Foothills Parkway

After two days at Dollywood, I was ready for something less touristy to do on our way out of town. I wanted to see some scenery!

Our GPS took us on the Foothills Parkway coming out of Gatlinburg. It was a beautiful day and the foliage was gorgeous!

There were places to pull over all along the parkway and we stopped at every single one. I took lots of pictures. It was all so beautiful!

As you can see, not all of the leaves have turned yet,but it was still lovely with lots of vibrant color!

Dollywood Vacation

A few months ago, Andy's parents asked if we would like for them to take us on a weekend vacation. Of course, we said yes!

We decided on Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN for our destination and chose to go the last weekend in October. We were so excited for the trip and weren't disappointed at all!

Andy loves Southern Gospel music so we were happy to be able to go during Dollywood's National Southern Gospel Festival and Harvest Celebration  and attend a number of concerts throughout the park. Our favorites included Legacy Five, The Mark Dubbeld Family, The Kingdom Heirs and The Smoky Mountain String Band. We also enjoyed a bird show that featured Challenger the Bald Eagle, a 50's show and the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame.

The weather was super chilly the two days we were there but at least it was sunny! Thankfully, some of the events were indoors.

Dollywood includes an amusement park but we both really don't care for rides! I did go on one ride with my father-in-law--one he referred to as a "sissy ride". It wasn't bad but reminded me again that I just don't like roller coasters and such! I seek thrills in other places--like thrift stores.

The park was beautifully decorated for fall with pumpkins, scarecrows , mums and the cutest flower pot people!

We had such a  wonderful weekend and thank  Mom and Dad for inviting us!

Southern Gospel Hall of Fame

October Freezer Cooking: Take 2

The first day, I cooked ground beef, made burger patties and assembled crockpot meals. On the second day, I did everything else that was left on my list.

Not quite as organized but I plowed through it anyways! I had to cook some meal components for the casseroles I was making and then assemble casseroles, which do take longer than crockpot meals in a bag!

My list:

• Breakfast-in-a-hurry (9x13)
• Cheesy Beef and Rice (9x13)
• Spinach and Cheese Casseroles (2)--my husband loves these; they make a nice addition to a fish meal.
• Gingery Pork and Mushroom mixture for lettuce wraps: recipe from this cookbook. 
• Bake brown rice.(2-9x13 pans)
• Shred cheese.
• Bake bacon. 

My plan of attack:

• Bake brown rice.
• Bake bacon. (In the oven at the same time as rice.)
• Shred cheese.
• Assemble Breakfast-in-a-hurry.
• Assemble Cheesy Beef and Rice.
• Bag up rest of brown rice.
• Leave the house for a few hours.
• Assemble Spinach and Cheese Casseroles.
• Make Gingery Pork and Mushrooms. (Ended up making this for dinner that night!So absolutely yummy!)

I'm happy to have so many  frozen entrees and sides in the freezer to eat this month (and some of next)!

The only picture I took on day 2--I was in a rush!

Do you do freezer cooking? What are your favorite recipes to freeze?

October Freezer Cooking: Take 1

In September, I did one grocery shopping trip for the month with some serious planning which included a freezer cooking session. It worked so well and saved us money so I did it all again for October!

This month, I split my freezer cooking list into two 2-3 hour sessions rather working non-stop for 5-6 hours like I did last month. Both work and are efficient but a shorter time slot was better for me this time. I made a plan, worked the plan, cleaned up the kitchen and left for work! Then the next morning I did it again!

We are relying on crockpot or easy make-ahead oven meals for dinner these days. Between September and October, I've tried a pile of Crockpot Freezer Meals that I've found via Pinterest. These are fabulous! Most require no prior cooking (except browning ground beef ) so they are extremely fast to put together. And so easy to put in the crockpot on serving day!

I doubled up on a couple of the recipes that we had already tried. I bought two packages of chicken and we got a good deal on a big package of sausages so I made two of the Thai Chicken and the Italian Sausages with Peppers and Onions. This will give me a head start on next month since we probably won't need them this month.

Ingredients for Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

Most of my 1st cooking session for October was assembling crockpot freezer meals.

