Making applesauce with Sammy.

Sorry this picture is turned but as you can see, one of these pairs is not like the other! After 28 years of faithful service the pans on the rights are being retired. These pans were a wedding shower gift to Rick and I. The only reason they are being retired is because I needed 9 inch pans. The pans on the left are the new ones, prettier, heavier, larger. But……… lacking memories. They have not made all my children’s birthday cakes and gifts for friends over the years. They have a lot to prove against those on the right and I only hope that they can fill the shoes!

This is breakfast at our house, food tea or coffee, Bibles out, filling our hearts with truth, journals for notes, recipe for supper out and a stalk of oregano to discuss that the plant parts can be used for. I forgot the ever present chore list! Always a little chaos, always learning. Love it!

These are the rewards I gave myself for being a good Mother-of-the-Bride! A new apron and a new dishtowel and pretty napkins. What fun!

Simple Sunday meal. Tomatoes and beans from the garden, some fresh cheese and roast.

Another miracle; un-burnt garlic toast for supper. Wait a minute, that’s not a miracle, that is just Kristi cooking instead of me!!!

When it’s a full blown blizzard outside in Northern Wisconsin, it’s the perfect time for…………..

Hot cocoa with white chocolate and home made bread warm from the oven.

Jeni and Mandy, older sisters, ready to attack the cake!

Kristi’s lemon cake, four layers with homemade lemon curd between layers. Delicious!

This girl can cook! Kristi made her now famous lemon cake for us the other night. All from scratch. This will look good on her “wife-resume!”

This is what I bring to the beach; my Bible because there is something special about studying God’s Word our in His creation, my recipe schedule and a few cook books, homeschool catalogs and planner, and my music notebook for worship team.

Our delicious Sunday dinner

New Way of doing the cooking

One would think that after 27 years of being a wife I would have this frugal kitchen life down pat.  But alas,  I have mountains of victory and valleys of defeat (overspending and waste!).  I have decided that it is time to gain control on this once and for all.  

I have know that for years it has been a problem with not having the time to get organized twice a month with working and volunteer work claiming some of my time.  But that has changed and I can actually take the time and see the value and savings in organizing meals for two week time periods.  It has been a month of testing this out and again I am reminded that God is a God of order as bringing my cooking into order has brought savings, but more than that peace!  

The girls and I go though our cookbooks and select meals, check what is in the pantry and freezer and put the menu together.  We shop getting only what we need with the exception of anything really on sale that is worth getting.  This past week I found pork for under 3 dollars so I stocked up on that.  I am absolutely amazed at how peaceful it is to look at the calendar and see what is for dinner and know that everything is in the freezer, fridge or pantry.  My last stock up is for a 10 day period and the only thing I may need to get is some milk and lettuce if needed.  So far so good, and I have saved over $125 dollars this month.  That is a blessing with fishing being so poor.

It was Annie’s job to check off what items we had and so here she is pictured doing that work.  She is a good organizer and was very helpful.

This weekend we will gather another menu and shopping list.  I will be going shopping in Green Bay and so I hope to save even more.  I will also hit SAMS for some bulk items and I have heard people say that their meat is good, we’ll see!  I will ask Matthew where he has been shopping as he is good at saving money and will direct me to the cheapest place.  

I am thankful for the time to THINK, to organize, to teach my daughters this skill and better be a helpmate to Rick.  It really is a learning process isn’t it?  Worth the work

Blessed

Joyce