Moving Day is Here!

Yes, it is thataway to my new blog site! I have decided to move before I had it all done since it is easier to just write from there and hope everyone has patience as I figure all this out. My own .com, my own blog host and hopefully a better blog.

Please come join me at my new place.

Ain't No Place To Put A Sticker

I look forward to seeing you and serving you from there.

Preserve those frugal finds

What is the point in being frugal, finding all kinds of great buys and buying in bulk if you are going to waste it or lose it all?

It is that time of year again when bugs like to venture into the house. Some hitch a ride on food, especially food from "natural" and bulk stores. I have had them enter my pantry in cereal boxes, granola from the bulk containers and other whole grain products.

Two years in a row I lost everything in my pantry while I was away on vacation and one year I lost it while home. All this since moving to Texas!

I have learned some things to protect those frugal savings as well as the other pantry items. To prevent or get rid of the bugs:

First, Remove everything from your pantry. Everything!

Now, wash it all down with some vinegar water or cleaner and then the vinegar. Let dry and air out and fully dry.

Get some food grade diatomous earth and sprinkle it on the back of the shelves and the floor. It is not anything that will harm you but will keep out the bugs. Since doing this I have not had them back.

Before putting anything in the pantry, check it good. New boxes of cereal have come in with the tell tale "web" inside the "airtight" package.

Then, freeze your whole grains, rice, corn meal etc. This will keep them from getting infested.

I then took all my other things and put them in well sealed air tight containers. Now, this is not a guarantee as these bugs are persistent!

I ended up with the bugs from my granola from Central Market. This is a big place that sells a lot of that type of bulk food, yet it had bugs. They were not there when I brought it home, but I put it in the pantry and a few days later there they were. Since they were in a good container they had not spread at that point, but I have never gone to that store again!

I love frugal finds and bulk stores are a favorite for my husband and I. But I hate losing my frugal finds and then making them an expensive .

For more frugal ideas, go to Biblical Womanhood!

Patience

Patience. What a word. I really dislike it.

I announced I was going to move my blog to my own .com, and I am. Just not as fast as I planned. It seems that this week has been busier than normal, plus a sick baby, who so nicely shared with her grammie.

I am using blogger here, of course you know that, but need to switch to Wordpress for putting it on my own .com. Everything is different. I can't seem to find a template that I want, when I do it does not have the right widgets, or does not go with the title of my blog or some other thing.

I know, you are probably one who has done this, and wonder how someone who was taking web design classes can be stuck and slow. Who knows!

I do know I am learning, and hope this will all be a positive move for the blog.

Here is the reason for some of my slowness. Isn't she adorable?

Sick or not, she is a sweety!

This Weekend

It is coming. I am officially the owner of three new domains. I will only be using two of them. Had to buy the third one to get the one I wanted as he would only sell me the two together.

My blog will be moving as soon as I get my templates set up as I want them and I am excited. I plan on a little bit of a new direction, a whole different look and hopefully get to be a better blog.

I have been with blogger now and this will be all different, but I want more control over my blog and the look of it. I want to add pages, be able to eventually have a newsletter and have more interaction with my readers. I am nervous about the move, but think it will be better.

Since I am working around a toddler it may take me a bit of time to get it set up, but I am hoping that it will be up in a week. I may be slow at posting, so please be patient with me.

When the big move comes I will let you know, post my url and look for you there!

Free Software!

How could anything be more frugal than for FREE?

For more frugal ideas go on over to Biblical Womanhood!

Easter Bread

I am also using this recipe for favorite ingredient Friday at Overwhelmed with Joy. For more favorite ingredients check Favorite Ingredient Friday!

Today is works for me Wednesday at Rocks In My Dryer and I want to share an Easter Recipe that I like to make.

I have made this bread for church breakfasts, the kids when they were little and for the big kids here and it is good and eaten up fast. Have extra eggs (hard boiled!) on hand. The eggs used in the recipe are raw, they cook with the bread.

Braided Easter Egg Bread

3 eggs
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. dry yeast
3 1/2 c. flour
2 tbsp. butter
2/3 c. milk
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
6 colored eggs (do not hardcook)

Five hours before serving, mix sugar, salt, yeast and 1 cup flour. Heat butter and milk until 125 degrees. With mixer, mix liquid into dry ingredients. Beat in 3 eggs and 3/4 cup flour. Stir in lemon peel and 1 1/4 cups flour. On floured surface, knead dough 5 minutes. (Add about 1/2 cup flour.)

Place in greased bowl; let rise 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, dye 6 eggs, but do not hard cook! When dough has risen, punch down; divide into 3 parts. Braid dough and make a circle and place on large greased cookie sheet. Let rise 1 1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. When dough has risen, decorate with raw colored eggs. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

For more Works for Me ideas go to Rocks in My Dryer. Or Favorite Ingredient Friday at Overwhelmed With Joy!

Weekend Meltdown

I had a melt down. No, the temperature in Texas did not get so hot I sweat to death, but an emotional melt down this past week.

As the week went on I became more and more upset with me. It started out by feeling "I was ugly, my curly hair was not doing what I wanted, most of my clothes are all getting old and stained because I am a dropper and splatterer." What I do not get on them my granddaughter does. "I am fat. Why buy new clothes when they only look bad on me anyway? Besides, I don't have the money. I am getting old. My next birthday will put me among the dead, I am sure. Before my 1st husband died I was doing all kinds of creative things, was active in the church, had been game director for church camps, kids programs, led VBS, organized the town craft fair. I made crafts of all kinds. Then my husband got sick, I was caregiver and many things were put on slow. He died and I died with him inside. My life went upside down. I was 5 years in limbo (with more going on then I want to mention as it would take a book). Now I am in Texas, married to a wonderful man and feel like all that I have gifts for, creativity for has been put on a shelf, or in the casket with my 1 st husband. Besides all that I am brain dead on my blog and I am fat and ugly and getting old." On and on my mind went.

Ever get like that?

I cried a number of times, and I do not cry so much any more. I whined to my husband. I looked in the mirror and looked fatter, uglier and older every time. My clothes are getting bad, but why get more when I am looking so bad? I was a mess.

Sunday morning I woke up and grumbled at my wonderful husband. He was thinking maybe he did something or did not do something that made me feel that way about myself. He did not. It was all me.

