Here is copied my Facebook post this morning, "Interested in your thoughts on cell phones as well as internet. Seems like a lot of money goes towards these...just a cell phone for me with average minutes and texting (no data plan) is $68. Our cable TV/wireless internet bundle is $72, and we don't even really watch the TV (mainly use internet/Netflix). Any thoughts, suggestions, or tips on this regarding a way to save money or make improvements? We use Verizon for the phone and CenturyLink for the cable/internet bundle."
I'm paying bills today and feeling the need to re-evaluate where the money goes. If you have thoughts on this or any other money saving tips please share! I would love to collect advice and suggestions.
Thank you. Please have a great day and enjoy the sunshine albeit chilly weather (at least in our corner of the world).
Friday, November 8, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Thirteen for Thursday
Random catch-ups for the past week or so:
1. My mom harvested my loofah gourds this week, so now I have to figure out how to peel and dry them to make sponges. Hopefully some of them are ripe enough. We seem to have had a late season with the gourds, so they might not have matured before the first snow/frost.
2. Yes, we have a little dusting of snow on the deck and fenceposts!
3. Yesterday was the first day to turn on our furnace. My husband is in some kind of bragging rights contest at work. He won, although I wonder if he told them we run a space heater in the baby's room.
4. Exercise and weight loss around here have kind of plateaued. Actually, exercise still happens; but proper eating has been neglected.
5. Soap making is in full force. Holiday preparations are happening. Someday I would love to attend a few area craft fairs, but I've come to realize that this year is still not the right time.
6. The hunter/gatherer for the family has bagged one deer (doe) thus far. I believe we are in the midst of archery and early muzzleloader season.
7. We have a church dinner tomorrow night (celebrating Reformation Day), and a new recipe is to be attempted. White chili sounded like something tasty, so we'll see how it turns out! I'll prepare the chicken meat and broth today and then combine everything in the crockpot tomorrow.
8. I love this time of year because baking and cooking make the house a pleasant warm not a hot and sticky warm.
9. I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but my son told me that the only time he can accompany my husband in the hunting blind is if I pack him snacks!
10. My littlest one, Susanna, is going through the separation anxiety stage that the others experienced. It's sweet, but occasionally hard too.
11. Abigail is learning about being a good sport; the girl does not like to lose. So, my husband thought he would try some reverse psychology with her and let her win at checkers. He told her he was going to let her win, and made the game so obvious. At the end he asked her how that went (thinking that it was no fun to win that easily). She told him that she really enjoyed it, and that she really likes to win. So, we'll keep working on that.
12. Our dog is now the bionic dog. She has more collars: a gentle leader for walking on the leash, and electric collar for the underground fence around the yard, and an electric collar controlled by a remote for training. Yesterday I was trying to get out of the house to run errands, and the dog was bopping around in the yard with my mother-in-law's dog completely ignoring my "come". I'm buzzing the remote for her caller and just getting thoroughly frustrated because I.need.to.leave.now. I called my husband to complain, and he starts with, "is her collar on?" Oh. Right.
13. My kids are learning the joys of hot oatmeal for breakfast - especially when there is an array of toppings!! I wonder where they got such a sweet tooth....sigh.
Happy day to you!
1. My mom harvested my loofah gourds this week, so now I have to figure out how to peel and dry them to make sponges. Hopefully some of them are ripe enough. We seem to have had a late season with the gourds, so they might not have matured before the first snow/frost.
2. Yes, we have a little dusting of snow on the deck and fenceposts!
3. Yesterday was the first day to turn on our furnace. My husband is in some kind of bragging rights contest at work. He won, although I wonder if he told them we run a space heater in the baby's room.
4. Exercise and weight loss around here have kind of plateaued. Actually, exercise still happens; but proper eating has been neglected.
5. Soap making is in full force. Holiday preparations are happening. Someday I would love to attend a few area craft fairs, but I've come to realize that this year is still not the right time.
