tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67364153369281188522024-03-14T00:08:37.619-07:00Living Within ReasonMichelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-162605907049628882015-09-21T11:56:00.002-07:002015-09-21T12:02:12.273-07:00Weekly Steps Forward...and Back Sept 12 to Sept 18<b>As long as we take more forward than back, I'm happy...and even the baby steps count. </b><br />
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I rearranged L's room. It now feels more spacious with more floor space for playing and more room for his toys and books. He's happy about it.<br />
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I hung up some wall art - slowly but surely, things are getting less barren around here!<br />
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I turned down water heater temperature to save money on electricity. The water previously got scalding hot, which is not safe and just not necessary.<br />
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I made a batch of my <a href="http://livingwithinreason.blogspot.ca/2015/09/diy-antiseptic-all-purpose-cleaner.html" target="_blank">all purpose cleaner</a>.<br />
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I hung 3 loads laundry to dry on the clothesline instead of using the dryer.<br />
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I made a Peach Crisp, a loaf of bread in the bread machine, and a batch of mini applesauce muffins. I made them mini because 2 are the perfect size to throw in a lunch box. My husband and son ate a few this week (I'm off gluten, sugar and dairy), but I froze most of them to pull out later for snacks.<br />
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I bought a giant bag of reduced bananas for $1 at Walmart. They were ripe so I left out a couple but froze most of them for smoothie fodder. When I do this, I'm always reminded of a phrase I read in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Economy-Gastronomy-Better-Spend-Less/dp/0718155726/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442845747&sr=8-1&keywords=economy+gastronomy" target="_blank">Economy Gastronomy</a> that 'smoothies are sad fruit made happy'!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><u>Family and Kid Stuff</u></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">It was a very rainy Sunday around here and we felt like doing something fun as a family. My husband, a history nerd, suggested that we visit the Diefenbunker, a 1960's nuclear bunker that served as a top-secret military base as well as where the Canadian government would decamp to if the country had been hit with a nuclear bomb if the Cold War turned hot. I wasn't entirely convinced at first that this would be a fun outing for the 3 of us, but it was really interesting. I wish we had had more time to explore but hunger struck! At 4 underground levels totally 100 000 square feet, there's a lot to explore. Above is a typical hallway as well as the War Room (which was pretty cool, replete with all the 1960's tech). </span><br />
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My husband and I watched a movie that I took out from the library one evening called <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jiro_dreams_of_sushi/?search=jiro%20dreams%20of%20s" target="_blank">Jiro Dreams of Sushi</a>. It's a documentary about an 85 year old sushi chef in Japan who has dedicated his entire life to perfecting his craft. It was a thoughtful and interesting watch.<br />
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<u>Personal</u><br />
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A bought a new winter coat. This purchase was a huge splurge. Huge.<br />
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So why is this in the accomplishments rather than steps back section? Well... I needed a new very warm winter coat since my old one is done (and I'm also a bit frightened of my first winter coming up in Ottawa!) and after a LOT of research -- I think I made the best choice for me. Tracking down my size also turned out to be a feat! I chose a coat by <a href="http://www.quartznature.com/en/" target="_blank">Quartz Nature</a>. After looking at a couple of other competitors, I chose this one because it's really high quality and should last I think at least 8 years, it's a Canadian company and made in Canada, it uses sustainably sourced down, it was the only one that was waterproof, and the only one that was machine washable. Seriously, machine washable is huge. A parka costs between $80-100 to dry clean and at once per year at <i>minimum</i>, that adds up to whole other coat over its lifespan. Time will tell, but right now I'm happy with choice!<br />
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While I only got in 3 workouts this week (I am for 4), they were 3 good ones where I really pushed myself so I'm counting them as step forwards.<br />
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<u>Steps Back</u><br />
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We are already over budget for eating out this month....way over. :(<br />
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I caved and ate ice cream and pizza -- so much for week one of my diary, gluten-free, and refined sugar free diet!<br />
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<b>Is there something that represents a splurge for you that paid off in the long-run? </b><br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-10586863639383376552015-09-18T07:29:00.002-07:002015-09-18T07:38:15.295-07:00This Week's Meal PlanSo this week I'm still on my diet of cutting out gluten, dairy, and refined sugar to help with my migraines. As an added bonus, when I've done this diet before I also found my energy levels were higher but more noticeably, way more consistent throughout the day. No more 3 pm slump! That being said...I still hate not eating what I want, when I want. You will notice some items that contain said restricted ingredients -- those are for the other members of my family to enjoy.<br />
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To save money this week, not only am I shopping sales but also making a special effort to use the same ingredients across multiple recipes to reduce waste. For instance, both the turkey burgers and the tuna pasta use anchovies, half a bunch of green onions will be used in the tofu dish with the other half used in the slaw, limes will be used in the slaw and in the chicken, and parsley will be used in the soup, in the pasta, to poach the chicken, and in the burgers to use up the whole bunch.<br />
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<b>Main Meals this coming Week:</b><br />
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- Tofu Triangles with Rice and Carrots (this was on last week, but we had a moment of weakness and ordered in)<br />
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- BBQ at a friend's!<br />
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- <a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/09/stuffed-pepper-soup/" target="_blank">Stuffed Pepper Soup</a> with Homemade Bread (using ground beef that I bought on sale and froze in 1 lb portions. I will likely substitute quinoa for the rice this time as we are already having rice once)<br />
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- <a href="http://www.theironyou.com/2015/08/green-goddess-turkey-burgers.html" target="_blank">Green Goddess Turkey Burgers</a> (without buns) and <a href="http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/rainbow-slaw-salad/cb5b88d0-b382-4f29-94c8-33b7890e095c" target="_blank">Rainbow Slaw Salad</a><br />