It was then that my mind got to thinking about something else. I thought back to the week after my first husband died and my sister took me out on a whale boat. I lived in ME, always wanted to go out on one, but never did. Now I was going. I was still numb from the death and funeral, but I was excited too.

I have always felt peace when I would get near the ocean and this was a stress relief for me. We were out in the ocean, whales surfacing and saw some other fish as well. I found myself praying. I was thanking God for the trip and telling Him that it does not get any better than this. Since I was a pastor's wife and we lived in the parsonage as part of my husband's salary I knew I would have to move somewhere else. I asked the Lord to please move me near the ocean. I told him how I needed the ocean for relief and how for me it could not get any better than what I was seeing. I reminded Him I could not afford living there as prices were high, but I had faith enough that HE could make it possible anyway. My prayer ran deep and from my heart. Then HE answered with something that about knocked me overboard:

"Are you willing to give all this up for My best?"

My answer was just as quick and to the point:

"NO"

I did not mean it rebelliously, I was just so hurting from losing my husband and in shock yet, but I meant "no" . How could God ask me such a thing? I just had 4 years of taking care of a husband who was a wonderful man for 29+ years of marriage. All through being sick and knowing he was dying he did not complain much. Now God is telling me that I am going to have to move from my kids also? How could He?

Time went by, I moved from Maine, back to Maine, away from Maine again. I knew God was preparing me for something, I did not know what.

Now, here I was this weekend feeling down and feeling like all my abilities, gifts etc are on a shelf in ME and I am here. God blessed me with a second really wonderful, loving husband and he is worth being here for, but still, I wondered why I had no outlet for anything yet.

When God reminded me of the whaleboat He said that this is His best. He has a plan, and I am being changed to fit that plan. All is not lost, set on a shelf. I am not brain dead, I am trying to do things myself and getting impatient instead of waiting on Him.

OK, so I still need to lose weight, I still need to get new clothes and do something with my hair and I am STILL GETTING OLDER, but the real me, the me God plans on using is being changed into what He wants me to be. I need to rest in Him, relax and know He is going to do it in His time.

An Amazing Woman

There are so many people out there that feel they can't make it. Life has brought them things that they feel they can't overcome. Maybe choices they have made have put them in the situation and now they feel like "woe is me". We all have times like that, but I am talking about the many people who are out there in the world that are able to work or do things and claim they can't.

I have seen some people with a leg missing and they are crying the blues over being disabled and wanting to sit around because they "can't do anything".

Some time ago I lived in a small community where there were many able bodied people collecting welfare and sitting around all day crying because the government is not caring for them right. (Not to mention they were selling drugs by night, right across the street from me and under the street light at that!)

Today a video came my way about someone who was more disabled than many people, yet does not give up. I wanted to share this with you and maybe it will encourage you like it did me. We face things, but not many of us face what she faces every day.

Getting Cheap Prints- HELP!

I wish Crystal would run a backwards Frugal Friday like Shannon has backward Works for Me Wednesday once a month. So, for today I am making my own backwards day and asking your help.

I am trying to make some memory books and use some pictures I have. However, I need to make a lot of photos. I also need to make copies of photo's for my wall that I am making into a family wall.

When getting the prints I need in the amount I need I need to do it as frugally (CHEAP) as possible, yet with quality that is not going to fade like some do it yourself inks do.

I won the 5 minutes for mom bloggy giveaway of a camera and $50 to spend in Kodak gallery which will help a lot, but I still need more. Can anyone recommend places that do a good job, are reasonable and do not make up the difference in the photo cost by charging a lot for shipping?

Thanks so much!

Now, for some ideas for being frugal, go to Biblical Womanhood!

Penny saved is a penny earned

I am really grateful to Rocks in My Dryer for having Works for Me Wednesday. I really love backwards week when we can ask things that are not working for us, thanks for all who helped me last week.

In our house money is tight. My husband and I are struggling the same as others and sometimes we just want to get away or do something or treat ourselves to something we normally would not buy.

I have been a bit frustrated lately about some of this. We do take money each week from an extra job we have and each get an "allowance". We can spend it no questions asked. It is not much, but adds up if you are like me and do not spend it. For my husband it does not hold up so well!


As I was thinking about this and how we want to get away this year sometime I remembered back to what I used to do but have been not doing very well the last few years. Every time I would go out and shop, get gas etc, I would put the change in a spot in my purse not to be used. When I came home I would put it in a container. Not just any container, but old milk cans.

I have two old milk cans. The kind that hold about a quart or so and when families needed milk they would fetch it in these cans. One of my cans came from my grandfather. When he was 10 he would take that can and go to the store for his mom. He would come home with the milk for the family. The other one is not as old as my grandfathers (his is 100 yrs old!) but it works as well. I put the pennies in the "newer" one and the rest of the change in the older one.

When I was faithful about doing this, I would save up vacation money. It adds up fast when you keep putting it in there and not taking it out. When the can gets full I roll them and put the rolls in a safe place and keep adding to the can.

I have started it again. It worked for me before and I am sure it will work again.

For more ideas for Works for me Wednesday go to Rocks in my Dryer.

It is Finally Here

Remember the Bloggy Giveaway? Well it seems like ages ago to me. You see I won the 5 minutes for mom giveaway. It was a Kodak camera plus $50 gift card from Kodak gallery.

I have been so excited!! When I found I won I watched my mail. And watched it. And watched it.

No package.

None.

Believe it or not, when I tried for that prize I was not being greedy. I wanted the gift card as I have a lot of photos I want prints of. I would have liked the camera, but I was not going for the grand prize, just the smaller prize. So why was I having to wait so long?

I guess I needed to learn some patience. God must have thought so anyway, I think I had all the patience I needed. Now, where was MY camera?

Kodak sent me an email that I should have it by the end of the week. Yipee!!! I watched my mail like a hawk. Was the end of the week ever going to get here?

Well, the end of the week came, but not the camera.

My camera and precious gift card were lost in the mail. Several weeks later I finally got my camera. Kodak sent out another one and it came last Friday. I grabbed the box, kissed the Fed Ex guy and opened my box. WOW, there was my gift card, and camera.

My weekend was so busy I did not have time to play with it at all, but last night pulled it out and took a picture.
My husband will not be too happy about me sticking this in here, but here it is. He was sitting at his computer and I pulled the camera out and had to try it. I need to learn to get the lighting right and get my programs into my new computer so I can edit the photo's, but that will come.

I guess this means I have enough patience now, so do not need any more lessons, right Lord?

