A Simple Way To Make A Difference

I'm always looking for more value for my money. Cheap groceries, clothes at deep discount, or ways to cut back on the costs of family entertainment. But some things are always more valuable than others. People always matter more than things. With that in mind, I point you to this video. Today was the launch of a campaign called 5 Dollars In 5 Days.

Safe Harbor is a local organization in the Upstate that cares for victims of domestic violence. Please watch this video and consider joining the cause.

Five Ways To Simplify Your Christmas

1. Decorate minimally. A few lights and ornaments go a long way. We limit our holiday decorations to one large Rubbermaid bin. (Aside from the tree itself, of course.)
2. Be selective about holiday activities. Discuss what events are meaningful to each member of your family. Then say "no" to the extra invites.
3. Turn off the TV. The glow of the Christmas lights are great ambiance for cuddling up to read a great story.
4. Cook easy recipes. Now is the time for a pot of soup and popcorn.
5. Buy less. This year we let our children pick a gift from Samaritan's Purse Christmas Gift Catalog. We bought less for them and are giving a gift in their honor to a child that needs basic essentials.

Where Ornaments Go to Die

Have you ever noticed the back of a Christmas tree?

The rear of the tree is where all the ugly ornaments go to die. Well, not really die, just hide. All of us have them: the tacky dough ornament that was an unwanted gift even the day it was opened, the souvenir ornament from Aunt Gertrude’s stop in Dolly Wood 12 years ago, the handmade pipe cleaner and clothespin reindeer from your third grade Sunday school Christmas party (yours never looked like the teacher’s example.)

There is a guilty feeling that washes over each person as they bring out the Christmas trimmings. Those ornaments we all wish didn’t exist, but we are stuck staring at year after year. Why can’t we just throw them away? Or donate them? There’s just a twinge in one’s gut that says, “You must hold on to this. It is a Christmas treasure. If you toss it, you will lose the Spirit of Christmas Past.”

And so it goes, we find the least visible branch. We unwrap that bane and place it gingerly on the unnoticed bough. “Well, I paid homage this year,” you say to yourself as you wish you had not been so gentile with that horrid memento.

“Next year I’ll let the two year old help me with the back of the tree decorations…First I’ll load her with sugar, then I’ll dance with her until she’s dizzy in the living room, then I’ll moisturize her hands, then ask her to put it as high as she can reach… All of this I’ll watch with loving, careful supervision…in hopes that the dough ornament will find a crumbly end.”

How is it that the accidental breaking of an unwanted ornament is easier on the psyche than the passing on of such items? It just seems more honorable to bear this burden until the burden no longer exists.

Next time you go to a friend’s house, take the time to inspect the wall-facing portion of the largest Christmas decoration. (Then secretly gift your unaware buddy with one of your own back bough beauties!)

So Mini Things to Read

You may not feel you have time for a book, but everyone has time for an article. Here are five links to quick reads on decluttering. If your interest is piqued, you may be surprised at what you can find at the library on this topic.

1. Where Do I Start? OrganizedHome.com
   
2. How to Declutter Flylady
   
3. Ten Ways to Declutter Your Home Peter Walsh
   
4. The Clutter Control Rules Jeff Campbell
5. Interview with Don Aslett, Author of Clutter's Last Stand Sarah Aguirre
   

'Tis the season to be simple!

How quickly the fall goes by! We are on the cusp of Thanksgiving, and the holiday pace will snowball from there. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, no one wants to replace celebration with chaos. But, how do we keep that from happening? It takes conscious effort. Forethought is helpful.

In the Fall of 2001, I went on a women's retreat where I received a helpful list of stress tips from speaker Lynn Fagerstrom. I have included many of her best tips here.

• Be realistic about your expectations. Don’t set unrealistic goals for yourself. Start early to plan for the holiday rush and keep your levels of activities attainable. Know when to say “no.”

• Get ready at night. Take a few minutes to prepare your clothes, organize your purse, fill the coffee pot or whatever you can do to make “tomorrow” easier.

• Fill it up! Make it a personal rule to never let your gas tank get below a quarter tank. You’ll never have to stress out about running out of gas again.

• Wake up 15 minutes earlier. If mornings are always a hectic time of chaos, make this small change that will reap huge results!

• Save one spot for your keys and purse. Never again frantically search for missing keys! Just remember to put them all in one spot as soon as you get home.

• Eat right! Cut down on sweets. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Easier said than done- especially with all the yummy holiday treats- but what a difference it makes when we eat well!

