L~O~V~E~!

Happy Valentines Day~!

I hope you have a wonderful day planned with the ones that you love!

In thinking of Relationships,  it's easy to have expectations  of what we seemingly desire a relationship to be like instead of just enjoying the relationship we are in. 

It's so easy to walk away dissapointed in our marriages when we see impossible expectations all around us.  Isn't it so much easier to enjoy and live with what we have rather than focusing on what we don't?  Living in contentment really is a great gain even in matters of the heart!

When my husband nearly died,  I saw our relationship through new eyes. 

He might have not loved me exactly the way that I wanted, but he did love me in so many way that I had never seen!   I had put very little value on his way of loving me and it saddens me to know that I discounted his love and overlooked it. 

It truly opened my eyes and made me appreciate of him like I had never been. 

Love comes in many different packages and sings a differents song in so many different keys!  There are so many songs of love and expressions of love!   Mine will never look like yours and yours will never look like mine!  Our life and love relationships deserve to be relished and enjoyed, instead of being filled with dissapointment, scrutinized and being picked apart!   

Life is short! 

Let's enjoy our LOVE!

Happy Valentines Day to my sweet husband Dave!  I love you more each day and am so appreciative of everything you do for me!  You are my greatest earthly treasure and I love you with all of my heart! 

And I can't help but mention about the greatest love story ever told! 

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  ~  John 4:10

Linking up with A Favorite Thing at Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Our Everyday Cost Cutting Strategies to Save Money~!

We're trying to save money wherever we possibly can and I decided to write down all of the ways I've been trying to be frugal~  aaanddd...here they are.  I've put a *** by all the ones we are implementing and hopefully soon more will be added.  This is an ongoing work and we always want to try new things!  If you have any other ideas please comment~  I'd love to hear them!  

Cut your dryer sheets in half.  Better yet, make your own homemade dryer sheets!

Cut sponges in half.  (will do this my next sponge!)

***Make your own bread.  It’s tastier and cheaper!

***Shop Second Hand for clothing.  It’s a~MAY~zing!

***Make a price book to compare costs of groceries at different stores.

***Decorate on a Dime!  Forget retail and go thrift. 
It might take longer to complete but it’s SO worth the challenge and money you will save!

***Make food from scratch.  Those packages that sell in the meat department with all the veggies and meat you need in one package?  Skip them!  They cost more.   Make your own hamburger helper~like foods from scratch. 

***Shop Loss Leaders.

***Skip processed food~  it’s expensive. 

***Make your own laundry detergent.

***Make your own homemade cleaners.

***Use your freezer.  Buy meat on sale and then freeze it.

***Freeze Milk.  Smaller containers are usually more expensive than a half gallon. 
Buy a gallon and freeze half. 

***Make your own soup from scratch instead of buying a can.  It's more healthy and tastier!

***Make a grocery budget and stick to it.  Don’t overspend.  If you fall short this week you can always get that item next week.  It will all even out. 

***Buy Generic Brands.

***Don’t drive all over town to shop sales.  With the cost of gas it really adds up. 
Use 3 or 4 grocery store/outlets closest to you.

***Drink Water.  I know this one is hard, but how many glasses of water do I drink daily, weekly, monthly?  How does that amount compare to what I should be drinking?  How much money can I save if I skip soda pop and other expensive drinks? 

***Eat at home and have food prepared so you're not tempted to eat out.  Preperation saves the day!

***Eating out?  Skip the drink and get water instead.  Your bill will be much cheaper if you order a burger and fries alacarte.  It's also more healthy!

***Stop buying trash can liners for smaller trash receptacles.  Use your plastic bags that come from the grocery store and other shopping.  

***My friend told me this and it was something that I didn't know about!  Whenever we drive by/go by Wal~Mart we stop in an buy a gift card and we put our 'gas money' on the card.   We use it to pay for our gas and save 3 cents a gallon!   We're usually in the store anyhow and the gas station and Walmart are in the same parking lot so it's pretty convenient.  Walmart has the cheapest gas in our area.  So far we've saved $1.25. 

Who knows how much money we'll be able to save? 

 

Cream of Broccoli Soup

This soup was born out of a head of broccoli that was in the fridge needing to be used quickly! 

It is so much more tastier AND healthier than the cream soups you will find at a local restaurant. 

It also packs more punch in fiber and has so much more broccoli in it! 

I hope to try this with cawliflower in the future.  I've tried my best to come up with measurements on this but it's a pretty indefinite recipe depending on how large your broccoli size is. 

I'm sure it will work well smaller or larger! 

Oil

1 large bunch of broccoli 

5 Tbsp of flour (or 6 if you like thicker soup)

6 Tsp Chicken Bouillon

3 cups Milk

3 cups water

Cream Cheese

Chop up onion~

Saute in oil till golden brown. 