Anyway, Thank you Kodak and 5 Minutes for mom for this gift.

I am a Flip Flop

Ok, I took this fun quiz and thought I would share it with everyone. I found the link on Ima on (and off) the Bima . I love reading her blog and this time there was this fun quiz.

I found out that I am a Flip Flop! Here is what it said about me:

You Are Flip Flops

You are laid back and very friendly. Cheery and sunny in disposition, you usually have something to smile about. Style is important to you, as long as you can stay casual. It takes a lot to get you to dress up! You are a loyal and true person, though you can be a bit of a flake. You tend to "play hooky" and blow off responsibilities a lot more than most people. You should live: By the beach You should work: At a casual up and coming company

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

Keeping Family Close

Today is Works for Me backwards day at Rocks in My Dryer. This means instead of me sharing something with you, you share with me.

I find it strange that I can forever think of things I need help with until it is time to write a backwards works for me and then my mind draws a blank. This is where I find myself right now.

My mom has been here for 11 days, we drove to MO for a wedding over the weekend, came home Sunday and had the kids over today to say good bye to my mom. I am tired and tomorrow we bring her to the airport so she can head back east.

This is all said to bring me to my question. Four of my kids and 11 grandkids are in Maine, one daughter, a grand daughter and another grandchild due in September are in NC. My mom and most of my siblings are in the NJ/PA area and a brother is in MO, where we went to the wedding. I live in Texas and have 3 step children here as well as 4 grandkids. For those of you whose family is as scattered as mine, how do you keep go about keeping close ties?

When I went to the wedding this past weekend I realized I hardly know my brother and his family any more, we have lived apart since college. I miss my own kids and they all have busy lives as we do. I would like to do something to help us all keep up and close, but wondered what others do in this situation.

Thanks for your ideas!

For more backwards works for me go to Rocks in my Dryer.

Missouri, Oklahoma and home again

Ahhhhhhh home. Nice to be away, but nice to return.

My computer went down.

My mom came.

We left for Missouri, my first time to that state.

Went to a wedding. A beautiful wedding!

Drove home.

Today I am tired! Mom is spending her last few days with us as she leaves on Wednesday. Hopefully then I will have a computer going, things getting back to normal and my posting be regular again.

Bread making problems

I should probably save this for next week when it is backwards WFMW, but I need help now, so I will not wait.

I make my bread using my kitchenaid mixer. It does great and even though I have carpel tunnel I can still make homemade bread.

My problem is my husband. He had a bread maker and thinks it is so much easier, but for me it is a pain. I put the thing away and never used it after I read the directions the first time. It has set away for 3 years now with him telling me "how much easier it is with the bread maker". Two weeks ago I dug it out and used a mix to surprise him with the bread. It did not rise much, was heavy and gooey even though I followed the directions. Several days later I tried again only using the recipe in the book with the bread maker. (It was harder than making it with my kitcheraid!) It rose over the top, down into the element and made quite the mess. Of course I did not know since you can't open the thing till it is done! When it started smoking black smoke I knew something was wrong and shut the thing off, but it was too late. I had burnt bread all over the inside.

It is now a week later and I can't get the smell or some of the burnt out of the thing. I set it out side, I have set the bread pan out, but still the smell. The element. or rather behind it, is burnt yet and I can't get it off.

Does anyone have any ideas to help me, or is it ruined?

For some real things that work for others, go to Rocks in My Dryer.

My Mom!

This is my mom. She has flown out here to Texas from NJ. I do not get to see her much and am happy she has taken this trip.

She will be here until the 5th of March, with us going to a wedding in MO over this weekend. As a result, I will not be blogging too much until after that. I will read my comments and have time to write a little, but not like I want to.

Not everyone gets to have an 81 year old mom that makes plane trips just to see you!

Frugal Newsletters

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood. When you are done reading her go back to their site for may more frugal ideas.

I like to see what other people are doing and how they are saving money. It gives me ideas for things that may fit into my lifestyle. My husband and I are on a limited budget like most people and we all can learn from others.

I subscribe to a few newsletters that give me ideas. No, I do not use them all the time, but there are often things that I can pick out that I can do to help the budget.

One of them is The Dollar Stretcher Newsletter. There are ideas as well as links that will help.

Another is Saving Advice. They have a blog I subscribe to as well as a newsletter. Check out the site.

I also try to read faithfully as many of the frugal friday posts and other blogs that help with saving and amending my ways to help be more Frugal.

What is on your refrigerator?

Heart at home is hosting a what is on your refrigerator meme and has tagged me to be a part. I decided to play along , again, to a meme.

First, let me tell you my refrigerator gets rearranged by a 14 month old on a daily, actually more like a minute by minute basis. So here goes:



I have magnetic numbers, letters, fish and birds as well as just plain magnets.There is my memo pad for my shopping list, several pictures of grand kids, my CASA boy and Moose (I love moose and lived in Maine, so it is a part of me I have on the frig.

The dish towel is a hand towel to save on paper towels and I also have two friends that I pray for and want to be reminded.
Now, what is on YOUR refrigerator?? Hop over to Heart At Home and join the fun!

Blog Meme

I have never done a blog meme or any meme that I know of, however, I was tagged and I will play along. I am still learning who is who, and do not know all my readership yet, but I guess that is part of the fun too.

*Start Copying Here*

I have randomly selected 3 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!) If you don’t know five people just put any you do know! I only managed 3.

It’s real easy!

Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially!

The benefits of Viral Linking:
- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!
- Increase your Google PageRank fast
- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site
- Build your community
- Make new friends!

The Strategist Notebook ~ Link Addiction ~ Ardour of the Heart ~ When Life Becomes a Book ~ The Malaysian Life ~ Yogatta.com ~ What goes under the sun ~ Roshidan’s Cyber Station ~ Sasha says ~ Arts of Physics ~ And the legend lives ~ My View, My Life ~ A Simple Life ~ Juliana RW ~ Mom Knows Everything ~ Beth & Cory’s Mom ~ A Mind Forever Voyaging~ enjoying the ride ~ Jennifer’s thoughts ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Amanda ~ Don’t Make Me Get The Flying Monkeys ~ ExPat Mom ~ Just Jessie ~ Wilson Six ~Krisitn ~ Nuttier Than You ~ Shonnte ~ Summer’s Nook ~ Laura Williams Musings ~ Melissa’s Idea Garden ~~ Eve at Confessions of an Everyday Housewife ~~ Blah Blah Blog ~~ Stop the Ride! ~~ Soap, Blings & Girly Things It’s All for the Best ~ Keeping Feet ~ Junky Love in Freehand ~ Getting Out of Debt ~ Free From Broke Knits and Knots ~ Two Kitties and a Puppy ~ Wissman.org ~ Retro Brett ~ Changing Seasons~Regan’s Weblog ~ Beauty from Chaos ~ The Natural Mommy ~ Charlie is Here ~ twentysixcats Drumbfaith ~ Aint no Place ~ Michiah.com

Sting My Heart ~ Families Against Feminism ~

I can only think of two that are not on here, but I will give it a try!