Session 1 list:

• Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
• Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce (2)
• Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup
• White Chicken Chili
• Crockpot Italian Sausage with Pepper and Onions(2)
• Cook ground beef for crockpot meals, Beef and Veggies, Taco Soup and Southwestern Lentils , Cheesy Beef and Rice (7#)
• Make burger patties(2#/8 patties)

My Plan Of Attack:

1. Cook 7# ground beef. Drain and let cool.
2. Assemble Thai Chicken.
3. Make burger patties.
4. Chop/slice peppers and onions. 
5. Assemble Pepper Steak.
6. Assemble Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions.
7. Assemble White Chicken Chili.
8. Assemble Cheeseburger Soup. 
9. Bag and label ground beef for Beef and Veggies(3), Taco Soup (1), Cheesy Beef and Rice, Southwestern Lentils(1/2#) and and extra 1/2#. 
10. Clean up kitchen; fill up the freezer!

I've done lots of freezer cooking over the years. It has saved me hours of time and hundreds of dollars! I've simplified my methods a lot over time and making crockpot freezer meals definitely simplifies freezer cooking day. Making crockpot meals to freeze is a fast way to make a bunch of freezer meals! In fact, this post about crockpot freezer meals promises 20 meals in 2 hours. I could get into that!

Finished meals!

Tomorrow: October Freezer Cooking: Take 2!

How To Clean Recycled Glass Jars

I've been reorganizing my sewing supplies and wanted to display them in glass jars.

Have you seen the price of cute jars in the store? I have and it's out of my price range--especially for a no spend month.

Lucky for me, I've been saving recycled glass jars for this very purpose for a while. With a little cleaning and paint or fabric on the lids, I'll have cute and free storage jars.

The problem with pickle and salsa jars is that they tend to stink, even after washing. I've been washing them with a baking soda and water mixture according to these instructions. Some of them are really persistent with the smell so I poured some vinegar into those jars and let them set overnight. That seemed to do the trick.

For the labels, I've had the best success with pouring hot vinegar and using citrus (lemon) oil to rub the glue off. It takes a bit but most of it comes off pretty easily. I have a couple very sticky labels that will take more effort.

Hopefully soon, I'll be able to show the finished product!

No Spend September Update

Well, September is over. The "No Spend Month" went great! I had hoped to update a few more times throughout the month but being sick with a virus and being out of commission for 3-4 days and then not feeling totally well for over a week threw me off course a little!

We will continue the "No Spend Challenge" in some ways in October, since with my new job's pay schedule, my first paycheck won't arrive until November. We won't be quite as strict as we were in September but still careful--not because we are broke--but to be able to minimize the withdrawals from our savings account. We live debt-free (except for the mortgage) so we pay in cash as much as possible. To us, it makes more sense to stop any unnecessary spending when the income has slowed rather than using credit cards or using up savings when we don't have to.

I will share my thoughts concerning "No Spend September".

• Not spending simplified my life tremendously. I don't classify myself as a "big spender" but the desire for acquiring more and looking for good deals can hit anyone. We didn't drive places as much.  I didn't have as many decision to make. We grocery shopped at the beginning of the month and after that, I needed very little.
• We ate out a couple of times without cost by using some FREE coupons that were available. We'd been given a Krispy Kreme gift card and we've stopped there for a doughnut a few times too.
• Being sick stretched our food budget! Not my favorite way of saving money but my appetite was off for about 10 days so I certainly didn't eat as much!
• Planning our meals out at the beginning of the month and freezing 11+ meals was AWESOME. I'm doing that for October as well.
• We did dip into savings for a few non-negotiable items. But not much and they were categories we couldn't skip.Once my income starts back up, that will be taken care of.
• I cut my own hair and it was fun!
• Having already made the decision to not spend for unnecessary items made it really easy to say "no" to school fundraisers (we didn't know the children who stopped by)  and other spending/ giving opportunities. I'm not talking about tithing or giving financially at the Holy Spirit's leading--that is different. 
• We got more books and videos from the library this month. 
• I wanted to buy a potted mum and pumpkin for the front porch! Will see what I can do in October. :-)
• Keeping things clean and neat costs very little. 
• We didn't feel deprived at all! Which shows we can live on less and be just fine. 

Here's to a  frugal October as well!

Happy October 1st!

Today: The Beginning Of A New Season

Today marks the beginning of a new season.

After 8 years of working from home, I'm starting a part-time job outside the home.

I stopped taking care of kids in my home at the end of August. This came after months of praying, seeking out God's direction and feeling like it was time to start something new. I let the parents know of our decision at the end of May so they had all summer to make other arrangements for their children.