Cut the stem off the broccoli and discard.   Run the broccoli through a food processor.  If you don't have a processor just chop it up.  Your end result will probably be much chunkier. 

Add broccoli to pot.  Add more oil and saute broccoli. 

Add about 5 spoons (Tbsp) of flour. 

Over medium heat stir flour in and cook till the flour mixture starts to stick on the bottom and turns brown.  The flour will thicken the soup later on when liquids are added. 

Add 6 tsp of chicken bouillon.  (1 tsp for every cup of liquid that will be added later)

Stir broth in.  Add 3 cups of milk and 3 cups water. 

Keep heat on medium and cook till thickened. 

Add 1 block of cream cheese and stir till melted and warmed through. 

Yummy with homemade bread!

Enjoy!

By the way,  I've tried this with grated cheese and it the texture wasn't as good as the cream cheese. 

I say cream cheese for sure! 

Linking with Sunny Simple Sunday Link Up Party

Homemade One Hour White Bread

This bread takes about 30 minutes to prepare and to clean up not including the rise and bake time.

  It’s very easy to put together.

5 ½ cup bread flour (I use regular and never go over 5 cups of flower)
1 ½ tsp salt
  2-4 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ Tbsp yeast
  1 ½ Tbsp oil
  2 cups water at 120 degrees

In bowl add warm water and yeast. Let yeast sit in water till yeast is proofed~ about ten minutes. Add oil.  Add salt and flour bit by bit till well mixed. Hand knead in last bit of flour to incorporate. Separate into two loaves. Let rise for 30 minutes and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for exactly 25 minutes at 350..

  I LOVE this bread and the texture is absolutely perfect. It’s a wonderful bread to serve with dinner but the loaves are rather small.   To make sandwich bread I have increased the yeast to 2 Tbsp and it bakes up higher and larger. I prefer the less yeast so it’s really a toss up as to what I’m making the bread for. Here are 2 examples of the breads I made with the varying amounts of yeast.

The Breath of Life

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

What strikes me most about this scripture is man's dependance on the Lord.

Without Him we have no breath.

No life.

Nothing.

Nada.

Without Him we are just a lump of clay.

Dirt.

That can be quite a humiliating thought... that we are like that dirt without Him.

But it's true.

Lifeless and formless.

How eye opening!

When God breathed his breath of life into our nostrils we became a living soul.

Praise the Lord!

Every Day.

Every Hour.
We need Him for every breath we take!

God, Every second and every breath you allow me to breath the breath of life.

Each and every breath you allow my lungs to expand and deflate!

My life is a gift from you and I want to be thankful for every inhalation and exhalation.

God, help me to not be dependant on my own works and accomplishments.

Your breath of life in my nostrils is so valuable.

Help me to live every moment to the fullest and give glory to you.

Homemade Glass Cleaner

I tried my hand at making homemade Glass Cleaner last week.  I've just started using it and find that it doesn't 'dry' as fast as a commercial cleaner would so I added more alcohol to remedy that. 

Empty gallon jug (Mine is an recycled OJ container)

Ammonia

Isopropyl rubbing alcohol

Dawn

dish detergent (not shown) 

Fill the empty gallon jug 1/2 full of water.Fill the half gallon jug half full of water.  Add 1/2 cup ammonia and 16 ounces of alcohol. Add 1 tsp. Dawn and fill with water till full. 

Sharing at The Thrifty Home

Organizing~ How much should it cost?

I've had this brewing in my mind and heart for a while...  How much should 'organizing' cost? 

I've seen many bloggers and vloggers go 'all out' in organizing and spend a TON of money on getting their house in order.  While that might be fine for them,  I just don't have the expendable money to buy hundreds of dollars in organizer doo~dads even though honestly I'd LOVE to!     Sometimes it can be disheartening to watch those videos because we feel that we have to have certain tools to be succesful.  I disagree entirely!  I am not saying that I haven't spent any money but I am trying to be as frugal as possible.  I think that organizing can cost NOTHING or NEXT TO NOTHING.   The main purpose of being organized is to help us better manage life, our finances, and help identify potential savings opportunities.  Organizing helps us save money!

Here are a few tips for organizing that cost nothing (or next to nothing) and go a LONG ways~

Clutter~ get rid of it!   This is the biggest deterrent in having an organized home.   I can't stress how important it is to declutter!!!   It might take a year OR MORE to get your home entirely decluttered and even after you are finished, it will be something that you have to keep up on a daily basis.  Try doing 15 minutes a day~  it REALLY does work!    Clutter is equal to Chaos and getting rid of it really does so much for our well being!

There are a few great questions to ask yourself about those items that you suspect might be
clutter but don't want to part with.

Do I love it?  (If you don't get rid of it!)

  Do I use it frequently enough to justify keeping it? 