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- Chicken with Rosemary and Lime with Amana-style carrots (both recipes from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Thrifty-Cooking-Inge-Dobelis/dp/0895771810/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442585920&sr=8-1&keywords=quick+thrifty+cooking" target="_blank">Quick, Thrifty Cooking</a>)<br />
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- Tuna Pasta Toss (with gluten-free spaghetti -- adapted from a recipe in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Fast-Good-Beverly-Mills/dp/0761131760/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442585991&sr=8-1&keywords=cheap+fast+good" target="_blank">Cheap, Fast,Good</a>)<br />
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<b>School Lunch mains next week</b>:<br />
1. Avocado, Grated Carrot, and Cheddar whole wheat tortilla 'sushi' rolls (a big favourite)<br />
2. Curried Chicken Salad with Green Grapes on homemade bread<br />
3. leftover Stuffed Pepper Soup<br />
4. Chicken and Cilantro Dumplings (have a big bag of these from Costco in the freezer)<br />
5. Tuna, Veggie and Cheddar Cups<br />
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<b>Some sides and snacks will include:</b> Cucumber slices, pepper slices, leftover slaw, popcorn, date butter, crackers, apples, grapes, and cinnamon sugar wonton crisps.<br />
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<b>Other things this week to make</b>: bread, poach whole chicken, <a href="http://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2015/07/10/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-protein-bars/" target="_blank">chocolate chip protein bars</a>.<br />
<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-43465419874926796052015-09-15T08:17:00.001-07:002015-09-16T06:38:18.798-07:00Weekly Steps Forward...and Back Sept. 5 to Sept 11<br />
<b>As long as we take more forward than back, I'm happy...and even the baby steps count.</b><br />
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I started to set up what will be my craft/sewing area in our basement. I haven't used my sewing machine for years, but I've decided to learn how to use it again. I bought the desk (which came with the lamp!) off Kijiji for $60 and the person I bought it from delivered it! The chair is an extra solid wood one that I had that I purchased years ago for $10 and then painted white. I think I'll add some art and organizers to this area but I'll wait until I start to use it more to decide what would be best. The cabinets beside offer extra storage since we don't have tons of storage space in our new house. They are currently a mess but will hold seasonal items, kitchen tools and appliances that I only use occasionally, and overstock of pantry staples.</div>
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I did some more purging of stuff we don't need including a pair of too-small rain boots, clothes, and some outgrown toys, in all I was able to donated 1 big garbage bag.<br />
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I created a family command centre in our entryway which I will show in a post coming soon! This will hopefully help to keep us all more organized, especially with the start of the school year.<br />
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I stocked up on carrots and onions at .19 a pound. We will be eating lots of these coming up!<br />
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I picked up the above cookbook at Value Village for $5. The tagline "Over 450 recipes for busy people who want to serve fast, delicious meals without spending a lot of money" was just too perfect to resist. Going through it I have found a slew of recipes that I'm excited to try.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><u>Family and Kid Stuff</u></span></div>
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We hit up some yard sales on Saturday, we didn't have much luck but I did pick up 2 like-new board games for my board game loving boy for $4 (Scrabble Junior and Operation).<br />
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On the Sunday we went to explore Bonnechere Caves in the Ottawa Valley. It was L's first cave experience and he thought it was pretty cool (especially seeing the bats - he loves bats) although he found it a little scary at parts, and has been talking about it since.<br />
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This week was the first week of school and we were feeling a bit nervous for L, since not only was he starting a new school, but he was starting French Immersion not having done it last year so he would be a bit behind the other kids and his classes are in 100% French. However, our adaptive little man has been absolutely loving it! He has a great teacher, had made new friends, and is absolutely not fazed by the language.<br />
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<u>Other Random Money-Saving</u><br />
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Went to the library, as usual, and picked up one book in particular that has been really interesting. It's called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Tools-Possibilities-Kevin-Kelly/dp/1940689007/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442329804&sr=8-1&keywords=cool+tools" target="_blank">Cool Tools: A Catalogue of Possibilities</a>. Lots of gift ideas, interesting and useful websites, and a whole list of other books I now want to read!<br />
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I did 1 swag bucks survey.<br />
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When I picked up the cook book I also picked up two cheap stuffed animals for our dog, a duck and a skunk. We have long ago stopped buying him stuffies specifically marketing to dogs for him to mock-kill. They last absolutely no longer and cost many times more. Also, I'm biased, but is he not so gosh darn cute?!<br />
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<u>Steps Back</u><br />
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I went over my cell phone long distance minutes to the tune of $67! I will be looking into options for inexpensive long-distance this week now that we don't have a home phone. Ugh!<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-35112780524338786462015-09-11T07:21:00.002-07:002015-09-11T07:21:34.880-07:00This Week's Meal PlanThis week I'm returning to the diet my naturopathic doctor put me on to help with my migraines for the next 3 months. When I was on it before it really did seem to help and I've really struggled health-wise lately so I'm hoping I'll start to once again feel better but I completely fell of the wagon. If I find that after 3 months things are once again improved, then this diet will be permanent for me.<br />
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I dislike eating this way but I also dislike feeling like crap. So for the next 3 months, no dairy, gluten or refined sugar or any kind. My husband and son will be eating the same main meals but they will still have some lunches and snacks that are outside of my dietary restrictions.<br />
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One of the biggest challenges with eating this way (besides craving ice cream basically<b> all the time</b>) is that it's really rough on our grocery budget. I've really tried to keep costs down for this coming week by using what we already have, picking sale produce (like carrots, sweet potatoes and cucumbers) and using less expensive ingredients (like ground beef and whole chicken).<br />