If you have any helpful stress tips to add, please feel free to comment! Your advice just might change someone's holiday!

“Always surround yourself with people who are a lot smarter than you are.” - George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees

We have friends that are light years ahead of my husband and me when it comes to financial know-how. And in sync with the previous quote, my hubby and I went to them for fiscal advice. When they recommended The Total Money Makeover, we listened. And we are glad we did.

Dave Ramsey, the writer of said book, has been mentioned on this blog before. I know he will be mentioned again later. That's the type of impact his work has had on our family.

My children don't know much about money yet, but they are learning. As a matter of fact, I still have tons to learn about finances. But, in our limited knowledge,we are teaching our kids what we can. We lead them through the simple steps of handling resources responsibly.

In teaching our children, we follow the give, save, spend method. When our child's piggy bank gets fairly full, we dump it on the kitchen table. We count their change together. Then we calculate ten percent for giving, ten percent for saving, and eighty percent for spending. We place the "give" money in an envelope labeled accordingly for charitable donations. Then we seal it. Likewise, we seal up the save envelope for a trip to the bank. The remaining goes into their little wallets for our trips to the Toys-r-everywhere-store or garage sales. I know, it's not rocket science. But these are skills to be expanded on as they mature.

Take it from me: this book is worth the read. Even though you may not become a money guru because you read this book, you may feel a tad more on the savvy side.

Simple Pleasure: Local eggs!

I am practical. Some say overly practical at times. But even in my practicality, beauty is something I desire. I prefer pink rubber gloves to yellow. I prefer a pretty writing pen to a regular ball-point. I prefer stationery to plain paper.

And today, I prefer the simply gorgeous hues of the beautiful eggs on my kitchen table to the plain white ones I buy on any given grocery day. I have never made Easter eggs that rivaled them.

I bought them from a sweet friend of mine that raises her own chickens. They are more than just decorations. They taste incredible. They have a pure, rich flavor that doesn't call for seasonings or salt. No nasty pesticides, no nasty antibiotics, no nasty nothin'. Just amazing, bright-orange-yolked decadence from chickens that have a great life.

In my blog, I hope to mention things I love. Oprah has her "favorite things," Martha has her "good things, " and I have simple pleasures.

Orange Fuzzy Pencils

For Halloween, my children and I crafted some gifts for local nursing home friends. Generosity is an attribute I want to help them develop. This was also something I remember doing as I child. So any creative kudos you may wish to give, can be passed along to my mom.

It's easy, cheap, and also uses up those spare writing utensils we all have stashed around our homes.

Supplies needed:

• fuzzy faux fur (Look for a bright color and long fibers.)
• all purpose glue
• googly eyes
• clothespins
  
• pencils galore!

Directions:
Cut the fur in 1x2 inch pieces. Make sure you "part" the hair away from where you are cutting so the hair stays as long as possible. Put glue on the back of the fur and it wrap tightly around each pencil. Clip a clothespin on the end of each pencil to hold the fur in place while it dries.
After the glue dries, remove the clothespins and glue on googly eyes.

Red beans hot, red beans cold, red beans in the pot 2 days old!

My little family lives on a budget. We live within our means. But, with that in mind, we also are foodies. My hubby and I LOVE a great steak. We munch seasonal fresh fruit and veggies. Trying new recipes is a joy! But we all need those staple meals that keep our funds in check. Our recipe repertoire needs to contain as Dave Ramsey says, "beans and rice, rice and beans."

I can eat plain rice and beans, but it that would not satisfy my crew. This take on red beans and rice is a flavorful, slightly meatier version. We make this at least twice a month.

Darlene's Red Beans and Rice
Slice and saute in 3 T olive oil:
1 medium white or yellow onion
1 polish sausage (Hillshire Farms is GF)

Blend or food process 2 cans red beans (Usually, I use dark red kidney beans or occasionally black beans.)

Add beans and 1 can of water to onions and sausage. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Season with garlic powder, red pepper, chili powder, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.

Prepare rice according to package directions. Pour beans over rice.

I highly recommend rose tinted glasses.

I always wear pink sunglasses. These are my reasons:

1. Pink is one of my favorite colors.
2. If I leave my glasses somewhere (which I often do), they are easy to describe.
3. I like how I look in cheap plastic pink sunglasses.
4. Looking at the world through pink plastic makes me feel better.
   

It's really true that pink is a feel-good color. Your sense of well-being seems hightened when everything looks rosy. I also must clarify here that red or lavender do not evoke the same feelings. So sorry, no red for me.

