Wishing For Pine Needles

{this moment}

Joining Soulemama today in.....

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

 

Introducing ...

Lena Jane

8 pounds, 10 ounces
20 inches

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
Psalm 127:3

Dates With My Girls

 

Oh, how fun it is to spend time alone with each one of these girls of mine who have so much to say, especially to their mama's undivided listening ear.  It's amazing what kind of conversations can be had  just one-on-one, and how much they open up when no one else is around.  It's a sharing of secrets, really.

 

 

In the midst of a life that gets busier by the moment, I hope to always find one-on-one time with each of these special gals.

 

 

Just me and my girls.  One at a time.

Flour Sack Monday: October Grocery Challenge 2

Joining up with Heather again for the October Grocery Challenge!  (And might I emphasize the word 'challenge...')

Things are different here right now.  With a baby due any minute, cooking and managing the kitchen just isn't as appealing.  I'm afraid my mismanagement has led my poor husband to the store on a couple different occasions to "pick up" this or that.  He's always happy to do it and I love him for it!  But I'm afraid it does lead to a little bleeding in our budget because, you see, he always manages to also "pick up" several items that weren't necessarily on the list.  Hmmmm.

All that being said, we did manage to meet two of the three goals I set last week....

Banana bread was made!

Applesauce was made!

(Sadly, the pesto did not get made.)

Using up fruits and vegetables that are on the way to rotting is one of my favorite ways to elongate their life while providing yummy treats for us here.  I have learned that things don't have to be made in huge batches, either.  Although it's nice to do so, it's also nice to use up what you just happen to have leftover.  Peeling a couple pounds of apples doesn't take that much time! 

Even two loaves of banana bread and one-and-a-half jars of applesauce will provide breakfast and lunch for a few days.

As of last week, we had already spent $307.36, leaving us with $92.64 for the month of October.  My husband's two grocery trip added up to $54.27.

This leaves us only $38.37 for the remainder of the month!  Somehow, I don't think we'll make our original $400 goal, but we'll still try our best.

We have, however, already been delivered some 'baby meals,' which is fantastic considering our baby hasn't been born yet.  (Aren't my friends wonderful?!)  These delicious meals not only are a true blessing and a treat, but they also may help that $38.37 stretch just a little bit further.

Oh, and I almost forgot.  Make that $33.37 that we have left.  I must include the $5 to my friend for a jar of her amazing maple syrup that she and her husband tap themselves.

(Totally worth it!!)

Anyone else want to share their October grocery stories?

 

 

{this moment}

Joining Soulemama today in.....

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

 

 

 

 

 

The Makings of a Prairie Girl

Next week, this oldest girl of mine will celebrate the reading of Little House on the Prairie with a day of good, old-fashioned fun.  Her class at school will visit a log cabin, play games and make crafts from the pioneer era, sing prairie songs, and even eat lunches of corn bread, bacon, cheese, potatoes and other Little House fixin's. 

So, of course, she needed a new dress for the occasion! 

After blowing the dust off of my sewing machine (ahem), I set out to make a prairie girl dress using McCall's 9424.  I was thrilled to come upon a couple of quiet hours to myself which resulted in some speedy progress.

I'm pleased to say that the first part of the dress turned out just fine!

(The best news is that she really likes it!)

I still need to add a button here and there and then move onto making the pinafore.  Stay tuned for the completed costume and other goings on from prairie day festivities!

 

Getting Ready...

 

 

is so much fun!!!

(Hoping to share some happy news with you very soon!)

Flour Sack Monday: October Grocery Challenge

For the remainder of the month, I will be joining Heather at Beauty That Moves in a grocery challenge.  Heather's challenge to herself is to spend as little as possible while making it as "whole food" as possible and to move away from living off of what is already in the pantry. 

Here, that won't be entirely the case.  While I do strive to cook with many fresh ingredients, I also rely on what is in my pantry and the stockpile of food items that I have built up.  And although we eat as organically as we can, I'll be the first to admit that not everything we consume is of the "whole" foods variety.

Heather has set a $400 budget for her family and I plan to try that, too.  In the past we've combined all household/personal/pet expenses in the monthly gorcery budget, but for the purposes of this challenge I plan to separate that out and just report on the actual cost of the food we buy.

So....drum roll....so far we've spent $307.36.  Wow.  I suppose the good news for us is that I have already purchased meat for the month, so the rest of my budget will mainly be for produce and dairy.  Only $92.64 left.  Think I can make it?

Some goals for the week:

-To make pesto with this lovely basil before it wilts up....

and to serve my family some homemade applesauce and fresh banana bread!

Anyone in interested in joining in?

{this moment}

Joining Soulemama today in.....

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

 

Hurray for Fall....and Pumpkin Milkshakes!

 

I love Fall because of.....

-warm drinks
-so many colors
-marshmallows
-bonfires
-sweaters
-caramel and apples, together or not
-hayrides
-baking
-chilly mornings
-nestling in
-and pumpkin milkshakes!

Pumpkin Milkshakes

2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup milk
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
whipped cream and extra pumpkin pie spice for topping

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.  Pour into glasses and top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice if desired.  Serves 4 approximately.

(from Cooking Light, adapted by me)

What do you love about Fall?