Stock Up Alert!

The stock up deal this week is at Meijer again--Crystal Light is in the buy 8 save $8 sale.
Buy 8 for 1.99 each, get $8 off and receive a $4.00 off next your next order coupon at the checkout.  After sale and coupon the net price is 49 cents for each container!  Now, that  is a great stock up price in my book! Remember summer will be here soon, and Crystal Light is a great low cal drink! This deal is good through Saturday, March 1st!

Frugal Blessings,
Lisa

Garden Dreams....

 Any one else looking forward to Spring?  Oh my, I sure am.  I cannot wait to see the first crocus peeking up through the snow and see the green shoots sprouting up that will soon bear lemon yellow daffodil blooms.  I love to see the first buds form on the trees signaling that the growing season is  upon us. Boy do I have it bad!  Garden dreaming is at the forefront of my mind.  Tired of all of the snow and cold, I am perusing seed catalogs and dreaming of prolific vegetable gardens to feed our bellies and gorgeous flower gardens to feed our souls.  Hurry up Spring!

Blessings,
Lisa

My Spring Green Jars are here!

Guess what I just received!  My Ball Spring Green pint jars!  They are so pretty-I can't wait to can pickles and relish in them this summer!  They will look so cool in the new Spring Green Jars!
    Guess what else-I have an extra set of the jars for one of my followers!  All you have to do is to be a follower and leave a comment after this post. New followers are very welcome! If you want a second chance at winning, just share this on your blog and  comment back here
that you have shared about this giveaway.  The winner will be chosen on February 17th so the deadline to enter is February 16th midnight. 
  Blessings,
Lisa

Anniversary Party That Didn't Happen

Hello all,
   Tom and I planned a 30th Anniversary  party for this past weekend.  Only the white death came upon us.  We received about 4 inches of snow Friday night through Saturday morning and so our town put out a level 2 snow emergency which meant our party was cancelled.   I was so bummed that I had everything ready for the party and it had to be cancelled, that I decided to serve dinner to my family party style anyway.
                                             So here are picks of the party that wasn't:

I just put 3 pieces of leather leaf fern in jar then added 2 stems of spray roses and babies breath. I tied

a hemp twine around the top of the jar and viola--a pretty, rustic, easy arrangement!

 

 

Don't you just love the little chalkboard signs?  I found them at Michael's 4 for $1.

Cheap but cute addition to the party!  Details do matter!

 

Yes we drank from the new blue jars!  The platter was made by my youngest Kait!

I use my large Longaberger Fruit basket for an ice bucket. The jars are available in the ad at the side of this page!

 

Brie with grapes and crackers!

Nibbles Platter!

Nibbling on said Nibbles platter!

 

This was not the cake I was supposed to have.  I cancelled it but my kids braved the snowy roads and went to the grocery to get us a cake for our anniversary.  Love them bunches!

 

My Willow Tree Anniversary cake topper!  Love it!

 

Baby pink spray roses with babies breath!

Simplicity at it's best!

 

Me and my Honey! 

 

 

And they said it wouldn't last!

We Still Do!

 

 

Blessings to you all,

Lisa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look at this!

Look what is coming!  I am so excited!   I just love canning jars, don't you?   Saw these on the Ball website!  I ordered mine from Amazon!  Order yours on the link at the top right side of this page!
  Blessings,
Lisa

Lisa's Low Carb Cheesecake Recipe

Here is a great recipe for diabetics!

Lisa’s Low Carb Cheesecake 

4- 8oz. pkgs. Cream Cheese

1 ½ cup Splenda

1 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

1 heaping  Tblsp. Of flour

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts—your choice—pecans, almonds or walnuts 

Mix all ingredients except nuts in a mixer—do not over mix.

Spray a 10 inch springform pan with Pam or other cooking spray.

Pour finely chopped nuts into pan and shake to cover entire bottom and half way up the sides of the pan.  Then pour cheesecake mix into pan.  Tap to get air bubbles out and bake for 55-60 minutes on 350 degrees. Turn off oven and crack door (leave cheesecake in oven) until cool. Refrigerate. Serve with fresh berries and lite whipped topping.