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<b>So for the first week of this return to eating this way we are having:</b><br />
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- <a href="http://www.budgetbytes.com/2014/11/moroccan-lentil-vegetable-stew/">Moroccan Lentil and Vegetable Stew</a><br />
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- Pork and White Beans, Rosemary and Sage with Garlic Lemon Green Beans (pork recipe from<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Art-Slow-Cooker-Exciting-Recipes/dp/0811859126/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441980460&sr=1-1&keywords=art+of+the+slow+cooker"> Art of the Slow Cooker</a>)<br />
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- Tofu Triangles with Nut Sauce with Rice and Veg (exact veg TBD)<br />
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- Hamburgers Diane with Roasted Cauliflower (Hamburger recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Thrifty-Cooking-Inge-Dobelis/dp/0895771810/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441980535&sr=1-1&keywords=quick+thrifty">Quick, Thrifty Cooking</a>)<br />
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- Chicken and Sausage Fricassee with Sage, Shredded Carrots with Herbs and Lemon, and Whipped Potatoes (main also from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Thrifty-Cooking-Inge-Dobelis/dp/0895771810/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441980535&sr=1-1&keywords=quick+thrifty">Quick, Thrifty Cooking</a>)<br />
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- Gluten Free Pasta with Salmon and Dijon 'Cream' (substituting non-dairy plain yogurt for sour cream), Cucumber Salad (pasta recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Fast-Good-Beverly-Mills/dp/0761131760/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441980601&sr=1-1&keywords=cheap+fast+good">Cheap, Fast, Good</a>)<br />
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- Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup with whatever needs eating up<br />
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<b>I am also planning to make:</b> <a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2012/02/diy-instant-oatmeal-packets.html">instant oatmeal packs</a> (without powdered milk), Cinnamon Raisin Bread, a batch of caramelized onions, a batch of hard-boiled eggs, and making <a href="http://lovelycraftyhome.com/2014/05/05/whole-life-challenge-recipe-raw-carrot-cake-bites/">Raw Carrot Cake Bites</a>.<br />
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<b>School Lunch mains this week will be:</b><br />
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1. Pasta with homemade Red Sauce (have a bit of sauce leftover in the fridge that needs using up)<br />
2. Ploughman's Lunch with Pepperoni slices, hardboiled egg, pickles, cheese, prosciutto and veg<br />
3. Leftover Moroccan Stew<br />
4. Apple Cream Cheese sandwich on homemade Cinnamon Raisin bread<br />
5. leftover Salmon and Dijon Cream pasta<br />
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If you have an awesome thrifty gluten-free, dairy-free super tasty recipe, please share!<br />
<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-25329952294605031802015-09-10T06:03:00.001-07:002015-09-10T06:06:02.003-07:00DIY Antiseptic All-Purpose Cleaner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ww8ijP8D994/VfF_PC4JsMI/AAAAAAAAAZw/g_K_L4ltuWA/s1600/IMG_2792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ww8ijP8D994/VfF_PC4JsMI/AAAAAAAAAZw/g_K_L4ltuWA/s320/IMG_2792.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6a4118; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">I have been making this particular cleaner for years. Non-toxic all-purpose and kitchen cleaners can be pricey. This recipe literally costs pennies to fill a spay bottle. Pennies! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #6a4118; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">I have have tried at least a half dozen different formulations of homemade all-purpose cleaner and I have found this one adapted from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Better-Basics-Home-Simple-Solutions/dp/0609803255?ie=UTF8&tag=munch06-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" style="color: #3fb4be; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=munch06-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0609803255" height="1" style="border: medium none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Annie Berthold-Bond is the most effective. This is a great cleaner for everything from wiping down kids stuff, to crayon marks, washing baseboards, and kitchen and bathroom countertops. It's almost always the cleaner I grab first. Just let sit a few moments on crusty kitchen cleanup to let it do its work before wiping up. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #6a4118; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>DIY All-Purpose Antiseptic Cleaner</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #6a4118; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">- 1/2 tsp washing soda <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(you can also use baking soda, but it isn't as alkaline and so won't be quite as effective)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6a4118; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">- 1 tsp borax </span><br />
<span style="color: #6a4118; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">- 1/2 tsp liquid castille soap or dish soap</span><br />
<span style="color: #6a4118; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">- 2 cups hot water</span><br />
<span style="color: #6a4118; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">- 1 tsp total antiseptic essential oil <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(i.e. I like 3/4 tsp lemon and 1/4 tsp rosemary but you can also any combo of: sweet orange, lavender, tea tree, thyme, rose, cinnamon, eucalyptus, or birch) </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #6a4118; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">Add washing soda, borax and soap to a clean spray bottle. Pour in the hot water and essential oil, cap, and shake until the minerals are dissolved. Give the bottle a shake each time before using. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #6a4118; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px;">Makes 2 cups. </span>Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-78526002169655602262015-09-07T06:39:00.000-07:002015-09-08T06:21:34.591-07:00Weekly Steps Forward...and Back Aug 29 to Sept 4<b>As long as we take more forward than back, I'm happy...and even the baby steps count.</b><br />
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<u>Home</u></div>