Clear Plastic boxes to the rescue!

How was your weekend? Mine was so busy I am still hurting. If you are into all kinds of crafts like I have been you will know what I am talking about; Crafts take up space! Unorganized craft supplies take up even more space! Add to that your husband's craft supplies and you have a real mess.

My mom is coming out this Saturday and I need to make room for her. My back bedroom has been home to many things. Books, scrapbook supplies, photos in boxes and being sorted, ceramics in boxes as well as baby stuff like my granddaughters pack n play, as well as the swing and johnny jump up that she no longer uses all fill that room. Now I need to get my mom in there too!

Saturday I spent cleaning off the shelves in the computer room, throwing stuff away and organizing. You see, all that craft stuff belongs on these shelves, but... The BIG BUT... they were filled with all kinds of other things. Husband's old computers that he wants parts off of, papers that had to be kept, stuff I had to move quickly and did not know where to put etc were all piled on the shelves.

After I cleaned them all off, I went and got some clear plastic storage boxes. I already had my sewing stuff in some, so just got more and organized. Now, I have clear boxes on the shelves, can see what is in them. I may label them later for hubby, but I know where to find things now anyway.

My mom has a bed to sleep in too! I have to move out the baby things, but I found a bed under all the scrapbook stuff! I knew I had one somewhere in that room!

I would like to give all of you some advice. If you live in small quarters like we do, with no storage area, take care of things immediatly. Organize in the boxes right away, it is a lot easier and does not hurt the back as much as what I did on Saturday. When I get craft stuff, I am going to get a new clear container and put it together right away. These containers can fit on a shelf, under a bed or where ever you can put them. Put your bed on blocks of wood or bed risers and there is lots of storage there too.

Just a hint from experience.

I would have pictures, but I still do not have a computer and am on a borrowed one. Hopefully tomorrow night I will be writing from my own.. yipee!

This works for me! For more works for me ideas, go to Rocks in my dryer!

A fitting toy

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood. Since I am not on my computer I do not have the official logo. Oh for the day I get my computer going... well, that is another story.

My granddaughter made a discovery for some cheap toys. I do not know if your kids and grandkids are like mine were and are, but it seems that the toys you buy were not the ones they played with, it was the ones where they invented the toys and discovered things to play. The plastic storage containers, the pots and pans, the veggies from the drawer while you were trying to get out the milk etc.

The other day she got into something that has brought her hours of pleasure. My husband was doing some plumbing work and had a box of the white plastic elbows, fittings and such setting in the house. (Mind you the plumbing work was ages ago and these things have been in my way since).

She discovered that treasured box! She has been playing with the fittings, putting some together and having a great time. When you compare the cost of toys to the cost of some fittings it sure makes a frugal toy and a happy time for the little one!

For more frugal ideas hop over to Biblical Womanhood.

Softer Feet

Two weeks ago on Works for Me Wednesday Beauty From Chaos wrote about a simple way to have soft feet. Unfortunately for me my feet needed more help.

Like Jessica, I get cracked heels, and I mean cracks! My whole heel and the side of my foot gets dry and hard. I have tried so many things, but it seems like nothing gets through that hard, dry dead skin. I have filed it over and over and worked on them forever, but they are still ugly and when they crack and bleed it is painful to walk.

This week as I was using the foot file I was thinking I need something more to get through this. What I am going to say next will probably make you think I am crazy, but I got out sand paper! I sanded my heels and the the side of my foot. The side I did not press so hard on as it is not as bad, but the heels I sanded like I was doing a piece of rough wood. I could not believe the difference! Now the vasoline gets through and is doing it's job.

If your feet are like mine, give it a try. It works for me!

Give me back my cookies and firefox!

I am so thankful for a borrowed computer, but I sure am missing mine. This one uses Internet Explorer, mine has Firefox. I find the difference in the browsers to be a big pain, I love my firefox.

My spellchecker on blogger is not working and firefox has one built in, so I know I have two, now I have none.

Don't you hate it when something comes along and rocks your boat? I do. I have learned though, that when we trust the Lord, He has a purpose and will use it for our good. How He is going to use me losing all of this I do not know, but He will. I am trying to learn what I can from the struggles and move on.

My posting may be patchy, my email is a mess, I have no idea how to pay my bills since my sites were all bookmarked, and I have lost some "cookies" that let me into sites. But, as my husband's favorite saying goes "It'll be alright".

I have really lost it now

Sometimes we all feel like we have "lost it". Things just make our brain swim and we can't seem to figure out what we are doing or what we did with something.

Well, I know where I had it, know what I was doing with it, but I have lost it. Lost it all apparently. Gone. Kaput. Outta here.

Yesterday my APC backup started ringing. Not beeping, but one constant long beep. It was driving me crazy. Then I was using the bread maker and that was beeping now and then. Then, something else started beeping and I still can't figure out what that was.

By now my ears were ringing on their own!

I went out of the house and figured I would buy a surge protector for the computer. After all, the battery for my backup was about $50 and the thing is 6 years old and will not work right with my XP anyway.

Came home, turned off the computer and plugged everything into the surge protector.

Turned on computer. At that point I knew I lost it. Everything! My computer would not boot.

Tried again.

Tried with the boot disk.

Cried.

Tried again.

Nothing, just a blue screen of death staring at me.

All my pictures. Gone.

All my blog info and research. Gone.

My family cookbook. My working on another project. Gone.

My Biblical Womanhood ebooks. Gone.

My emails, my email addresses. My affiliate passwords. My brain.

Yup, all gone!

I have lost it.

Heating tips

I subscribe to Thriftyfun for ideas for saving money and doing things in a frugal way. Some things are not what I would call frugal, but some are very helpful.