5. And last but certainly not least, fall is just so much more vibrant through pink lenses! So go get yourself some cheap pink sunglasses!

What I Was Looking For (2006)

I wrote this little blurb a couple of years ago, but it is still relevant to my life today.

"I took my mom’s advice today. While I was vacuuming the kitchen floor, I couldn’t find the brush attachment. Making effort not to get frustrated, I did what she always recommends. “If you can’t find something, just start picking up and you’ll eventually run into what you’re looking for.”

For starters, I shook an afghan outside, sending my four-year-old’s snack size twix wrapper floating down into the flowerbed. Oh well, I’ll get it later when I do yard work.

Then I put the afghan back on the couch and scooped up a few toys returning them to the living room basket supply. While I was in the living room, I grabbed my sandals off the floor and went to toss them into my bedroom closet. There it was behind the closet door: the vacuum brush head. Lying next to a toy light saber and a little bulldozer, I knew my son had obviously stashed the items in a perfect hiding place. What a precious stockpile to remind me of my treasured little one! Who cares about a silly vacuum attachment? What I viewed as a distraction soon proved to remind me of the true joys of my life. I love my children!

Mom was right. In less than 2 minutes flat, I found what I was looking for- and a little extra. The good “finds” in life are not retrieved items, but truth revealed in everyday life."

Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today, for it may interfere with the opportunities of tomorrow. (My grandpa expounded on Thomas Jefferson )

Yesterday was one of those days that nothing got done during daylight. I know I did things, because when my kids went to bed, they had all eaten three meals, changed their clothes several times, and had various art projects displayed on every surface. But my home looked like a tornado came for a week long stay. Mondays are supposed to be laundry day. But here it was, Tuesday, and the mound of clean clothes was beginning to eat my bedroom floor.

I love a clean house, but I hate cleaning all the time. Ok, so maybe hate is a strong word. It's just that I don't want all of my spare time being devoted to the upkeep of my home. Actually, I even enjoy cleaning if it is more of a choice and less of a chore.

Thus, the quote. When I need motivation, the quote at the top of this entry is my mantra. My grandfather was a wise man. He accomplished a lot in his lifetime, and he died with a heritage left behind. This quote has kept my attitude in check many a long, dirty day in my home.

Another motivating thought is something my grandmother once said to me. We were washing dishes when I was twelve years old. I said something about how frustrating it was that dishes had to be done all the time and never stay done. She replied, "If you have a sink full of dirty dishes to wash, you can be grateful because it means you had food to eat."

So last night, after my three little piggies were all in bed, I rolled up my sleeves. I had a sink full of gratefulness, and then I conquered the pile of laundry that is no longer hindering my opportunities of today!  And what have been my opportunities of today? Attending the grand opening of a brand new Walmart and another batch of kids crafts to mess up my clean house!

The Great Pumpkin Reincarnated

When it came to carving our pumpkin for Halloween, I thought, "Waste not, want not."
I've always felt a little sad about throwing those pumpkin guts in the trash when we made our annual jack-o-lantern. So, after the kids hollowed out the pumpkin, I carefully sorted out the seeds from the strings. Then I plopped the goo into a covered casserole to bake. I normally cut a pumpkin in half to bake upside down, so I figured this should be similar. After it baked, I pureed it in my food processor, and voila! Pumpkin for baking! It's just as good as the rest of the pumpkin, to me.

Today, we made my gluten free pumpkin bread recipe. My quick breads formerly contained wheat flour, so I know this will work if you are not a gluten free baker. My family is in the midst of devouring it as I speak, so I will post quickly so I can have another slice.

Julia's Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Cream together: 1/2 cup room temperature butter, 1 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 large eggs
Add and mix: 1 1/2 cup gluten free all purpose flour (I have my own recipe, but it's a secret.), 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt
Add and mix: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1 cup pumpkin puree, and 1/2 cup applesauce

Pour into a greased 9x 5 loaf pan. Optional: sprinkle the top with raw cane sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Remove from pan, slice, and share!

And so, this year we have a happy ending. A beautiful family treat with a sweet smiling jack-o-lantern on our porch. We need not sacrifice our decoration for our tastebuds.

Just Ask

So much about life is just asking. My tip for today is to just ask. If you are at a store and you want a discount, just ask. So often I have received a manager's discount or an unadvertised special simply because I requested a deal. Even the biggest chains can often give ten percent off if packaging is damaged.

If you are shopping online, do a search for online discounts for that store. You may find a code for shipping or percentage off. Takes a few seconds, and saves a few dollars.