This wasn't an easy decision to make. And I certainly wasn't prepared for the emotion that came over me as the end of August drew near. I've cared for so many little ones over the years and haven't experienced the emotions that I did this time. These little ones had been with me since very young infants and had become like my own.

The question I get the most is "What made you decide to quit?" I don't have a smooth, easy answer for that. A lot of things, mostly small things. Right now it seems as though working away from home is a better decision for our family.

As for me, I am quite excited about this new venture. A little nervous, but then it's been 8 years since I've worked with little ones in a  classroom environment.

There will be changes and adjustments as we seek to make this work for our family but I'm looking forward to seeing what all God is doing!

**Picture taken a few years ago. Our leaves are barely beginning to change colors yet this year! 

Updates on Homemade Mayo, Laundry Detergent and Mystery Plants

Sometimes I post about things I've made or use. Some of you have questions from time to time about whether or not I still use it or how it works for me.

This post will answer  some of those questions.

Homemade Mayonnaise:

We really like this and I've been whipping up a batch about once a week since. The flavor has not changed after setting for a few days so using half olive oil has worked ok.  Some of you have asked about how long this keeps in the fridge. The recipe says it will keep 2 weeks. We mostly use mayonnaise in things like chicken, egg, and tuna salad which uses a larger amount of mayo at a time. Because of this, we go through a small batch rather quickly so we haven't tested the 2 week thing out yet! I say, try it and see if you like it and whether or not it works for you!

Homemade Laundry Soap:

I really have liked my homemade powdered laundry detergent.  However, I've had a lot of trouble with some "build-up", especially towels and things where I've noticed the lack of absorbency. Stripping the laundry by using hot water, baking soda and vinegar has helped a lot  but while using the homemade soap, it seems that it continues to build up. I'm pretty sure this has to do with our hard water as we didn't notice an issue before moving here. Not sure if making homemade liquid detergent would have the same results. For now, I've switched to whatever liquid detergent is affordable and am happy with the results.

Mystery Plants:

My mystery plants turned out to be cantaloupe! The plants have long since died and we didn't actually get to eat any before they rotted but there were cute little cantaloupes on the vines.Good to know!

Sam's Club And What We Buy There

A new Sam's Club just opened in our town. We've been looking forward to this for a long time! Sam's Club is one of the only places we need to go out of town for. Now there is a store one mile from our house!

Andy's parents generously give us a Sam's Club membership each year for Christmas. I really like Costco but if we already have a Sam's membership then I'll be glad to save money by using that membership and get what I can there!

Regular items on our monthly Sam's Club list include:

• Cheese--under $3 a pound.
• Olive oil
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Organic salad greens
• Romaine lettuce
• Sour cream
• Cottage cheese
• Butter
• Milk
• Alka-Seltzer Cold
• Acetaminophen (store brand Tylenol)
• Raisins
• Spices
• Crushed tomatoes --#10 can--perfect for this recipe for spaghetti sauce
• Diced tomatoes --#10 can-great for freezer cooking sessions where I'll be using multiple small cans of diced tomatoes
• Toilet paper
• Kleenex
• Dog food
• Dates
• Apple cider vinegar
• Walnuts
• Coconut oil
• Cornstarch

Some of these items last more than 1 month so I don't have to buy everything every month but these are our regulars. Not everything at warehouse stores is a good deal so it's important to know your prices before going crazy!

Baking supplies and dairy products are usually pretty good buys at Sam's. We like to buy toilet paper and Kleenex there even though they may not always be the lowest price. There's something to be said for buying at a good price and saving myself the time of running all over the place to get something on sale.

Do you shop at warehouse stores? What do you like to buy?

Produce Box

We purchased a Groupon this summer for a box of organic produce. The regular price for this box (which includes delivery) is $32 but we paid half-price for it through Groupon. We decided to use it to help our grocery budget this month.

We were very happy with the contents of the box. Everything looked great! The broccoli and pears caught our eyes first thing!

The box included:

• 2 heads broccoli
• 1 bunch celery
• 1 head lettuce
• 1 red pepper
• 2 zucchini
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 onion
• 5 potatoes
• 2 apples
• 2 pears
• 3 jalapeno peppers

Do I think it's a great deal? Well, it depends. For $16, yes. But at this point, I can't justify $32 for this amount of produce even though this is about what I would pay in the store for organics. If our grocery budget were to increase significantly, I would definitely consider this service.