Recently there was some great tips on there from a woman who called herself "mom in Missouri" I have copied her suggestions since I think they are worth considering.

• Make sure fireplace dampers are closed when not in use, and cover the opening.
• Insulate light switches and receptacles that are on outside walls
• Insulate attic and pipes
• Use ceiling fans, remember to use the winter setting to force warm air back down.
• Use plastic on north windows. Other windows also if necessary.
• Skirt trailers. Make sure crawl spaces openings are covered.
• Keep garage doors closed
• Use insulated or thermal backed curtains and drapes.
• Do your baking either in the morning to help warm up the house, or during the coldest part of the day that you are home.
• Try to run your clothes dryer during the coldest time of the day.
• Boil water. Moist air feels warmer.
• Keep closet doors, cabinets, pantries closed. Why pay to heat an un lived in space.
• Make sure that if you have a room above the garage, the garage ceiling is insulated well
• Use rugs on the floor
• Drink warm drinks during the day; tea, coffee, cocoa, jello water, etc.
• Keep thermostat down during the day, and set it lower at night.
• Layer your clothes. Right now I have on long johns-makes a huge difference
• Wear slippers and socks.
• Use flannel bedsheets and an extra blanket.
• Sweats are warmer to wear than jeans
• I have a hook hanging in my bathroom above a heat register. Before I shower, I hang my towel on it. My towel is toasty warm when I get out of the shower. I also hang my nightgown on it and then change into my nightgown a few minutes after I hear the heat blower turn on. Again, its toasty warm to put on.
• Do your vacuuming, dusting and other exercises that require movement when you get to feeling cold. This may mean you spend 15-20 minutes every 60-90 minutes cleaning--kind of in spurts.
• While sitting at the TV or computer, cover up with a comforter. Or, several family members on the sofa can benefit from sharing an electric blanket.
• Leave home! Turn down the thermostat and go to the library where its free and warm. You can get online there, read the paper there and study there. Or check out your local community center, go walking if they have an indoor track.
• Make sure all windows are closed tight. Lock them to be sure, a window that is open if even a tiny bit usually will not lock.
• I love to crochet in the winter. My blanket or afghan I am working on keeps my lap warm!
• If your heating system is the type where you can close off a room, close off what you don't need. Right now one of my daughters is sleeping in with her sister because her room has its own heater and hers is turned off.
• Open the curtains and drapes when the sun is hitting them. Close them back when temps start to drop and the sun moves on.
• Get a lap cat!
• Wear warm PJ's to bed, or sweats or long johns, instead of some thin materialed short nightgown. Wear socks to bed, or at least until the bed feels like it has warmed up.
• If you heat with oil or propane, watch your prices. If prices drop during the summer months fill up then. Add up your total bill for a year, and try to budget that out over 12 months. When you fill your tank, take the money budgeted to that point and use it. For our family, our propane comes out to around $72 a month. Yet we only fill the tank twice a year. But, I try to tuck that $72 a month away for the next tank filling.
• Use door gaskets around doors and windows that have air coming in through the cracks. To find where you have air coming from, CAREFULLY hold a lit candle and go around your door and window frames. When the flame flickers, you have found an air leak.
• Do what you have to do. Right now it is so cold and windy, I have a blanket tacked up over a door that currently feels like ice. The blanket is stopping some of that cold air. May be ugly, but its working.
• Try to combine your trips in and out of the house to one trip. This saves you from opening and closing the door.
• Insulate pet doors or block them off
• Eat warm meals instead of cold ones. Hot cereal in the morning instead of cold cereal. Hot ham and cheese sandwich instead of a cold one.

For more Frugal ideas check out Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood.

Online Shopping

This week for Works for Me Wednesday we are supposed to list the places we like to shop on the web. I told my husband and the first thing he told me was that I had to tell you all about a place he loves. He said there is no shipping charges and he just placed his last order last night, late and it is already on UPS and scheduled to arrive in the next day or so.


So what is this place he recommends? Royal Discount. It has computer software and supplies.

For me, I love ebay! I look there and check out auctions and then from there I go to the ebay shops. Most anything can be found reasonably.

Also high on my list is Amazon, buy.com and then free shopping places like for coloring pictures, e-cards etc.

What online shops work for you? For more ideas, go to Rocks in My Dryer!

Clear the lines

OK, I admit it, I am a computer addict. I love my computer! I love it online most, and especially when I can get my email.

I had a bad day yesterday. Why? I could not get my email. Oh, I was online ok, but my email would not download. I tried everything I could. Reboot, close and open the email program, boot (no, not reboot, but use my boot!) — nothing worked.

Why?

I wrote the mail server and found out it was someone spamming and they were trying to locate the person. The lines were too cluttered and it slowed everything down to a stand still. My mail was there, I was sitting here trying to get it, but it was all cluttered between and it would not come.

This morning the line was open and all my mail came through. Ahhhhhhhh, but now I have two days worth to go through.

I do not know about you, but God speaks to me through these times. This morning as I was thinking I realized the same is true of us.

God has the answers, He wants to talk to us, and maybe we want to listen. However, our minds are cluttered and we can't get the message.

How can we be cluttered when we want to hear?

• Sin keeps us from hearing. Regular patterns of sin that we do not want to give up, or sin that is such a part of us we do not even think of it as sin. Any of it will keep us from hearing Him.
• Our thoughts. Maybe we are not giving time with Him a clear mind. We have our to do list setting nearby. Or some problem. Something just cluttering.
• Not spending time in His Word. If we do not know the principles He has set for you and I then we can't hear clearly. We will be "hearing" with our own agenda, thoughts, desires etc. and think we are getting communication. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."

There are other things that can keep the lines cluttered, but these are the most prominent ones. De-clutter and keep things open between you and God. Do not have so much going out and in the way that you can't hear Him clearly and openly.

Listen to Him and for Him.

Watch out for Left Behind

I love Jeff Larson and his Back Pew comics. I found this today and thought I would share it.

Used with permission.

Frugal by default

WOW! what a week this has been for all of us trying to win prizes on the bloggygiveaway. If you have not been there yet you better hurry! It took me days to get through all the almost 900 entries, and that was skipping some that did not sound like something I was interested in.

For me this was a frugal week. Not just because I was sitting here going through the giveaways and trying for free things. Like most people I can't be in two places at once, so sitting her kept me from thinking about what I "needed" from the store, or getting a drink or a snack. Saved me food, gas, money and drink. How much more frugal can you get? Anyone else want to sponsor a giveaway this week?