Just ask. What's the worst thing that can happen? They can say no. You haven't lost anything.

So, be brave. Be bold. Bargain!

“Less is more” Robert Browning

I love Fall! I love the less of it all. The trees letting go of their leaves, the air losing it's heat, and and my schedule becoming less intense as school is well underway. For the first time in months, life has a rhythm that lends itself to the occasional nap or spontaneous picnic.

It's the perfect time of year for getting to those unfinished projects around the house. Amongst those projects, my children take on the task of purging the clutter in their rooms. We do this before summer birthdays as well, but now is the time to think of gifting other children with their bounty. Instead of focusing on "what I want," we will focus on "what I can give."

So, how do I go about heading up a monumental task such as this? Well, I'm glad you asked. Here are some tips:

1. Prepare your kids by talking to them about less fortunate children that would be grateful for their generosity.
2. Take the children to the shelter or mission or drop off point to show them where their gifts will go.
   
3. Live by example, showing them how adults can give to others in need with clothing, food, and finances.
4. When you start, give them each a plastic or paper bag from the grocery store. Ask them to put 10 things in the bag they would like to give to other children.
   
5. Sit with each child as they take a turn "shopping" from what they have to gift others.
6. If there is an item that is an heirloom or intended to hand-down to a sibling, put that to the side and say, "I'm glad you are ready to pass that on, can we give it to _____?" or "May I keep this, it's really special to me."
7. Now is not the time to argue about how much something is worth. Whether it's value is penny or a fortune, remember you don't want to discourage them. Children do not have the same value system when it comes to worth. Keep a maybe pile if an item is hard for you to see go. You may be surprised at your heart change if you are given time to think about how much you could bless another family.
8. Our one rule for our children is: Do not get rid of anything you want to keep. You don't want your child to feel that you have forced them to lose something they treasure. It should be their choice to let go.
9. Take the children with you when you donate their gifts.
   

"I'll sit in that pumpkin patch until the Great Pumpkin appears." - Linus

Family activities don't have to cost much. Most of the time, ours cost nothing. Now is the time of year for families to head to a pumpkin patch or apple barn. A couple of weekends ago, my little family went to a local farm that benefits rescued farm animals. We had no idea it existed until I searched pumpkinpatchesandmore.org. It's a great resource for finding local produce, farm tours, corn mazes, and even Christmas tree farms.

Of course, I had to snap the obligatory harvest picture that my kids all enjoy. After twenty-five takes, we may actually have one to give the grandparents. At least one day I hope they'll appreciate that I try to make matching outfits from their plethora of hand-me-downs. I think it's cute, so they must tolerate it year after year.

Pumpkin patches really are a great family outing. The visit can be as short or as long as you want. And a big pumpkin is a souvenir I would purchase for my home anyway. In our case, this year we also supported a good cause for rescued animals, so warm fuzzies all around.

By the way, we also bought a cool blueish gray pumpkin for the center of our table. It's called a jarradale pumpkin (from what I can tell by researching online.) For some reason, my son keeps calling it a moon pumpkin. We'll see how pumpkin bread turns out with that beauty! Maybe I'll call it moon bread.

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Brownie Muffins!

Gluten intolerance brings fun challenges in both the culinary and financial realms of my home. I have been gf (gluten free) since December 2006. During my third pregnancy, my body started having big problems. It became obvious that the celiac disease that plagued other members of my family was going to cause problems for me too.

Ok, so it's really not as bad as I make that sound. It's totally treatable by diet. (And I can still have chocolate and coffee!) I have been so grateful for a solution to my digestive problems. If you are interested in more information here is a great website.

There are so many resources out there. I truly feel blessed to live in the age of the internet and health food stores! I have learned to LOVE cooking gluten free. I have accepted the challenge of solving the mysteries of cooking without wheat, rye, barley, and unspecified oats. It's so fun to feel great and eat amazing food! It does cost more to cook gf (because of all the special ingredients), but eating at home is still cheaper than going out to eat.

This morning I wanted to serve my family chocolate muffins. A fall morning is so fun with fresh baked goodies. They turned out to be wonderful.

So, drumroll please...Today I present:

Julia's Simple Gluten Free Brownie Mix Muffins
1 Bag Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 T gf sour cream
1/4 c butter
2 T oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 c gf chocolate chips

Dump and mix all ingredients. Pour batter into muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Enjoy!