6. The hunter/gatherer for the family has bagged one deer (doe) thus far. I believe we are in the midst of archery and early muzzleloader season.
7. We have a church dinner tomorrow night (celebrating Reformation Day), and a new recipe is to be attempted. White chili sounded like something tasty, so we'll see how it turns out! I'll prepare the chicken meat and broth today and then combine everything in the crockpot tomorrow.
8. I love this time of year because baking and cooking make the house a pleasant warm not a hot and sticky warm.
9. I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but my son told me that the only time he can accompany my husband in the hunting blind is if I pack him snacks!
10. My littlest one, Susanna, is going through the separation anxiety stage that the others experienced. It's sweet, but occasionally hard too.
11. Abigail is learning about being a good sport; the girl does not like to lose. So, my husband thought he would try some reverse psychology with her and let her win at checkers. He told her he was going to let her win, and made the game so obvious. At the end he asked her how that went (thinking that it was no fun to win that easily). She told him that she really enjoyed it, and that she really likes to win. So, we'll keep working on that.
12. Our dog is now the bionic dog. She has more collars: a gentle leader for walking on the leash, and electric collar for the underground fence around the yard, and an electric collar controlled by a remote for training. Yesterday I was trying to get out of the house to run errands, and the dog was bopping around in the yard with my mother-in-law's dog completely ignoring my "come". I'm buzzing the remote for her caller and just getting thoroughly frustrated because I.need.to.leave.now. I called my husband to complain, and he starts with, "is her collar on?" Oh. Right.
13. My kids are learning the joys of hot oatmeal for breakfast - especially when there is an array of toppings!! I wonder where they got such a sweet tooth....sigh.
Happy day to you!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Updates on my Home Business
This post is about my business - making soaps and lotions for you! If you care to read no further, I will try not to hold it against you :)
Actually, I have been so blessed this year in reaching new customers, helping people soften and heal their skin, and develop a few new products for my shop. Thank you for your help in many ways: encouragement, actual purchasing of my things, referrals, and honest feedback. While I am home with my kids I am thankful for this time to pursue a hobby and help others too!
Since I am committed to only using pure essential oils in my products, you will not be seeing artificial perfumes and fragrances. I choose to add in herbs and spices that might naturally shade my items; there are no dyes and colorants added either. Where possible I use my own honey and local beeswax (my bees aren't making enough wax to harvest yet!) to further enhance the lotion bars and body butters. My goal is to provide an enjoyable product that you can use with confidence on your own and your family's skin.
I continue to make handmilled soaps (where I began), and I hope to get my soap into your home. Everybody needs to get clean, so would you consider a bar of my soap for your bath, shower (I even have shampoo bars and shaving soap), kitchen sink, or guest bathroom?
My solid lotion bars have received great feedback for healing AND preventing dry and cracked skin. Similarly, the lip balms have been soothing and refreshing.
This past year I have focused on the body butters; and this is such a joy. I fill the 4 oz jelly jars (so far I've liked using glass jars for their quality and the ability to recycle them for other purposes) with the butter. Yes, there is no water incorporated in my recipe; and I make small batches to keep things fresh and effective.
Lastly, sugar scrubs have been making an appearance around here. Upon special request from a customer, some recipes were researched and a few varieties (for the body and the feet) have been made. The scrubs really make a day feel a bit luxurious!
For the future, I hope to create some bath bombs. I am in the research phase for that. For my own family's use I have made diaper rash cream and sunscreen, so I'm looking into sharing that with you. A roll-on body oil (scented with essential oils) has also been in rotation at my bathroom sink....keep an eye out! I hope to continue with each of the products detailed above with even more ingredients coming from my own backyard (from the honey bees and from my herb garden). I'm blessed to have a wonderful supplier of highest quality essential oils and other great resources for my ingredients.