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Made some wall 'art' for our dining room. I followed this <a href="http://www.bowerpowerblog.com/2013/11/dumpster-texture-art/" target="_blank">idea</a> that I found on Pinterest. I had to purchase drywall compound as we didn't have enough and the canvas itself which I got on sale. I used a combination of paint that I already had as well as the darker green paint I picked up from someone in my local Buy Nothing group. In total I spent $20 on this project. I'm not completely happy with it, but I think it's a whole lot better than the blank expanse that was there before!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Sold a small chandelier on Kijiji for $40 that was here when we moved in. It didn't go with our stuff and we had purchased the new one in the pic above using a gift certificate we got as a housewarming gift.. Our dining room, which is the one room of our new house which is completely done, cost us a grand total of $40! The furniture was given to us by my mother-in-law when she moved and could no longer fit it, plus $20 for the wall 'art' and $20 for new curtains from a discount store. The previous owners left the curtain rod and we didn't need to repaint this room. That it cost so little makes me enjoy the space that much more in a weird way.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">Bought a brand new drip coffee maker from a yard sale for $10, still unsealed. When I looked it up, this model retails for about $110 new. Score! We have used a French press for years but lately with more guests visiting and staying with us it's been a bit of a pain in the ass, as we have to make multiple pots in a row when it's more than just us to get everyone caffeinated. Also programming this one for the morning saves my husband a few precious minutes before his bike commute.</span><br />
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<u style="background-color: white;">Food</u><br />
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Made 5 freezer meals ahead that can just be dumped in the slow cooker day of: including <a href="https://newleafwellness.biz/2013/03/11/slow-cooker-chicken-curry-recipe/" target="_blank">Chicken Curry,</a> <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2013/11/02/slow-cooker-crockpot-honey-sesame-chicken/" target="_blank">Honey Sesame Chicken</a>, and <a href="https://newleafwellness.biz/2015/02/18/slow-cooker-southwestern-pork-chili/" target="_blank">Midwestern Pork Chili</a>. I froze them in the chest freezer gifted to me by my mom when we moved as she had replaced her's with an upright and had this one sitting unplugged.<br />
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This will be very handy for evenings when L has swimming and hockey at the Rec Centre starting mid-September as those nights will be rushed. But especially these will be a lifesaver for days when my migraines are bad. I haven't made freeze and dump kind of meals before so I'll see how it works out and then decide if I'll keep it up making batches of these on occasion.<br />
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Batch cooked 2 lbs of dry black beans in the slow cooker and froze in 15oz portions to use in future cooking.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><u>Family and Kid Stuff</u></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">One of my husbands colleagues gave him a few pieces of hockey equipment that her children had outgrown. This gives us a head start on equipment for next year for free!</span><br />
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To celebrate our last day home for the summer with just the two of us, L and I went to play mini-putt together on Friday and then grabbed ice cream cones nearby. It was some good quality time.<br />
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We've also been exploring new parks all around our new city, some for kids and some for our furry 4-legged friend. The highlight for L was this big new park with a castle, although he did complain that it wasn't as fun as he'd like. This is always a particular issue with new-build parks as they are so safe that they look a lot more fun then they are. It was still good though and we'll be back as it's only a 5 min drive from our house (thankfully we have 6 parks we've discovered also within walking distance).<br />
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<u>Other Random Money-Saving</u><br />
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Hung 5 loads of laundry to dry instead of using the dryer (on our new clothesline! We're pretty excited never having had one before!)<br />
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Started using YNAB again. We totally fell off the budgeting wagon leading up to our move so we haven't kept track of our spending at all since April when all the pre-moving craziness started.<br />
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Signed up for Swagbucks. My goal is to earn enough to purchase 2 Christmas gifts. I did 3 surveys this week.<br />
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<u>Steps Back</u><br />
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Kinda literally this week.<br />
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While these classic black pumps only cost me $10 at Value Village, there is no way that I need these and I can't justify them in any way. Oh well. Clothing, shoes, and food out are my weaknesses. I'm getting way better but clearly not there yet.<br />
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What did you do last week?Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-19819704242863835232015-09-05T11:22:00.002-07:002015-09-05T11:22:53.046-07:00And here we go again!So I've decided to pick this blog back up again.<br />
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I have toyed with the idea many times since calling it quits and now feels like the right time.<br />
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Not only because I now have more time on my hands but I also feel like keeping this blog helped to keep me motivated along the path of creating, along with my family, a life of our choosing. We have just had some big changes in our lives, namely moving to a new city, buying our first house and my leaving my job without a new one. I'm excited to figure out what's next. We were so focused on saving for our house knowing that my husband was going to be relocated for work, that now we need to figure out what's next in the plan out of competing priorities. Our goal of saving a decent percentage of our income has not changed however. The peace of mind and freedom that allows for our future is invaluable. How to get their and what exactly our goals and timelines are in very much a work in progress. Unearthing this blog again will, I think, be useful along the journey of sorting all that out.<br />
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I'm planning on continuing my weekly progress reports (those are really motivating for me), the odd recipe, diy projects, thoughts and plans.<br />
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It feels good to be back!<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-16371156374814272852014-04-15T10:17:00.001-07:002014-04-15T10:17:35.480-07:00This Week's Meal PlanBecause I've been very busy at my new job and have less energy left at the end of the day, I've chosen meals for this week that are less intense for me to prepare.<br />
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<b>Saturday</b>: Breaded Fish Fillets, Roasted Cauliflower (1/2 head leftover from last week), and Mixed Green Salad with Italian Vinaigrette<br />
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<b>Sunday:</b> Hot Dog Hotpot (from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Economy-Gastronomy-Better-Spend-Less/dp/0718155726/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397576204&sr=8-1&keywords=economy+gastronomy" target="_blank">Economy Gastronomy</a>)<br />