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." L.Reid (and often quoted by my great grandmother)

In my home, frugality goes hand in hand with simple living. If I am at the end of the month, and we run out of paper towels, oh well! And if there are no paper napkins, then of course, cloth napkins will suffice until next pay day. Besides, cloth napkins are prettier.

Here are a few easy ways I have found to extend the life of disposable goods in my home:

1. Use a serrated knife to cut paper towel rolls in half before using them. Often a half sheet is plenty.
2. Buy nice toilet paper. You really use less when it is better.
3. Cut dryer sheets in half before using them. When they come through the wash, use it as a dusting cloth before disposing. (Or stop using dryer sheets all together.)
4. Use socks that are missing their match as disposable cleaning rags before throwing them away. (Turn it inside out as you are cleaning to get twice the use.)
5. Take leftover napkins from eating out to use at home.
6. Try using half the recommended detergent in clothes washer/ dishwasher. Usually, that is plenty.
7. Run a dishwasher cycle with baking soda once in a while.
8. Water down the dish soap you use in the kitchen sink.
   
9. Cut/rip baby wipes in half.
   
10. If you use disposable face cloths, cut them in halves or quarters.
11. Buy generic shampoo. If you don't like it, you didn't waste much money.
    

“The best things in life aren’t things.” Mary Engelbreit

Yesterday, my whole family was in the backyard while dinner was cooking in the oven. We love our backyard. My hubby and I have not always been "yard people." We thought we were buying a small piece of property only to find that it was several times larger! But, three kids later, the outside has become a huge part of our life. We are thankful for that unexpected space.

I looked around at my little people. My toddler was trying to eat one of the jalapenos growing in our meager garden. My daughter was flipping a walking stone over to find animals (worms and bugs.) And my oldest son, the down-scaled version of Bear Grylls from Man Vs. Wild, was catching and emancipating the tiniest of lizards. "I'm releasing it back to its natural habitat."

Those lizards, worms, and jalapenos bring so much joy to my children. And my children bring me so much joy!

De-cluttering Part 2

While sorting, ask yourself the following questions:

1. If there was a fire, what handfuls of items would I grab to save in this room?

2. When I die, what would I hate for someone else to have to discard for me simply because I “never got around to it?” Why should I burden them with that responsibility if I didn’t even make it a priority?

3. Do I have duplicate items? Which one is of better use/ more beautiful?

4. Does it require more maintenance than I am willing to give?

5. What does this item portray to those that see it in this space?

6. Is this item outdated? Worn-out? Broken? Need to be replaced?

7. Am I holding on to the past by holding on to this item? (Is living in the past where I should be?)

8. Do I have several items to represent the same memory/ feeling/ relationship? Can I choose 1 or 2 of the most important pieces?

9. Is my collection one that I have gathered anything related to, simply because of theme? Can I honor it more by whittling it down to fewer, more meaningful pieces to properly display?

10. My space is valuable. Is this item worth my storage/ square footage cost?

REMEMBER: Just because an item has a use doesn’t mean it is most valuable in your hands.

De-cluttering Part 1

Part of having a simpliful life, is removing all the clutter. Clutter keeps you harried. Who has time to seize a day when you’re so busy cramming stuff into it? Besides, it’s too heavy to seize with all that junk in it!
After reading around twenty books on de-cluttering and organizing, I have some tips for you.

Steps for Easier De-cluttering

1. Read Clutter’s Last Stand by Don Aslett (as low as .37 cents at Amazon).

2. Start with a non-emotional area or room (for example: bathroom.)

3. You will need trash bags, a laundry basket (for misplaced items,) paper towels, all purpose cleaner, a vacuum, bags or boxes labeled “charity,” “garage sale,” and “give away” (for friends and family.)

4. Clear a place to start and vacuum.

5. Go through one isolated area at a time: not everything at once.

6. Give yourself a time limit.

7. Get rid of the items you are letting go of immediately. Get them out of your space so your clutter is not just migrating.

8. Reward yourself with something relaxing to celebrate your success and enjoy your new found freedom from stuff.

It's a simpliful life!

I live a simpliful life. For me, beauty is often found in the simplest subjects: beautiful simplicity. I love taking a task that seems complicated and finding a way to do it simply. Life is too short to bog down with the unnecessary and too precious to waste.

So here we are. I knew a blog was in my brain, but I just wanted to ignore it. By nature, I am an "all or nothing" person. The fear of doing something poorly keeps me from accomplishing. Really, it keeps me from even trying. But, sometimes, good enough is good enough. My blog will be an outpouring of my outlook. My hope is that it will be simpliful.