I could use your help in several ways, as my business continues to grow. The handmade community is a great place! First, please buy my things :) Each of my products is useful and, I hope, enjoyable. Also, everything makes great gift items (yes, even some things for guys!). Secondly, you can help me just by telling others about my things. I do have an etsy shop as well as a facebook page (links provided below) and my things for sale in a few physical locations. I love to sell to people around me (locally), so that I can talk and share and everything; but I appreciate being able to send my items far and wide too. My business cards are readily available if you would take some to distribute. Questions about the products or help with anything is provided through email, phone, or in-person demonstrations. My facebook page is very close to 200 "likes", and I will be having some kind of prize for someone at that point. I hope to continue that - providing little incentives and giveaways as a thank you. "Sharing" my facebook page is much appreciated as is following my etsy shop. Thirdly, I appreciate the feedback. It helps me further sharpen my skills and raise the bar higher and higher on my products' quality. I am learning so much!
Here are a few links:
Liberty Galleria - a wonderful store in Franklin, PA with a gathering of about 50 artisans and vendors.
Wolf Creek Yarns - a sweet yarn shop in Grove City, PA. Join us to knit on Thursday evenings!
My facebook business page - "likes" and "shares" are awesome!
My etsy shop - a comprehensive list of what I have on hand (contact me with special requests!)
Thank you for the wonderful words of support and encouragement. It is a true blessing to be able to share something that I love (both making and using) with you!
Actually, I have been so blessed this year in reaching new customers, helping people soften and heal their skin, and develop a few new products for my shop. Thank you for your help in many ways: encouragement, actual purchasing of my things, referrals, and honest feedback. While I am home with my kids I am thankful for this time to pursue a hobby and help others too!
Since I am committed to only using pure essential oils in my products, you will not be seeing artificial perfumes and fragrances. I choose to add in herbs and spices that might naturally shade my items; there are no dyes and colorants added either. Where possible I use my own honey and local beeswax (my bees aren't making enough wax to harvest yet!) to further enhance the lotion bars and body butters. My goal is to provide an enjoyable product that you can use with confidence on your own and your family's skin.
I continue to make handmilled soaps (where I began), and I hope to get my soap into your home. Everybody needs to get clean, so would you consider a bar of my soap for your bath, shower (I even have shampoo bars and shaving soap), kitchen sink, or guest bathroom?
My solid lotion bars have received great feedback for healing AND preventing dry and cracked skin. Similarly, the lip balms have been soothing and refreshing.
This past year I have focused on the body butters; and this is such a joy. I fill the 4 oz jelly jars (so far I've liked using glass jars for their quality and the ability to recycle them for other purposes) with the butter. Yes, there is no water incorporated in my recipe; and I make small batches to keep things fresh and effective.
Lastly, sugar scrubs have been making an appearance around here. Upon special request from a customer, some recipes were researched and a few varieties (for the body and the feet) have been made. The scrubs really make a day feel a bit luxurious!
For the future, I hope to create some bath bombs. I am in the research phase for that. For my own family's use I have made diaper rash cream and sunscreen, so I'm looking into sharing that with you. A roll-on body oil (scented with essential oils) has also been in rotation at my bathroom sink....keep an eye out! I hope to continue with each of the products detailed above with even more ingredients coming from my own backyard (from the honey bees and from my herb garden). I'm blessed to have a wonderful supplier of highest quality essential oils and other great resources for my ingredients.
I could use your help in several ways, as my business continues to grow. The handmade community is a great place! First, please buy my things :) Each of my products is useful and, I hope, enjoyable. Also, everything makes great gift items (yes, even some things for guys!). Secondly, you can help me just by telling others about my things. I do have an etsy shop as well as a facebook page (links provided below) and my things for sale in a few physical locations. I love to sell to people around me (locally), so that I can talk and share and everything; but I appreciate being able to send my items far and wide too. My business cards are readily available if you would take some to distribute. Questions about the products or help with anything is provided through email, phone, or in-person demonstrations. My facebook page is very close to 200 "likes", and I will be having some kind of prize for someone at that point. I hope to continue that - providing little incentives and giveaways as a thank you. "Sharing" my facebook page is much appreciated as is following my etsy shop. Thirdly, I appreciate the feedback. It helps me further sharpen my skills and raise the bar higher and higher on my products' quality. I am learning so much!
