::: Grocery store, chiropractor(has been helping w/ my shoulder issues), laundry...

What I am creating::: Snacks for Mom's Life Tuesday and WBS on Thursday. That will keep me busy enough for this week!

My "Project" for the week::: Organize the garage. Too many things have just been "thrown" in there. EEK!

Looking around the house::: Quite, Cora is still sleeping. Birds singing- Ah, perfect spring day!(The strong winds, I could do with out.)

From the Camera:::

Watching Dad fly a kite!

Highlight of the past weekend::: After raining all morning Saturday-- it finally cleared up, the sun came out and we went for a walk, played at the park and cleaned up the yard! I was so thankful b/c it had rained all day Friday too & Mae was dying to go play outside :)

Looking forward to this week::: Mom's Life and Women's Bible study meeting again...seems like forever

Bible verse, Devotional::: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes: -Romans 1:16

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather::: 60s today but 50s the rest of the week! Happy Spring!

On my reading pile::: Women's Bible Study at church= "Knowing God by Name"

On my TV::: Nothing- that's pretty normal here!

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Leftovers from Easter dinner
Tuesday - Baked Mostaccioli & garlic bread
Wednesday - Burritos
Thursday - Tuna noodle casserole
Friday - Homemade pizza

On my to do list::: Already home from running errands. Now I need to catch up on laundry and rake the yard. Our maple tree drops those "helicopters" EVERYWHERE!

What I am creating::: There are a few things I need to really try and get done this week: Homemade bread crumbs, more peach butter and maybe rhubarb jam.

Looking around the house::: Messy! Laundry folded on the couch that needs to be put away + more to do, luggage from weekend that needs to be unpacked are in each room, dishes in the sink, mail & papers piled on dining room table. UGH, I'd feel overwhelmed except that my sweet Cora Mae is in my lap asleep~ I am so lucky!

From the camera:::

Me and my sweet girl, Cora Mae :)

Looking forward to this week::: A pretty quite week at home. Expect for a doctor's appt. on Wednesday- Praying they can figure out what is wrong w/ my shoulder.

Bible verse, Devotional::: HE IS RISEN!

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather::: Monday is a high of 80! The rest of the week its suppose to be 70s!

On my reading pile::: Knowing God by Name

On my TV::: Nothing, right now

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Salmon burgers & salad
Tuesday - Chicken pot pie & applesauce
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - not sure
Friday - not sure
Saturday - Easter dinner
Sunday - Easter dinner

On my to do list::: Laundry, yard work, grocery store, bank...

My "Project" for the week::: Yard work! I'll be getting my back flower area all cleaned up & mulched. All my plants are blooming already!

Looking around the house::: Bailey and Mae sleeping, Ken gone, house is pretty tidy except dishes in the sink.

From the camera:::


:) Mae w/ a few of her bday presents: potty, baby and helmet!

Looking forward to this week::: Celebrating Easter, of course!!!

Bible verse, Devotional::: "He is Not here; he is Risen! Remember how he told you: The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again" Luke 24 :6-7