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<b>Monday:</b> Beef and Blue Cheese Pot Pie (using leftover cooked roast beef) with Mixed Green Salad with Italian Vinaigrette<br />
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<b>Tuesday: </b><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/best-vegetarian-pot-stickers-32783" target="_blank">Vegetable Potstickers</a> with<b> </b><a href="http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/quick-coconut-ginger-rice-lunch/" target="_blank">Sweet Coconut Ginger Brown Rice</a><br />
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<b>Wednesday:</b> Smoky Tomato Soup with Toasted Baguette with Tepenade and Melted Mozzerella (using up some Tepenade I had leftover from last week)<br />
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<b>Thursday: </b>Black Bean Cakes with Sweet Potato Fries<br />
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<b>Friday:</b> Use it up day<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-73771301412441596192014-04-15T08:32:00.001-07:002014-04-15T08:32:37.588-07:00Accomplishments April 5 to April 11I have been swamped with my new job! It'll be great once I get caught up and settled but right now it's the reason that I haven't posted for a couple weeks. Right now I keep fluctuated between feeling like I'm starting to get ahead and like I'm drowning. Because of the intensity at work right now, I didn't accomplish as much last week.<br />
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<b>Made:</b> from scratch vanilla pudding, oatmeal packs, a vegetable soup from all the leftovers bits in the fridge (it turned out especially delicious), chickpea candies, and a batch beef roast (this provided one main meal and several containers of leftover roast beef and 5 cups of beefy broth for the freezer)<br />
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We went to the zoo for free with our Public Library's Museum and Arts Pass (which explains the polar bears in this post!)\Spring has been very hesitant here but this was a beautiful day so it was great to spend most of it outside checking out the animals.<br />
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I cut open my tube of face sunscreen to get the last couple uses out, turns out that I was able to get 7 more days use out of it! I never used to cut open bottles to get the last bits but I've started recently. It not only cuts down on a little bit of money, it cuts down on our waste in a year if we're diligent about using everything.<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-19822748066494495872014-03-16T05:37:00.000-07:002014-03-16T05:37:49.627-07:00This Week's Meal PlanWe're eating a bit more meat this week than we typically do (and no fish), but I was really trying to buy the last number of grocery items this week, and these meals mean that I use mostly things I already have with only the purchase of a few sale items. We were also send home with lots of leftovers this week from supper at my mother-in-law's and we already had some so I don't have to cook today!<br />
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<b>Sunday:</b> Leftovers (Chicken and Vegetable Stew with Dumplings)<br />
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<b>Monday:</b> <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pesto-Penne-Primavera/Detail.aspx" target="_blank">Pasta Primavera</a><br />
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<b>Tuesday:</b> <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemony-Lentils-with-Kale/Detail.aspx" target="_blank">Lemony Lentils and Kale</a><br />
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<b>Wednesday:</b> Pepperoni Pizza Chili with Garlic Muffins<br />
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<b>Thursday: </b>Slow Cooker Butter Chicken with Rice<br />
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<b>Friday:</b> Cabbage and Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches<br />
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<b>Saturday</b>: Creamy Herbed Chicken with Apple, Carrot, and Beet SaladMichelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-72394223409829360122014-03-14T10:18:00.000-07:002014-03-14T10:18:53.803-07:00Accomplishments Mar 8 to Mar 14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Made: a batch of all-purpose cleaner<br />
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Took out some children's books and a DVD for my husband and I (<a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/no_2012/" target="_blank">No</a>) from the library.<br />
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Visited my parents last weekend who live 2.5 hours up north in a house in the woods. We spent some time enjoying some outdoor activities. My son got to try snowshoeing (using my childhood snowshoes!) and cross-country skiing (which he LOVED). It was fun...but I'm REALLY ready for spring to show up.<br />
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The Sunday that we were up there was Value Village's 50% off sale, so we went. The prices at the VV closest to them are a bit lower than any of the ones near us so it makes the 50% extra good. I bought some great items of spring clothing for myself (8 items, mostly higher-end, including a shirt that is identical to one I had last year that I loved but got a stain on that I couldn't remove!), two shirts for my son and a pair of dress pants for my husband. The total for all of these was less than the retail cost of one of tops I purchased.<br />
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My mother also gave me a winter jacket that she had bought for herself at a thrift store for $18 but she found a bit too small to be comfortable. It's a Rossingnol ski jacket originally retailing for over $350 and in perfect condition. My father also gave me a box of mason jars that he has been collecting for me. He's hoping it will encourage me to do more canning this year..and then share.<br />
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The biggest accomplishment of all this week was I got a new job! It's with the same organization I already work for but its a better and more challenging position that is, essentially, my ideal job. It came with a small raise and I negotiated successfully for a higher one. I have never before negotiated my salary, as with many people I think, it's something that falls outside of my comfort zone. I have been really making an effort at being more assertive lately and it's been paying off in more ways than one. With applying for and obtaining this job plus 10 minutes of negotiation I managed to increase my salary by $4500 -- worth a bit of squeamishness I think! I am so excited by this new opportunity and it will help us to move ahead with our goals of finally paying down our debt that much more quickly.<br />
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We ordered in one night (I was stuck in a snowstorm and I was home late and came home to a massive tantrum....that's my excuse anyway!) and one other night we went out for a celebratory dinner! I don't feel guilty about that one in the least! The other nights we had tasty and frugal homemade meals including an especially inexpensive Ham Fried Rice made with leftover rice I had stashed in the freezer and leftover smoked picnic ham that I had purchased for .99 a pound and some sale frozen peas among other ingredients.<br />