This did get me thinking though. If we find things to keep us busy we will not be spending the time to spend money we do not need to or eating when we do not need it. When I run to the store for a need I will often pass a want on the way to the need, this week I did not take the time, I got the need, no time for the want. Usually I take a list and get what is on it, but as I am doing this I am passing things I "forgot" to put on the list. You know, things like ice cream or maybe bacon etc.

My frugal idea for this week is to make a list and stick to it. Keep busy so what is in the pantry or frig do not haunt you. It sure helped me this week.

For more frugal ideas look here.

Giveaway suggestions

Everyone is caught up in the bloggy giveaway this week and I almost forgot about Works for Me Wednesday!

With all the hoopla over the giveaway, and I have been into it as much as anyone, I would like to make a few suggestions for those participating, both in the offering and in the trying to win.

If you are commenting to try to win:

• follow the directions! If it says go to such and such a site and pick out something, do it! I look over comments, not only on mine but on others and so often people do not do what they are supposed to. One said send an email to her, but people commented asking to be counted in.
  
• Make sure there is a way to contact you. Last giveaway I had someone picked and there was no way to get to them. I tried and finally gave up and picked someone else.
  

If you are offering a giveaway:

• Make your directions clear. I have hunted through some blogs where I was not sure when the drawing was or even if a comment was all that was needed. It was not clear.
• relax your spam filter. I hate wanting to try for a prize, go through all the one site to another, pick something or comment on something and then have the filter tell me something I wrote seemed like spam. Most I have no problem with, but one in particular was very difficult and I was disappointed.
• Make sure you have the right link on Mr. Linky. Several of them were errors and I could not get to the post. One had the name in twice on the same line and after trying all kinds of things I made it to the blog, others I could not get there.

These giveaways are fun, as are the carnivals and other blog interactions, but they could be less frustrating for all with just a little more carefulness.

You may be wondering where my giveaway is on this blog, well, I hope to have it up in a day or so, Check back. In the meantime, you can go to Meet Me In The Garden to try for my giveaway there.

Check out Rocks in My Dryer for more WFMW posts.

Happy Birthday Honey!

Today is my husband's birthday. Normally I would have all things planned out with a cake and kids over for dinner. Instead we have been working all day. He works at our church, so that meant all the normal work there, plus Sunday's we clean some offices. It is now 6:30 and I am getting ready to cook dinner, but have to wait since one of the kids is on their way to see him.

Today is special, but I can't seem to make is special with all that is going on. So, I am making this post a tribute to a wonderful husband. I wish everyone could have a husband like mine, I am so blessed.

Rick is 57 today. Grampa to 18, dad to 3 and step dad to 5 more. And Husband to one very, very fortunate woman! ME!

Happy Birthday Honey!! I love you!!!

This is more like it!

Yesterday I wrote about how cold it is here for being in this part of Texas. I have good news! Today started out at about 30 degrees, but we went up to 69 by noon. Ahhhhhhh it felt so good. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and Monday even warmer.

Yes, this is what I like about Texas!

Baby, It's Cold Outside... and inside!

I do not know what they are talking about with "global warming" because it sure is cold outside!

On January 7th I left Texas for Maine with a stop in NC. It was warm the day I left, was warm in NC and was freezing rain in ME. On the day I left ME it was snowing, many flights were canceled and I was concerned about getting home. I wanted to get back to my warm home.

Well, I got back, but it has not been warm since. For our area of Texas this is way too cold.

Our home is heated with propane and is a double wide mobile home that has the space underneath. Even though we have it (mostly) skirted the floor gets cold in places. Heat does not make it to our bedroom very well, and that is cold in the winter and hot in the summer, since the air conditioner runs through the furnace and it is at the far end of the home.

Propane is not cheap, never has been but it is even worse to use now. Up north, we could use K-1 or oil. Not here. So, I am finding myself trying to find ways to stay warm and not use much propane. I am going to share what I am finding, some I have tried and some I have not implemented yet. I want you to please give me any other ideas you may have.

1. The floor is cold, so I wear several pairs of socks and put a few pairs in my granddaughter as well.
2. I keep the heat at about 65, but with the dampness these last few days it feels colder, so I have blankets laying around on the couch, chairs etc.
3. I block the windows with drapes and keep them closed. I still do not have any for some of the windows.
4. The sun comes in the back, if it ever comes back out, and I let the sun in, then close the drapes when it moves to the other side of the house.
5. Bake stuff, this helps warm and uses the propane for something besides the heat.
6. a small electric heater is in the bathroom and is used for showers etc.
7. Lots of blankets on the bed!

Now, can anyone who uses propane to heat give me any more ideas?

For more frugal ideas go to Biblical Womanhood and check out the posts!

Breakfast Pizza

Some time ago I had a shower to go to and was asked if I could bring something in the way of a brunch finger food.

I love to cook and bake, but had no idea for a brunch finger food! My husband had some ideas and we bounced it around for a bit until I thought about how pizza places have breakfast pizzas. I had never had one, but thought maybe it would be worth a try.

Now, some of you that have been reading my blog or that know me personally know I do not follow recipes that are on paper. I may look at them (yes, I have a full bookshelf of recipe books! I just like to collect them and read titles for ideas) but I usually end up making my own as I go by changing what is written down.

For this shower I went to Cooks.com and searched for a breakfast pizza. I found a recipe and looked at it and then went and made it my way. It was a big hit, everyone asked me for my recipe and I had to tell them exactly what I am going to tell you. My way, play with it and make it yours.

You need:

• 1 roll of crescent rolls (Pillsbury or store brand or whatever, the ones in the refrigerator section.
• grated cheese ( I think I used about 2 cups per pan)
• about 6 eggs
• 1/3 C. milk
• salt and pepper and nutmeg if you like
• bulk sausage or bacon

set oven to about 400 and let preheat while mixing the rest.

brown sausage or bacon. If using bacon crumble it up after browning.

unroll the crescent rolls and press into a 9 X 13 pan. press the seams together so they make a flat crust on the bottom of the pan. Place the sausage or bacon on top, spreading evenly. put the cheese on top of the meat, spread evenly.

Mix the eggs, milk, salt and pepper (nutmeg if desired) in a separate bowl or measuring cup.

Pour on top of meat and cheese.