Here are a few links:
Liberty Galleria - a wonderful store in Franklin, PA with a gathering of about 50 artisans and vendors.
Wolf Creek Yarns - a sweet yarn shop in Grove City, PA. Join us to knit on Thursday evenings!
My facebook business page - "likes" and "shares" are awesome!
My etsy shop - a comprehensive list of what I have on hand (contact me with special requests!)
Thank you for the wonderful words of support and encouragement. It is a true blessing to be able to share something that I love (both making and using) with you!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
How do you Like Your Eggs?
This morning my kids discovered the joys of a "dippy egg" otherwise known as an egg cooked "over light". We haven't quite ventured into sunny side up territory, but first one child, then another, then a third ate at least one dippy egg today. The baby still cannot be trusted with something messy.
So, our egg repertoire includes: scrambled, hard-boiled, fried hard or over light, and egg salad. Next to try is poached eggs - I've been reading about methods where you don't need the little cups.
How do you cook your eggs? We have plenty coming in now, and we are up for new ideas.
Oh! I almost forgot the ever-popular egg in a hole! We do enjoy a fried egg inside a fried piece of bread (hole or nest).
Happy Thursday to you!
So, our egg repertoire includes: scrambled, hard-boiled, fried hard or over light, and egg salad. Next to try is poached eggs - I've been reading about methods where you don't need the little cups.
How do you cook your eggs? We have plenty coming in now, and we are up for new ideas.
Oh! I almost forgot the ever-popular egg in a hole! We do enjoy a fried egg inside a fried piece of bread (hole or nest).
Happy Thursday to you!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Overflowing
Lots of little things have been irritating this week (don't even get me started on the skein of yarn from a different dye lot), so I want to go in the opposite direction. Here are some things that are just a blessing and a joy:
1. Our church family - we are surrounded by love and prayer from these dear folk.
2. Our 4 sweet children - they are hilarious with their nonstop ideas and conversations! "It would be hard to get a cheetah while it's running, right?" Just came up.
3. Fresh eggs every day from our flock of hens.
4. Protection and care of our health and strength.
5. A pantry full of ingredients; the choices!
6. A beautiful area of the country to live in - the leaves are just about to change!
7. Parents/Grandparents that pray for us.
8. Two little girls that still take afternoon naps and give a bit of quiet time.
9. So many good books to read - a whole lifetime of reading just doesn't even scratch the surface!
10. The internet with so many recipes and ideas to be discovered.
1. Our church family - we are surrounded by love and prayer from these dear folk.
2. Our 4 sweet children - they are hilarious with their nonstop ideas and conversations! "It would be hard to get a cheetah while it's running, right?" Just came up.
3. Fresh eggs every day from our flock of hens.
4. Protection and care of our health and strength.
5. A pantry full of ingredients; the choices!
6. A beautiful area of the country to live in - the leaves are just about to change!
7. Parents/Grandparents that pray for us.
8. Two little girls that still take afternoon naps and give a bit of quiet time.
9. So many good books to read - a whole lifetime of reading just doesn't even scratch the surface!
10. The internet with so many recipes and ideas to be discovered.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Five for Friday
1. My dad had a surgery this week to install a medicine pump in his abdomen. Hopefully this medicine will help with the stiffness and soreness on his left side (the result of his stroke a few years back). He is doing well, and I was able to visit him at his rehab facility this week. Praise God for watching over him.
2. A couple of weeks ago (before dad's surgery) our family was able to go to the fair! The Big Knob Fair was perfect for us - animals to see and ice cream to be eaten. Here are a couple shots of the kids and the animals. The baby is hard to see, but you can get an idea of one of her favorite modes of transportation.