  No one could feel deprived eating this!

I hope you enjoy this low carb cheesecake as much as I do!

Yummy Blessings,

Lisa

Last Weeks Frugal Accomplishments

    Last week wasn’t a very frugal week for our family, although we made many memories!  Tom and I splurged on a date for ourselves.  We attended Flashdance at the  Aronoff in Cincy Saturday and then went to dinner.  The movie had many special memories for us during our dating days so the play was very dear to our hearts!  Tom very much appreciated the grey cut out sweatshirt ala Flashdance that I used to wear! Lol!!!  Truth be told, I still have it in my cedar chest!  Fun reliving old times!  I look at this as an investment into our marriage of almost 29 years instead of a great expense.   He only had one seizure during the play so I consider it a Win, Win!

   I did pack my lunch 3 days last week and I bought a salad from the cafeteria and made it last for 2 lunches—it was a large salad. 

  I Made 3 crockpot meals this using food from the pantry and freezer.  Went to the grocery and only bought milk, lunch meat, bread, fruit, and cheese.   Saving some of my budgeted grocery money for this week at our Meijer.  They are having the buy 10 for $10 and get the 11^th free sale.  I try to stock up on Tom’s pretzels and several other items I stock up on there during the sale.  They also have the pork tenderloins on sale for $1.79 per pound.  Cheaper than hamburger and yummy!!

   I made a table runner for my dining room table last Sunday morning.  It is simple but sweet.  I used part of a Moda charm pack and some navy fabric I had on hand.  My Mom gave me the batting to use in it and I have enough fabric squares left to make several more small projects. 

  I found several pieces of wool clothing at the St. Vincent de Paul and the Goodwill that I will be cutting up to make crafts with.  All pieces were half off so I got them very cheaply!  

   Last September when I made my apple butter, my Foley food mill broke.  So I had been pricing them online to try and find one at a reasonable cost.  I decided to wait and to try to borrow one from my Mother.  Guess what I found for half price at the Goodwill Saturday?  That’s right, a like new Foley food mill priced at $8 but on sale for $4!    I recognized a need and God brought it to me!  Thank you!  I was so happy with finding that food mill!  Little things in life I guess!

  What were you able to save money on this week?  I would love to hear from you in the comments section!

Frugal Blessings,

Lisa

 

 

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Lazy Day

Today has been such a lazy day! I have been very down lately and trying to find some joy in my life. Reading, although it has always been one of my favorite things to do, has not appealed to me since my surgery in May. I used to read 10-12 books a week, then after surgery, I just didn't want to read. Oh,I tried. It took me 4 days to read what would normally have taken me 2 hours. I just didn't want to read--it was very weird. So I bought a couple of romance books at the Thrift store this morning. When I got home, I picked one up and made myself start it. WooHoo! Once I got started, I couldn't put it down! So I have spent most of this rainy day reading and being totally lazy and I enjoyed every minute of it! We all need t search for a little joy in our lives don't we? Joyful Blessings to you all, Lisa

A Peaceful Morning at our City Park

Here are some pics of our City Park.  They were taken early in the morning and it was just so restfull.  I loved sitting by the lake and watching the critters-just absorbing the peacefulness!

 

My son jogging!

 

 

 

We are so very lucky to have such a great place available for our citizens!

 

Peaceful Blessings to you all,

Lisa

Decorating with your collection

Look at what I found at a flea market! A Christmas cookie mold. 

 

 

It is just beautiful and was only $1. That’s right just one dollar!  Score!  I collect these and they hang on my dining room walls.  I love decorating with pieces of my collections-cookie molds, skillets, etc.

One of the walls in my kitchen is decorated with my collection of small cast iron skillets.  I love them!

I also collect baskets and here is a pic of a few of them.

I have many, many more but these are hanging in my dining room.  What collections do you decorate with?

Blessings,

Lisa

 

Quote of theWeek

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.

                                                                   --Mother Teresa

Happy Blessings to you all,

Lisa