Have I used it in the past year? 

Does it help me feel more peaceful?

I can't stress enough how much more I am at peace since the clutter is GONE from my life. 
It is completely liberating!!! 

Take a Picture~ Another thing I do is take a picture of my rooms.  There are SO many things that I MISS when I look at my rooms because I am used to what I see in everyday life.  But when I take a picture I am able to see with new eyes.  I recently took pics of underneath my kitchen cupboard and wasn't aware of the stain on the back of the sink wall.  But having that in a picture made me sit up and take notice how bad it looked.  Pull out your digital camera and take a picture of all the rooms in your home.  Even the garage and basement and wherever your 'stashing' area is.  A picture is worth far more in helping us see things that we normally don't see!  (It even helps in decorating!) 

Reuse~  I've made my own homemade laundry detergent and could have bought a fancy schmancy container with a spigot on the end to easily pour it in a cup every time I do laundry. 
Instead I chose to save that money and recycle the containers from the Dole Juice we love to buy.  They are thick plastic and can be reused many times over.

Saving cereal boxes and cutting them down to make dividers in drawers for silverware is easily done at no cost. 

Go Thrift Store Shopping~  I love Thrift Store Shopping!  There are some things that I do buy retail, but everytime I go retail I am usually in sticker shock!  I have found wonderful things thrifting that are great in keeping me in my budget.  It takes determination, patience and sometimes just being in the right place at the right time, but it is so worth it!  There are gems waiting to be found!

Don't go Thrift Store Shopping~  I know!  First I recomend Thrift Store Shopping and now I say DON'T go Thrift Store Shopping!  In trying to be frugal and maintaining a clutter free home,  I REALLY try to be choosy in what I buy.  It's so easy to justify a purchase only because it is a few dollars, but those add up quickly and I soon can have a closetfull/house full of J-U-N-K. 

While thrifting, I keep myself asking a variation of the questions listed above while I shop.
Will I truly love it? Will I really wear it?

Will I use it/wear it frequently enough to justify buying it?

Is it timeless or a fad that is shortlived?
Will it boost my self-confidence when I wear it?
Does it flatter me or make me look less than great?

If I display this in my home, will it help me feel more peaceful or just add to the chaos?

So, there you have it!  Organizing can cost as much, or as little, as you want it too! Before spending money, I'd focus on the clutter and take it from there.  Or at least keep spending at a minimum. 
It really is a wonderful journey that is so liberating!

 I hope you've enjoyed this post!  It really has helped me by putting it in writing!

Sharing at The Thrifty Home.   

Broken Bones Still Rejoicing

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  -Psalm 51:8

Haven't we all known sorrow?  Who hasn't fell on bad times?  Those difficult times can be a turning point in our faith.   We can either grow from those experiences and be thankful or we can become bitter at life, those around us, and at a God who is still merciful in the midst of all of our sorrow. 

 

In the past 3 years,  I've lost my my niece, my Mother, my sister (a month after my Mom died) and then had a short reprieve.  Less than a year ago my husband nearly died and had 3 aneurysms and one of them hemmoraghed.  He hung between the balance of life and death and it was the most harrowing experience of my life knowing that I might not have my life partner with me.  Between my hubby's first and second brain surgeries, my father passed away and I had to go clear out his home so his affairs could be taken care of.   It hasn't been easy.  At all.  But God is faithful. 

 

Many people will say that God will not give you any more than can handle but I disagree with that.  God gives us things that are unsurmountable on our own.  I couldn't have handled any of the above in my own strength.  It was His grace, His love and His Strength that propelled me forward and helped me to tackle getting up and mustering up strength to take on the day.  It was during those times that I found His presence more precious than ever and that He was truly carrying me.  I felt His love in a way like no other. 

 

I had no strength.  I was broken.  But in the midst of this I saw that my broken bones can still rejoice. 

 

How about you friend?  Are you Hurting?  Is Life Difficult? Are you Broken?  Your broken bones can still rejoice!  In the midst of chaos His presence is near. 

The only way to learn a strong faith is to endure great trials. We learn faith by standing firm amid the most severe of tests. —George Mueller

 

"Blessings"

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
~ Laura Story

Under the Sink Organization

We have limited space underneath our kitchen sink so bringing the most used cleaning items to the front is definitely helpful for a quick wipedown of the sink or a swish and swipe of the bathroom! 

I found an old tension hanger in the basement (that we're cleaning out!) and decided to put it to work. I've put the spray bottles hanging on the rod making more room for other things to be within an arms reach.

Yes, I do need a new one because this one is bowed in the middle but you get the gyst. 

Isn't that a great idea? 

Sorry about the water damage under kitchen sink.  It really is clean and needs a coat of paint!

Just keeping it real folks.  Keeping it real!

Sharing at The Thrifty Home.