Quote of the Week

   

    Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness. 
                                                                       ~Floyd W. Tomkins


Blessings to all of my blogging Friends,
Lisa

Last Week's Frugality

 Hello Dear Readers,
     

   I packed my lunch all 5 days last week!  Unfortunately this is the first time in quite a while but I hope to continue this!

    My Aunt passed away several weeks ago and as my Uncle started cleaning out her stuff (she was a borderline hoarder) he set aside a box of stuff to give me.  Practical things like band-aids, gauze, first aid tape, hydrocortisone cream, Benadryl, Neosporin, aspirin and much much more.  I was delighted and thankful to get it all. Now my first aid stash is much improved! Thanks Uncle Howard!

   I saved 60 cents per gallon of gas at Kroger using my Kroger points from buying our meds. Saved almost $6.00 on one fill up!

   As Easter is almost upon us, I used some chocolate wafers I already had and made some Easter Chocolate lollipops for my Grand daughter's and niece's Easter Baskets.  I did buy them each an adorable doggie purse at a hospital fundraiser. I really didn't want to spend that much but the profits go to patient services at our hospital so it was for a great cause! I have cut back on the amount of candy I usually get for them so it evens out.

   Speaking of Easter. I have my Easter meal planned and most I already have in my freezer or pantry.  I have a ham and a large roast in the freezer that I plan on serving along with my make ahead mashed potatoes, green beans from the freezer and 7 layer salad.   My mom is making carrot cake and I plan on making butterscotch pie!  The only thing I will have to buy is the veggies for the salad and rolls. We will have lemonade and iced tea to drink.  I think it will be a very nice meal that won't cost a fortune!

I started a bunch of seeds  last week.  Flower seeds, tomato seeds, and basil seeds.  I hope to start enough tomatoes so as not to have to buy any plants this spring. My dining room looks like a plant nursery! DH is not impressed!!

  I found several items of summer clothes for my Granddaughter at the Goodwill Saturday. I also found several garden flags for a dollar each and purchased 5.  They are so adorable and would have cost at least $9 each at the store.  I did find a top for me--kind of a Boho look but I love it! With a price of $3.49 and half off of that, I can afford to try and change up my style a little bit!

  I have some plans knocking around in my head that I am contemplating but will not be posting until things are firmed up!  I hope to be sharing more in the future though.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!


  What have you done to be frugal last week?  Please share with us!

Frugal blessings,
Lisa






 

Thankful Thursday!

  

     Today I am thankful for my little brother Jimmy and  for the 20 years that I had him in my life. I am thankful for all of the memories I have, all of the fights we used to have, all of the ups and downs of siblings being reared together.  He was my friend, my enemy, my person I could depend on for help whenever I needed it for 20 whole years.  I could fight with him but no one else could. I was his big Sis and protector! Although today is the 32nd anniversary of his death,  I am trying to remember the good times and be thankful for 20 years with him, but it is hard.  I miss him..... I miss his happy go lucky attitude towards life.  I miss his great smile. I even miss his sarcasm! I just miss his presense in my life but I am ever so grateful for the 20 years we spent together on this earth and am blessed to have known him.  Love you Jim!


Thankful Blessings,
Lisa

Quote of the Week!

I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you're grateful, you'll see God open up new doors.

                --- Joel Osteen

Grateful Blessings to you all,

Lisa 

Amish White Bread Recipe

  I saw this link to make Amish White Bread and just had to share! It is from the blog Scratch this  with Sandy!


This bread looks amazing and Sandy gives step by step directions even I can follow!

Blessings,
Lisa

Not So New Year, New Goals

  

GOALS

    
   Last year sucked.  Pure and simple.  I broke my ankle twice, had surgery to repair it once, and almost lost my job because of it. My Mom was sick and in and out of the hospital. She finally realized she couldn't be alone at her house and moved in with me. I love her dearly, but learning to live with each other is hard.  She is set in her ways as am I.  My last 3 children flew the coupe and I went through pure he Double hockey sticks when they left.  Empty nest syndrome is REAL and it SUCKS.  So, here are my goals to improve this not so new year!






    1.  Get a life.  My DH and I need to do more things together. Cultivate new interests. Spend quality time together. One evening every other week is our goal.  I hope DH will spend more time with me working on these goals also.





    2.  Set up my craft room.  As I now have a spare bedroom, I am going to create the craft room of my dreams!  Well, since I am on a small budget, at least a functional, if not pretty, craft room!





   3. Improve my writing skills.  I would like to eventually try to submit an article or 2 to a magazine or another blog.  I think that would be too cool.






   4.  Plant and tend to a garden this year.  I built 3 raised beds last year before I broke my ankle so they are still not in use.  I want to try and grow as much food as possible for our family.  Not only will this help financially, but having more fresh veggies should improve our health as well.