Bake till egg is set and solid (about 15 - 20 minutes)

I made two of them, one bacon and one sausage. They were eaten up in no time flat, so if you are taking them somewhere, make plenty! Works for Me!!

Abortion: The Current Holocaust

In my last post I had a picture of our new grandson Caden. I look with awe at him, so little yet so human. All features perfectly formed, hands, toes, ears and eyes. Beautiful! He cries. He eats. He wets. He yells when they take his temp, change his diaper or he is uncomfortable. Look at his little picture. A bundle of joy, a little bundle yes, but one of the greatest miracles.

From conception he was being formed. Before his mother knew he was there, he was a human with God's eye on him.

What breaks my heart in looking at him is that people abort babies like this. They say they are not human, not a real person, don't feel the pain of the abortion. Look at him and tell me that he is not human, does not feel pain or is not a real person yet. Just because he is out of the womb does not make him human, but inside he was not.

How confused our world has become in their self-centeredness and sin. They have debates, laws etc over when human life starts, when is a "fetus" a human? What else could it be? While looking up info on abortion for this post I found this article as well as others. I will share some things I have found.

• Abortion is legal in this country until the day of birth. Look at Caden? We kill babies like him every day in this country and around the world. For the horrible techniques used see this site. Again, look at Caden and imagine them pulling him apart piece by piece till they get him all out. Makes you sick doesn't it. I want to go vomit right now.
  
• Some people use abortion as a birth control. (Day after pill especially)
• There have been over 46 million abortions since it became legal in 1973.
• There are about 1.3 million a year in the US. This is the stages of pregnancy they are done yearly, (approximately)
  

  Gestational Age	Percentage	Yearly Total
  Less than 9 weeks	57.9%	752,700
  9-10 weeks	20.3%	263,900
  11-12 weeks	10.2%	132,600
  13-15 weeks	6.2%	80,600
  16-20 weeks	4.3%	55,900
  21+ weeks	1.5%	19,500

If you Google abortion, or similar words you will find many statistics, pros, cons and even some weird stuff where people try to blame Christ for killings at clinics. What you need to look hard for is the effect that abortion has on the mother. Not only does it kill babies, it kills something inside a mother who has murdered her child.

We have several groups in this area that help abortion parents with the emotional and spiritual trauma that they live with after they have had an abortion. Many do not even realize that it stems from the abortion itself.

I look at Caden, so small yet so human. A mom can abort this baby and it would be fine with the USA, yet if the child is born and a parent decides they do not want it and they or the doctor begins tearing off it's arms, legs etc till it is dead we would call it murder, abuse etc. Same baby. Same age.

I do not believe in going around killing the doctors, bombing the clinics etc, but I do believe we need to reach out. Give the truth. Stand up for the lives of these little ones.

Caden has reminded me anew about the awful holocaust going on around the world. The murder of our own little ones.

He Now Has a Name!

As I said in my previous post, we have a new grandson! Our 18th grandchild and after much debate they have given him a name.

This precious little one is

Caden Beau Loden

He joins sister Carlie


We still ask for continued prayers for him as he is so small. he is doing great though!

A New Little Bundle! (And I mean little!!)

Today we had the pleasure of meeting a new grandson. Here he is. Born 12:15 and weighing a whopping 3lbs 9 ozs and 16 inches long. He arrived 2 months early and I am hoping by tomorrow he will have a name!

Some odd ways to save

It is Friday again and time for us to share our frugal ways through Biblical Womanhood.

This week I want to pass on a few simple things I do to save money.

First there is gas. The price of it is enough to make you want to forget about a car, yet we all need one. Besides the guides to tell you to keep tires inflated, drive slower etc, I have another way I save at the pump.
Check your area and see if you have any stations that use the National Payment Card way to pay. Here, there are some stations (they are few) where you can pay with your driver's license. You go online and sign up and then you are able to use your driver's license like a debit card. It saves .10 a gallon at our station.


Another trick I found I do has to do with the slow hot water at this time of year. It does not get that cold in Texas, but we do get cold. My water heater is far from the kitchen so hot water gets left in the pipes to get cold. Then, when you want a little hot water, you need to run it forever and then it gets cold again. Now, for small jobs, I use the microwave. We pay for our water and pay for the electricity to heat it, so if I only need a little it is only a few seconds in the microwave. One place I found I was really wasting the water was getting a warm wash cloth to wash the baby's face. Now I wet the wash cloth and throw it in the microwave for a few seconds and I have a warm wash cloth in seconds instead of minutes and there is no water and electricity waste.

The last one for today has to do with my cats. I realize I am not the most frugal person when it comes to feeding them, but maybe there are others like me. I give both dry and canned food to them. One cat is old and can't eat the dry well, so she needs the canned. I was buying the smaller cans (not the tiny cans, but the smaller ones) and then splitting it for two cats. Now I buy the Friskies large cans and pay less than the two a day of the others and get 3 meals or more for three cats out of a can. (Remember I mix with dry). It saves money and they are still fed and happy.

For more frugal ideas, go to Biblical Womanhood.

Greeting Card Organization

Today's Works for me is something I used to do and have gotten away from. However, with family as it is and the birthdays sneak up, I am trying to get back to doing it this year.

If you have a large family and are like me, it seems that it is always somebodies birthday and you are always sending that last minute card. Drives me crazy, as I know when the dates are most of the time, yet seem to get the card and forget to mail it or just forget the day all together until it is right there on me.

Some years ago, I had the problem licked and was doing quite well. My system was that I would buy cards ahead, sometimes picking out several months worth at a time. I would write in them, sign them, address them and then put the date they need to be mailed under where the stamp would go. If they were cards that would get a money gift in I would not seal them up until I put that in there.

I have known of some people who do this with their bills at the beginning of the month and then send them on the day. I messed up the checkbook when I tried that, but the cards worked every time.

Hopefully that means my cards will all be on time this year, since that always worked for me in the past!

For more Works for me Wednesday ideas hop on over to Rocks in my Dryer!

Home!

I am home! I wondered if I was going to make it.

First, I want to let those that commented to me over this last week I will be getting to some of you. I am late since I was not home.

After spending a wonderful week with my family in NC and ME the day came for me to depart Maine. I was worn as I love the kids, but love my husband the kids here in Texas. Since I was feeling homesick for my husband I was looking forward to getting back to him and out of the cold and snowy northeast.

Monday morning we woke up to this!