The other thing is that we plow through a large amount of fruits and veggies each week. This box is for a family of two for a week. We would need 2 of these! :-)

All that to say, we really did like the produce!

What do you think--expensive for organic produce or a good deal?

So I Cut My Own Hair

Yes, I did!

I wanted a haircut. We're in the midst of a no-spend month. I had a hair cutting kit that had never been used. Why not use it now? (I didn't use the clippers--just the scissors and comb!)

I followed these instructions. I have a natural side part so I parted my hair on the side in the front and in the middle in the back instead of all in the middle like she instructs. 
 
I was much more excited about this endeavor than my husband but he was willing to photograph the experience for me. And witness my early morning insanity, hoping that it would not be a train wreck!

Me: "If this works, I'll save us at least $15!"
Him: "And if it doesn't, it'll cost us at least $30."
Me: "Pretty much!"

This was all done before my morning shower so no makeup or anything fancy! 

Before:

Parting the hair to divide for cutting:

First cut:

After:

 This looks more lop-sided than in real life! :-)

My thoughts about cutting my own hair:

• I chose a dry cut because cutting wet hair can result in a shorter cut than intended.
• This was a simple cut; no layers. Nothing fancy-smancy! Layers, pixies, and bobs would take much more expertise.
• My hair is more on the wavy/rebellious side. The disadvantage of not having straight hair is that it was more difficult to pull and comb it down straight before cutting. The advantage of wavy hair is that it hides imperfections such as not quite getting it cut evenly since it curls up at the ends.
• My hair is also very thick. It would be easier to cut in more than two sections next time. Between the waviness and the thickness, it took more  than one snip across to get each section done!
• One side seems to be a little shorter than the other. This doesn't bother me. I don't think I'm usually still long enough for someone to notice--LOL!!! Furthermore, I figured I'd do more damage if I kept trying to get it even so I just left it at good enough. Plus, it's still long enough to pull back in a pony tail if I decide it looks awful after a few days.
• The most difficult part was trimming the "V" at the back once both sides were cut. I enlisted my photographer's help for this--he was scared to do it but did just fine!
• I washed my hair right after my cut and love how it looked after. Bouncy and curly on the ends!
• I really like my new haircut! I think that it looks very similar  to haircuts I've paid to have done. So I'm happy to have done it myself for free!

I'm certainly not a professional hair stylist and I don't plan to start cutting my friends' hair any time soon. It's nice to know I can give myself a simple cut at home though and with practice I'll probably get better at it!

Do you cut your own hair? Would you like to try?

Football Season

I got some kind of stomach virus last weekend that knocked me off my feet for most of 3-4 days. After a week, my digestive system is starting to get back to normal and my appetite may be coming back! I can't remember the last time I've been sick like that and am so glad to be feeling better. Being sick definitely threw my week off course and thus, it's been very quiet here! 

 Go Redskins!

Football season is upon us! We love football at out house. And by we, I really mean my husband.


I have a really hard time following football. I see big guys running with the football and that's about as far as I get.

On the flip side, I really enjoy football snacks. Oh yeah! Dips, little weinies in sauce, cheese and crackers, stuffed jalapenos, meatballs, dips... did I mention dips? I love them all. I don't have any trouble at all following football snacks!

If only "football snacks" was a sport. I'd be a most loyal fan!

Well, this year I decided I would not be left behind during football season. I would try to learn a little more about football so maybe, just maybe, I could have at least an elementary knowledge of the game. I know just enough to enjoy watching baseball, basketball and hockey. Surely I could learn about football too!

I'd seen "women's guides to football" at bookstores in the past so I did an Amazon search. Then took my findings to my library to see what they had. I ended up with a generic Football For Dummies and Get Your Own Damn Beer, I'm Watching The Game: A Woman's Guide To Loving Pro Football.

So I don't condone the language in the title of the latter book but it was the only "women's guide" my library had. Besides, it's proven to be a very good read so far! And quite the conversation starter for anyone who sees the book!

I can't guarantee that I'll turn into a big football fan or that I'll retain a lot about the game. But I'm making an effort... and I'm sure I'll learn something!

Do you enjoy watching football or are you there for the snacks?

Inspiration for wreath from here and here.