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All in all...it's been an exceptionally great week!Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-42599169622389423012014-02-26T10:05:00.002-08:002014-02-26T10:05:47.608-08:00This Week's Meal PlanThis week's meal plan as very typical for us. We are having fish one day, meat twice and the balance are vegetarian meals. We usually have a soup once a week and a pasta dish once a week. Thursday need to be super quick as L has swim lessons in the evening. I'm trying to focus on eating a higher proportion of vegetables as well, for instance this particular Borscht recipe is meat free and filled with of a variety of veg.<br />
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<b>Sunday:</b> Salmon Loaf with Creamy Dill Sauce and Sauteed Green Beans (Using 1 can of pink salmon in combo with 1 can of wild sockeye salmon--both purchased on sale-- to lower the cost)<br />
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<b>Monday:</b> Thai Turkey over Rice (using frozen leftover cooked turkey purchased on sale during the holidays)<br />
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<b>Tuesday: </b>Baked Shells with Tomato and Smoked Gouda (using some pasta sauce that I batch cooked last week and froze and using smoked gouda that I got on a killer sale last week) with Green Salad and Homemade French Vinaigrette<br />
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<b>Wednesday:</b> White Bean and Sundried Tomato Stew<br />
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<b>Thursday:</b> Borscht (cooked in the slow cooker) served with Rye Bread, hard boiled sliced eggs, and pickles.<br />
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<b>Friday: </b>Salibury Steak with Potatoes and Roasted Carrots<br />
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<b>Saturday</b>: Use it Up Day!Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-55994318542960558602014-02-24T13:15:00.000-08:002014-02-24T13:17:34.472-08:00Accomplishments Feb 15 to Feb 21<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Made (other than regular meals):</b> a batch of turkey broth (10 cups) using 1/2 turkey frame and a few odd chicken bones and whole bunch of vegetable scraps, cleaning wipes, a big batch of Breakfast Cookies (froze most of them to enjoy over the next couple months), Rice Pudding using up some leftover rice.<br />
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I also picked off the bits of meat and a few carrot bits from the broth I made and blended it with a bit of the leftover rice to make 2 meals for our dog. He was, of course, thrilled.<br />
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This week we spent a lot of our free time enjoying the outdoors including going tobogganing as a family, and going on a guided nature hike. My husband also took L to our local outdoor skating rink after work one day. Winter doesn't look as though it's planning to leave us anytime soon, so we might as well make the most of it!<br />
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I tried a new super frugal meal, a Tomato Curry, but it was a complete fail-- no one liked it one bit. Oh well! I love trying new meals, since you never know which will be a new keeper and I'm especially always looking for new quick and easy vegetarian options to add to our repertoire.<br />
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I washed out several plastic storage bags for reuse.<br />
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Picked up some new kids books from the library.<br />
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My father-in-law and his wife stopped by for a visit and brought L a great hoodie that will fit him next year as well. It's super warm as it's lined in a furry material which will be great if next winter is anything like this one!<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-75315122088422066112014-02-18T08:17:00.002-08:002014-02-21T06:42:54.504-08:00Accomplishments Feb 8 to Feb 14<br />
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<b>Made (other than our regular meals):</b> <a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2011/02/staple-recipe-5050-bread.html" target="_blank">50/50 Bread</a>, Coconut Date Balls, and a big batch of red pasta sauce. I've made several different recipes of red/spagetti sauce but this was my favorite. It comes from the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Make-Ahead-Freeze-Cookbook-Series/dp/1558327568/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392738715&sr=8-1&keywords=not+your+mothers+make+ahead+and+freeze+cookbook" target="_blank">Not Your Mother's Make Ahead and Freeze Cookbook</a> that I took out the previous week from the library (the author also has two fantastic blogs that I follow through Feedly: <a href="http://lifeasmom.com/" target="_blank">Life as Mom</a> and <a href="http://goodcheapeats.com/" target="_blank">Good Cheap Eats</a>). </div>
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We went to see a movie as a family using a leftover child ticket that we were given ages ago and two adult movie passes that my husband received for his birthday last month, so it cost us nothing. We went to see Frozen as L has been begging to go see it. He loved it and the animation was just so gorgeous that I enjoyed it too. We've been playing the soundtrack off of Youtube at home and he's been singing along while practicing writing out all the characters names. In a way it's been good literacy practice!</div>
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L has been really interested in the Olympics and we've been letting him watch a little bit each day, a bit of all the different sports. We crafted together a 'gold medal' as you can see in the picture above. We bought the blue ribbon (which came on a big spool that I'll be able to use for lots of other purposes) and used cardboard from a cracker box, a hot glue gun to make the relief, and paint that we had. My husband speaks Russian so he painting on SOCHI 2014 in both English and Russian....you know to make it authentic :) It has been a prop for lots of dramatic play this week. Above he is practicing his victory pose.</div>
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We usually spend Valentine's day in, but this year decided to go out and forget about being frugal for one night -- not only to celebrate Valentine's Day but my husband's big raise (we knew it was coming but it was great that the day finally arrived!) We went to a fantastic and very authentic Japanese restaurant.<br />
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I decided to buy L's valentines to give away at school because when I priced out several DIY options they cost about the same and of course that didn't take into account my time. He crafted a special one for his teacher however.<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-23268586964045187092014-02-11T10:45:00.002-08:002014-02-21T06:42:24.274-08:00Accomplishments Feb1 to Feb 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I completely missed posting accomplishments for last week! I was unwell and it took me a long time to catch up!<br />
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<b>Made (besides meals): </b>Italian Herb Bread, Peanut Butter Granola, personal sized apple crisp in the microwave to use up a blemished apple, stovetop popcorn with homemade cajun seasoning, and a batch of <a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2010/12/diy-non-toxic-all-purpose-antiseptic.html" target="_blank">All-Purpose cleaner</a>.<br />
