38 Things I Did in 2009

Went sledding with 30 Girl Scouts.
Gave up a volunteer position that was just too much…
Put trellises on my square foot garden boxed
Grew some tasty snap peas
Made my first batches of green salsa – and it is GOOD!
Helped put in the new fence around my back yard
Made my own glass storage jars
Made a bed skirt out [...]

38 Things I Know How To Do

Make caramel bars
Mend little boys ripped pants
Mend big boys ripped pants
Get stains out of laundry
Trim pets’ nails
Clean a floor
Get hard water deposits off faucets
Paint a room
Strip wallpaper
Make spaghetti & meatballs – homemade
Make monster bars
Bake bread
Pack school lunches
Grow salad veggies: spinach, lettuce, radishes & the like
Make/can salsa
Crochet a dishcloth
Cross-stitch
Sew a basic curtain
Make/can sweet relish
Bake banana bread
Polish [...]

38 Ways I Save Money

Put shampoo & conditioner in pump containers so it doesn’t flood out into kids’ hands.
Use cloth napkins.
Use more rags than paper towels.
Make our bread.
Pack kids’ lunches.
Keep milk to one glass at meals, refills are water.
Grow lots of goodies in our gardens.
Advocate simple fun when kids are bored.
Keep a good supply of board games and puzzles.
Save [...]

38 Things I’d Like To Learn

Calligraphy
Crochet
Knit
Ballroom Dance
Play piano
Decoupage
Create jewelry
Bake pastries
Decorate cakes
Quilt
Put binding on a blanket
Sew clothing (other than pj pants)
Cook rice
Create gourmet meals
Iron without leaving creases
Snow ski
Stamp cards
Upholster furniture
Cut hair
Salsa dance
Speak Spanish
Sign language
Pressure can venison
Make jelly
Make my aunt’s orange rolls
Make my grandfather’s dumplings
Make pfaerten
Eat with chop sticks
Troubleshoot my own computer problems
Fix a leaky toilet
Fix a drippy sink
Hem pants
Embroider
Paint decorative things
Grow [...]

38 Random Things About Me

I always cross my Ts but rarely dot my Is.
I have blue eyes.  Very blue.
I have had 6 surgeries in my life.
I am relatively healthy.
I have just one sibling, a younger sister.
I am the oldest grandchild on my dad’s side.
I have not met some of my cousins on my mom’s side.  First cousins.
My mom’s family [...]

38 Things I Did on my Birthday

Briefly woke up a few minutes after midnight to my son waking my husband.  He had a bad stomach ache.
Slept about 20 minutes later than I should have.
Remembered that I didn’t have to pack lunches…a birthday present to myself.
Remembered that I still had to change the cat litter (garbage day).
Changed cat litter.
Started my work day [...]

November Goal: Rough Draft

The following list is a start to what I plan to incorporate into my days.  Some of this I’ve done before and just need to dust off…some of it will be new to me.
Make some time for myself before the day starts.  I’m still trying to figure out if it is too much to try [...]

November Goal: Challenges

As I’m thinking about this new routine I want, I’m trying to keep the challenges in mind.  Maybe planning for those ineveitable road blocks will help.  While  anything unexpected can turn into a “challenge” for a planner like me, I am trying to look at the main challenges I see.
Separating work and personal lives. Working [...]

November Goals

A new month is here and I have high hopes for a great start to the Holiday season.   This month, I hope to get a new routine established for myself.  I enjoy my role as home-maker and I enjoy working with the kids in my child care, but I’ll be honest…sometimes it is crazy having [...]

Frugal Friday: Wait

The question asked?  How do you save money.
I have two answers…both of them simple.  At least on the surface.
Using cash for daily/regular expenses like groceries, gas and household items has saved us tons of money!  I talked about it here.
Today though I would have to say waiting is on the top of my list.  Let’s [...]