3. Homeschool is going well. Jacob actually said he loved school when he was in the middle of his math page yesterday! Abigail is enjoying her piano lessons too (nothing like saving money by giving the lesson myself!). During the school hours before naptime, it is not uncommon to see this:
The baby particularly enjoys visiting in the dog cage. She takes her books, toys, snacks, whatever in there!
4. Our chickens have really started to produce. We've been up to 9 eggs a day so far (I think we might get to 11-12) soon!
5. This is site of my chaos yesterday:
I have some of my products for sale at a local store, and that store is having an open house on Saturday. I needed to make lots of lotion bars and body butters yesterday, so this is my counter and stove area. It smelled so good! I also played around with some of my beeswax (from a local beekeeper because my one hive doesn't produce enough) in a jar candle. Anyone dealt with shrinkage and beeswax as it cools?
Happy weekending to you all!!
2. A couple of weeks ago (before dad's surgery) our family was able to go to the fair! The Big Knob Fair was perfect for us - animals to see and ice cream to be eaten. Here are a couple shots of the kids and the animals. The baby is hard to see, but you can get an idea of one of her favorite modes of transportation.
3. Homeschool is going well. Jacob actually said he loved school when he was in the middle of his math page yesterday! Abigail is enjoying her piano lessons too (nothing like saving money by giving the lesson myself!). During the school hours before naptime, it is not uncommon to see this:
The baby particularly enjoys visiting in the dog cage. She takes her books, toys, snacks, whatever in there!
4. Our chickens have really started to produce. We've been up to 9 eggs a day so far (I think we might get to 11-12) soon!
5. This is site of my chaos yesterday:
I have some of my products for sale at a local store, and that store is having an open house on Saturday. I needed to make lots of lotion bars and body butters yesterday, so this is my counter and stove area. It smelled so good! I also played around with some of my beeswax (from a local beekeeper because my one hive doesn't produce enough) in a jar candle. Anyone dealt with shrinkage and beeswax as it cools?
Happy weekending to you all!!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Weekend Recap and Such
Today is the soft opening of homeschool; tomorrow is the grand opening. We are celebrating my parents' anniversary today. What better way to mark 37 years than with homemade peach pie and homemade whipped cream?
Our summer ended with a bang. We squeezed every last drop of fun out of our long weekend. We sure do miss Big Fish when he goes to work!
Last Friday night we enjoyed dinner with friends. I am always impressed when somebody invites our family of 6 over! We enjoyed dinner, dessert, and a stroll around the grounds (their backyard has a swingset and a little garden with the most exciting crop of butternut squash on a trellis!). Friends are fun, and we are thankful for them and their fellowship.
Saturday was Fair Day! We had off to the Big Knob Grange Fair. Highlights included: a super friendly baby calf, a honeybee observation hive, teaching my kids the rules of the tractor pull, and wonderful strawberry and raspberry milkshakes for the kids. One attraction to this particular fair was the free admission. We had a nice morning of walking around with my parents. We were quite the caravan with a wheelchair, a stroller, and a baby in the backpack! Jacob did ask me why the rabbits had so many chocolate chips in their cages!
Sunday was church, communion, and a much needed nap for many of us. We were blessed with record attendance at our little country church. We had many college students from Grove City, so it will be exciting to make new friends.
Yesterday Big Fish and I tag teamed. He took Jacob for a father/son outing in the morning while I did some cleaning and laundry, and I took Abigail for a mother/daughter outing while Big Fish fixed dinner and hooked up my Kindle to the wireless network. I say "hooked up" because I really don't know what he did to get it to work!