I had lived in the snow all my life, until a little over three years ago. I remember when it started to get to the end of summer in 2004 I found myself really dreading another winter. All my life I had snow, yet here I was thinking I can't handle another snowy winter. Why? I did not know then, but I knew that this feeling was strong. I met Rick shortly after and we married and I moved to central Texas. No snow! I love being able to say "I am going to the airport and fly to Maine" and know that there will be no snow to keep me from getting to the airport or to keep the plane from taking off.

Now, here I was, in Maine and a flight scheduled to get me back to Texas, and I was looking at all this white stuff coming down.

All morning we were seeing snow and seeing flights canceled. All but mine. It kept saying that it would be on time, but we were an hour from the airport and the snow was piling up!

I arrived safe and sound, thanks to my oldest son and his good driving and a heavy car. We were still sure it would be canceled, but they told us it was coming in and the flight was in the air on the way to Portland Jetport. I sent my son on his way back home in the daylight and had good faith that I would not be sleeping in an airport on the trip.

Plane arrived, we loaded and after two deicing and one ice prevention spray we were off. Since we left late I had to rush at the transfer in Cincinnati, but I made it to the waiting arms of my husband about 11 PM last night.

Ahhhhhhhhhh the warm weather, no snow and no winter coat!

My Not So Frugal Mistake

It is Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood and I am writing today about a mistake I made that was not so frugal!

Right now I am traveling. As you can tell from previous posts, I was given a trip to NC and Maine to see my kids that are there. I planned the trip and thought I had cared for everything.

All was fine for the first leg of the journey, to NC. From NC to Maine I was traveling with Continental airlines. I have not had good experience with them and tried to plan accordingly. Last year I had to make this trip with them and sat for 4 hours in one airport because the pilot fell out of the plane when he was boarding. Yes, you read that right! They had to fly in a pilot from somewhere else and all of us sat for the 4 hours. On the way home they left me stranded in Newark NJ airport for 18 hours. I had to sleep in the airport, between floor and seats and it was pretty miserable.

So, this year I made sure I had a blanket and pillow in my carry on and at the airport realized I did not have a book along. I went to the bookstore in the airport and bought two books. Now I usually get my books from such luxurious places as paperbackswap or half price books or ebay. Now I was faced with retail, and at an airport as well. I decided to bite the bullet and get them so I had something with me anyway, but it hurt big time.

So, my frugal Friday advice is to put a book or two on the top of your traveling list. It sure hurts when you are used to being frugal and have your set places that you go and then get stuck with retail. OHHH The pain!!!

For more frugal ideas head over to Biblical Womanhood!

How Do You Make A 3D Picture?

Since it is backwards works for me Wednesday over at Rocks In My Dryer I am going to play along and ask for some help.

I saw a picture some time ago that I have been trying to figure out how to make and am asking help to see if anyone knows what it is and how to make it.

Here is the description as best as I can write it.

It was a large photo behind glass, framed as you normally would frame a picture. However there was several more layers on the glass. The flooring was cut out of other pictures and a layer put down flat on the glass, then another layer was added where there were pieces of the flooring on top of the flat layer. There were the same with the shoes etc, making everything with a 3 D look. The flared skirt had several layers and was actually flared off the glass.

The whole picture was 3D and looked so nice. I can't figure out what they used as it did not feel like regular decoupage.

Does anyone know what it is called and how to do it or where I can find out how to make it?

Thank you!

For more questions and answers hope on over to Rocks In My Dryer.

Happy Anniversary Rick!

It is my 3rd anniversary. I am married to the most wonderful man in the world and I love him dearly. He is a gem and I am so happy God brought him to me.

How are we celebrating our anniversary?

Let me tell you...

He is in Texas and I am in NC. Yes, my husband has sent me to see the kids. I will be here for a few days and then off to Maine for a few days. A wonderful gift from the kids and my hubby.

I made it here just fine and am enjoying my family. Lexi is entertaining. When asked if she wants to learn to walk she says no. Her mind is made up, no walking. I guess she is closer to the floor when she crawls.. just in case she falls. She is no dummy!

I will try to get some pictures and keep you informed as I travel, so, until next time, have a great day!!

So Much to Do So Little Time

It is Saturday, I leave Monday to go see the kids in NC and ME. I am so excited, I have so much to do to be ready and here I am doing my blog!

If you do not hear much from me over this next week it is because I will be away until the 14th. I will have some computer access, but will probably be too busy enjoying my family to write. Believe me, when I get back I will have stories and pictures.. oh yeah, as long as I remember to pack the camera!

This trip will be different than the others. I only have one week to see everybody, well the kids and grand kids, that are not in Texas. I will be spending from Monday till Thursday morning in NC with Jessica, Beauty from Chaos writer, and mama to Lexi. Then I will go to ME to see the family there.
My husband is on the left in this picture, but the rest are grand kids from ME. (The date is wrong, it was taken in August 2007) And, to answer you before you ask, no this is not all of the grand kids, there are two grown ones that are in ME but not in the picture and then 3 more here in Texas with a 4th due in March.

Blessed is the man with his quiver full! We are so blessed.

Reuse, Recycle, Remake

Part of being frugal is to try to recycle, reuse or remake what you already have. I am amazed at the creativeness some people have to do this. I can take simple things, like using coffee containers for cookies, leftovers etc. But when I see people using and reusing things I never would have thought to try I am awed.

There was a woman in one of our churches that loved our kids. She was an elderly woman and loved to sew. She would go to the goodwill or such places and buy huge ladies dresses. She would get them for about nothing or nothing and then cut them up and make my daughter the most beautiful clothes.

I have seen people make skirts out of jeans and purses out of jeans.

One of the ways we can all save money is to start looking for what we can do with things before we just chuck them out. I have a few sources that I would like to recommend.

How Can I Recycle This has many ideas for what you can do with things before throwing them. If you do not find what you are looking for write in and people will answer you. There is everything from extra cucumbers to old T-shirts.

Waste Nothing is a yahoo group where people share with one another on how to use everything. I have been amazed at the items that they find uses for and saves money.

The Tightwad Times is also a yahoo group that is connected with the tightwad gazette.

The Instructables is a website that has instructions for anything from the weird to fun to frugal.

I know there are many things we could be using and not tossing. I see what I throw away and know that much of it is money going in the garbage if I would just stop and find a way to reuse or remake what I have.

How about you? Do you reuse, remake, recycle? Hope over to Biblical Womanhood for more frugal ideas.