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The good news is were well under for our food and household budget for January. The bad news is that we were over for eating out. Waaayyyy over. :(<br />
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Picked up a movie for my husband and I, some children's books, and a cookbook from the library. The movie was <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brooklyn_castle_2012/" target="_blank">Brooklyn Castle</a> and we really enjoyed it.<br />
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The above picture is of an inexpensive and easy activity that my son loved! We filled two squirt bottles that we already had with water with food coloring and he painted our abundant snow.<br />
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It was a bit of a light week for me as far as accomplishments! I'm just satisfied that I was feeling well.<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-50225226888865881292014-02-04T07:40:00.003-08:002014-02-04T10:32:03.345-08:00This Week's Meal PlanLast week we ordered in food one night, because I was feeling terrible and I caved. I felt really guilty afterwards. I like going out to eat and ordering in, but we have a monthly limit and we were already way over. This week I wanted to make a couple freezer meals to have something for those days where nothing goes as planned. I'm hoping to make more in the next few weeks as well to have a stockpile, so that when we do eat out or order in, it's a real decision and I can actually enjoy it.<br />
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<b>Sunday:</b> Mother-in-Law's<br />
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<b>Monday:</b> <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pesto-chicken-penne-casseroles" target="_blank">Pesto Chicken Penne Casserole</a> (plus made two more as freezer meals)<br />
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<b>Tuesday: </b>Miso-Glazed Salmon and Sesame Rice (we didn't have this meal last week because we ordered in one night, unfortunately)<br />
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<b>Wednesday: </b>Stirfry Vegetables over Rice Noodles with <a href="http://pinchofyum.com/red-thai-curry-sauce?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pinch-of-yum+%28Pinch+of+Yum%29" target="_blank">Red Thai Curry Sauce</a><br />
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<b>Thursday: </b>Pesto-Infused White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Stew with Toasted Homemade Italian Herb<br />
Bread<br />
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<b>Friday: </b>Pork Chops marinated in <a href="http://theprudenthomemaker.com/index.php/italian-dressing" target="_blank">Italian Dressing</a>, served with Roasted Lemon Broccoli and Arborio Rice<br />
with Basil and Mozzerella<br />
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<b>Saturday: </b>Cream of Turkey Soup (using leftover frozen turkey) with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with<br />
Mozzeralla, Sliced Tomato and Pesto on Homemade Italian Herb Bread<br />
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<b>What are your favorite make-ahead meals?</b>Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-8087234618396073512014-01-28T13:08:00.003-08:002014-01-28T13:08:43.263-08:00Accomplishments January 18 to January 24<br />
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<b>Made</b>: Breadcrumb Cookies (pictured above) made from breadcrumbs from stale homemade bread that I whizzed in the food processor and stored in the freezer until I had time to turn them into cookies (recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Tightwad-Gazette-Amy-Dacyczyn/dp/0375752250/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390833912&sr=1-1&keywords=complete+tightwad+gazette" target="_blank">Tightwad Gazette</a>), <a href="http://pinchofyum.com/best-ever-whole-wheat-pumpkin-pancakes" target="_blank">Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes</a>, <a href="http://livingwithinreason.blogspot.ca/2014/01/savory-cheese-and-seed-cookies.html" target="_blank">Savory Cheese and Seed Cookies</a>, Olive Puffs, Italian Breadsticks (froze half the dough to use this week), and buttermilk bread.<br />
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<b>I spent the less in groceries for this week than I think ever have! </b>I spent $42, which is about half of what I usually spend. I know there are lots of people out there who go for weeks on end without spending any money on food, but I'm proud of this amount for us for now.<br />
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I washed out some freezer bags to reuse.<br />
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It was my husband's birthday this week! I brought home some leftovers and cake from my mother-in-law's birthday meal for my husband that we used for a pack lunch and dessert. He said he didn't want any'thing' for his birthday gift so I presented him with a list of fun but inexpensive experiences represented by a picture. He got to circle the one he wanted.<br />
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I reorganized all my craft supplies, which is an accomplishment in itself but also in the process rediscovered several items that I had completely forgotten about!<br />
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I ran some errands on Monday as I was not at work (I have every other Monday off). As usual, I combined this trip with other errands to get more done. <b>For instance, this is how this outing worked: </b>First, I took the dog to the neighborhood park with a frisbee and he got a good play. I walked around block and picked L up from kindergarten. We walked around the corner and I deposited some cheques at the bank. L got an explanation of how ATMs work and the dog got a treat from an employee. We walked and talked about what he did at school the couple blocks to the drug store, where I requested my prescription. We walked a couple more blocks to the library, dropped off our returns, and L picked out a couple books and a movie while I browsed a magazine and picked up a bread baking book that I had on hold. I also paid a fine :( We walked back the way we came, stopping to look at the fire trucks at the station and picking up my prescription at the drug store. We then picked up some celery at the little fruit and veg shop. They also sell lovely flowers and L chose which he thought were the prettiest, although we didn't get any. I timed it so we came home at the same time my husband got home from work and he read L his new books while I made supper.<br />
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This is what I love about living in a highly walk-able neighborhood, rather than a chore, these outings are a pleasure and a way to fit in some outdoor exercise (even when it's -4 F, which it was that day!).<br />
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<b>This week's flops</b>: I accidentally spilled bleach on one of my son's nice shirts. I had a bad week of migraines and ended up getting take-out on one evening (and then felt guilty about it of course)<br />