The father/son outing was an early morning of fishing and breakfast out. This was Jacob's first experience fishing like daddy. Usually they fish at a pond when the kids are involved. Daddy likes to wade and fish a stream, so Jacob is learning the ropes. He had fun and didn't even fall in. I asked him if he saw any wildlife; he said, "not even a raccoon!" I think Jacob may talk a little and scare the animals :)
Abigail and I did many things! We went out to lunch at her choice of restaurant....the Chinese buffet! We are fancy, folks. I enjoyed watching her eat boiled crayfish, shrimp, squid, chicken on a stick, and some sushi rolls. At 7 years old, she seems to take after daddy's adventurous eating habits. Since the buffet is in the mall we strolled to the other end and picked up some hair elastics for the girls to share. Then we hopped in the car, picked up a cold drink from a drive-thru, and headed to the playground. Alameda Park in Butler has a nice outdoor playground - large, cushioned outdoor flooring, and lots of slides and climbing wall type things. Abigail enjoyed boppping around while I walked with her a bit and also did a little knitting. Then we headed to Panera and did a little reading and knitting (Abigail is learning!). Finally we picked up a few essentials at the grocery store - you know, the necessary butter and whipping cream that we all need. Actually, we needed these things for the peach pie.
After arriving home, we had a nice regrouping of the family over a big dinner of grilled chicken, cheesy spinach, and rice. I think we all slept soundly last night; I know I did!
Hope you all had a happy time with friends and family this past weekend!
Our summer ended with a bang. We squeezed every last drop of fun out of our long weekend. We sure do miss Big Fish when he goes to work!
Last Friday night we enjoyed dinner with friends. I am always impressed when somebody invites our family of 6 over! We enjoyed dinner, dessert, and a stroll around the grounds (their backyard has a swingset and a little garden with the most exciting crop of butternut squash on a trellis!). Friends are fun, and we are thankful for them and their fellowship.
Saturday was Fair Day! We had off to the Big Knob Grange Fair. Highlights included: a super friendly baby calf, a honeybee observation hive, teaching my kids the rules of the tractor pull, and wonderful strawberry and raspberry milkshakes for the kids. One attraction to this particular fair was the free admission. We had a nice morning of walking around with my parents. We were quite the caravan with a wheelchair, a stroller, and a baby in the backpack! Jacob did ask me why the rabbits had so many chocolate chips in their cages!
Sunday was church, communion, and a much needed nap for many of us. We were blessed with record attendance at our little country church. We had many college students from Grove City, so it will be exciting to make new friends.
Yesterday Big Fish and I tag teamed. He took Jacob for a father/son outing in the morning while I did some cleaning and laundry, and I took Abigail for a mother/daughter outing while Big Fish fixed dinner and hooked up my Kindle to the wireless network. I say "hooked up" because I really don't know what he did to get it to work!
The father/son outing was an early morning of fishing and breakfast out. This was Jacob's first experience fishing like daddy. Usually they fish at a pond when the kids are involved. Daddy likes to wade and fish a stream, so Jacob is learning the ropes. He had fun and didn't even fall in. I asked him if he saw any wildlife; he said, "not even a raccoon!" I think Jacob may talk a little and scare the animals :)
Abigail and I did many things! We went out to lunch at her choice of restaurant....the Chinese buffet! We are fancy, folks. I enjoyed watching her eat boiled crayfish, shrimp, squid, chicken on a stick, and some sushi rolls. At 7 years old, she seems to take after daddy's adventurous eating habits. Since the buffet is in the mall we strolled to the other end and picked up some hair elastics for the girls to share. Then we hopped in the car, picked up a cold drink from a drive-thru, and headed to the playground. Alameda Park in Butler has a nice outdoor playground - large, cushioned outdoor flooring, and lots of slides and climbing wall type things. Abigail enjoyed boppping around while I walked with her a bit and also did a little knitting. Then we headed to Panera and did a little reading and knitting (Abigail is learning!). Finally we picked up a few essentials at the grocery store - you know, the necessary butter and whipping cream that we all need. Actually, we needed these things for the peach pie.
After arriving home, we had a nice regrouping of the family over a big dinner of grilled chicken, cheesy spinach, and rice. I think we all slept soundly last night; I know I did!
Hope you all had a happy time with friends and family this past weekend!
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