  5. Plant a cutting garden.  I love flowers. They make me smile and make me happy so I am going to bring more happiness into my life!
 
  6. Work on tidying up and improving our much neglected yard/porch.  I have already begun by hanging my new wind chimes on the porch but I want to make the outside our happy place.  I would like yard ornaments and yard art all over!  I want to use more edible plants in the landscaping, and plant more fruit trees. Operation Oasis has begun!


  7.  Enter an art quilt in an art show. I started my art quilt. The ideas have been floating around in my head for a few years now, but I have just begun.  At least it is a start and having the craft room set up should facilitate this goal tremendously!




  8 Get back into the frugal mindset. Our budget is faring a little better with all of the kids gone but we need to tighten our belts in order to stay in our current home and prepare for retirement.  Our financial choices haven't always been up to par, but I have to forgive myself and move on. I cannot change the past but I can control the future. So posts on Last Week's Frugality will be upcoming!




  9. Can/preserve as much food as possible. Small batch canning is one area I'm interested in. Dehydration is another.  So look for posts on what I am canning and preserving!




10.  Finally, I plan on using this blog to hold myself accountable and accomplish my goals this year. Posting on my progress will be a huge part of my goals.  I hope to build readership and share the ups and downs of achieving all of my goals this year!  ( I am trying to be positive here!)




I hope you enjoy hearing about and seeing my progress here on Herb and Botanicals Homestead!

Blessings to all,
Lisa




 

Public Service Announcement

    This is a subject close to my heart!  My DH has epilepsy. I found this on Facebook and wanted to share it with my readers.  Seeing someone have a seizure is terrifying.  This is what you need to do:

 

The person will wake up and be disoriented, confused, and may not be able to respond to you for some time, but try and reassure them. Try to get the person on their side-the recovery position in case they vomit. When they do start to come out of it, they may be embarrassed.  Please don't stare  too much and make them feel even more self conscious.

 

My hope is that you'll never need this info but at least you will know what to do!

 

Healthy Blessings,

Lisa

Thankful Thursday

     This week I am so thankful for my DH.  He has been my rock, my personal valet, my chief cook and bottle washer since I broke my ankle in July.  He has been simply amazing!  He has had his bad days still, but then I just stay with him and do what I can for him. Then he rallys and does everything in his power to help me.  So today I am thankful for my partner in crime and everything else....Tom.

My wish is for each of my readers to have someone in their lives that loves them like he loves me!

Blessed,
Lisa

Last Week's Frugality

 Hello Dear Readers,

     I had a so, so, week for savings. Here goes:

    Last week I packed my lunch all week.  I ate Breakfast at home before leaving for work!

    I was able to get 24 cans of green beans and 12 cans of corn for my pantry for free!  I used the Meijer rewards I had earned and the canned goods were on sale for 3/$1.  Nice addition to my pantry if I do say so myself!

   I batch cooked all of my meals for the next week on Sunday and also packed my lunches for the next week!  I did purchase some plastic 1 cup containers for this purpose, but they were on sale and I had a coupon!  They will be paid for in a week or less of packing my lunch.

      I did get some bad news.  I have a small avulsion fracture on the same foot I broke back in the summer. So it is casted and I will be off my feet for at least another 2 months.  Therefore I will not be able to get all of the canning I wanted to do done this fall.  I had been waiting until I got back on my feet but that is the way it goes. 2  months or more on crutches.

My Pretty Purple Cast!!

 

We did save $.30 per gallon on gas using our Kroger's rewards points!  $3 is $3!!

 

We have been staying home pretty much with my new fracture and all but that is good right?  Saving on gas and by not going out!

 

 My Mother make a large pot of beans and cornbread and shared with us for one night's supper. Yummy! Thanks Mom! No one makes cornbread like my Momma!

 

Well, that's about it for me, what have you been saving money on?

Please share so we can all learn from each other!

 

Frugal Blessings,

Lisa





Fall Favorites

  

    I love Fall. I really love Fall!  I love warm apple cider, candy apples, sweater weather, pumpkins, leaves and just everything....Fall!   Here are a few of my favorite Fall things!  Enjoy!

Warm apple Cider--Easiest way is to heat cider (gallon) in crockpot and add 1 cup of cinnamon red hots to it and stir!!  This is wonderful!  You can add orange slices or cinnamon sticks to it if you want!

Pumpkin Bread--Here is a great recipe for this Fall favorite!

Pumpkin Pie--Here is the famous Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe!

Sweaters--Here, here, and here are links to some wonderful basic sweaters!

 Candy Apples--Here is a caramel apple recipe, here is a red hard candy apple recipe!

Pumpkin Muffins--Here is an easy fat free recipe!

Pumpkin Carving--Here is an awesome site to get free pumpkin carving patterns!

I hope you enjoy the Fall links!
Don't forget to follow my board on Pinterest!

Fall Blessings,
Lisa