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<b>How do you make errands enjoyable?</b><br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-23463461752950062862014-01-27T12:23:00.001-08:002014-01-27T12:26:31.817-08:00Savory Cheese and Seed Cookies<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TlTBFBWowuc/Ut1mjQzkXpI/AAAAAAAAAUY/nC8ZEaol8t0/s1600/IMG_0614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TlTBFBWowuc/Ut1mjQzkXpI/AAAAAAAAAUY/nC8ZEaol8t0/s1600/IMG_0614.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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Aren't savory cookies just crackers? Well, no, not really. These little guys still have the texture and appearance of cookies so I think the name is pretty spot on. These cookies are an adaptation of a recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Lunchboxes-Kids-Amanda-Grant/dp/1845977068/ref=cm_rdp_product" target="_blank">Healthy Lunchboxes for Kids</a>. These are a great snack for everyone in our house. I like to eat a couple with a serving of fruit.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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- 1 cup grated cheddar<br />
- Scant 1/2 cup butter, softened<br />
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (this flour ground from soft white wheat, rather than hard wheat) or substitute all-purpose flour<br />
- 1 tsp baking powder<br />
- 2 tbsp hulled pumpkin seeds<br />
- 1 tsp baking powder<br />
- 1 cup crispy brown rice breakfast cereal (use white rice cereal if that's what you have)<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.<br />
3. Put cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl and cream together. Add in the flour, baking powder and seeds.<br />
4. Put rice cereal in a plastic zippered bag and break up with a rolling pin. (This is an awesome kid job!) Add to flour mixture and mix everything together, using your hands.<br />
5. Squeeze into small balls the size of cherry tomatoes, roll between your palms, then flatten between your hands. Place on baking sheet and flatten a little more with a fork.<br />
6. Bake 10-14 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Once fully cool store in an airtight container or freeze.<br />
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Makes about 18 cookies<br />
<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-46733154422938939552014-01-26T05:52:00.001-08:002014-01-27T12:29:13.425-08:00This Week's Meal Plan<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">This week I am again working on using up some of what's in the freezers. I don't have a a large freezer, just a small one above our apartment-sized fridge and a small 5 cubic foot additional one, but they are absolutely indispensable to me.</span><br />
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I keep a list on the outside to keep track of what exactly I have in them at any time, to cut down on those things that get lost in the back and are then wasted. I write them in pencil so I can erase and add as needed. Then when it gets really too messy I just make a new one.<br />
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Here's a terrible picture of what it looks like. It's nothing fancy but it works for me:<br />
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<b>Sunday: Out</b> (L is invited to birthday party and it's in the evening and they are providing supper)<br />
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<b>Monday:</b> <b>Arroz con Pollo</b> (This is new recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Economy-Gastronomy-Better-Spend-Less/dp/0141045507/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390741966&sr=8-1&keywords=economy+gastronomy" target="_blank">this book</a> that I've borrowed from a friend.It's like a really simplified Paella. Instead of chicken, I'm going to be using frozen leftover turkey from a turkey I bought for .79 per pound)<br />
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<b>Tuesday: </b><a href="http://pinchofyum.com/baked-caprese-rigatoni" target="_blank"><b>Baked Caprese Rigatoni</b></a> (I'm making this with mostly canned tomatoes, although in the summer I use fresh)<br />
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<b>Wednesday: <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/miso-glazed-salmon/" target="_blank">Miso-Glazed Salmon</a> and Sesame Rice Salad with Sugar Snap Peas </b>(Frozen wild salmon fillets where a good sale price this week and I am not buying mirin but instead adding a bit of sugar to additional sake to cut down on the cost. This is our priciest meal this week which will be about $8 for 4 servings)<br />
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<b>Thursday: <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/slow-cooker-pork-chili-verde-267387" target="_blank">Pork Chili Verde</a> with Tortillas, Refried Beans, Tomatoes, etc </b>(Thursdays my son has swim class in the evening so this is a great slow cooker meal that will be done when we get home. I'm using cubed pork that I purchased as a large pork loin for .99 per pound as well as artisinal Salsa Verde that I got for $1 per large jar on clearance)<br />
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<b>Friday:</b> <b>Vegetarian Minestrone with Italian Bread Sticks, served with cheese and olives </b>(I froze the dough for half the batch of bread sticks I made last week so I just need to thaw, cut, let rise and bake. I will be using this recipe for using up bits of veg that need to be used up, using homemade broth and sale pasta and cannellini beans)<br />
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<b>Saturday: Dal Fry with Naan </b>(I'll be buying naan this week, as I just don't have the time to make my own but this is a tasty and very inexpensive vegetarian meal)<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-64983213728677551022014-01-20T10:08:00.000-08:002014-01-20T14:30:51.012-08:00This Week's Meal PlanThis week I am proud of myself for how little I spend on groceries for the week. I only spent $42 which is about half of what I usually spend, and this included stocking up on 2 kinds of flour and on natural peanut butter.<br />
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The focus this week was to use up stuff in the freezers, not only to save money as we paid for L's skate lessons this week which are pricey, but also to make space in them. They are packed full!<br />
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<b>Sunday: </b>At Mother-in-Law's (family birthday dinner for my husband)<br />
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<b>Monday:</b> Turkey Rice Casserole and Caesar Salad (using leftover frozen cooked turkey)<br />
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<b>Tuesday: </b>Smoky Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches<br />
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<b>Wednesday: </b>Spaghetti (vegetarian) with homemade Italian Breadsticks and Caesar Salad<br />
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<b>Thursday: </b>Pepper Steak and Mashed Potatoes (the pepper steak is already in the freezer, I just need to<br />
dump it in the slow cooker)<br />
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<b>Friday:</b> Pierogies and Cabbage (using up some leftover cabbage)<br />
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<b>Saturday: </b>Tuna & Olive Croquettes (We didn't up eating this meal last week. I had a bad migraine and <br />
caved and bought take out)Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-29688422268351597122014-01-19T12:42:00.000-08:002014-01-19T12:43:17.951-08:00Accomplishments January 11 to January 17<br />
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<b>Made</b>: Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins (using the pumpkin puree that I made <a href="http://livingwithinreason.blogspot.ca/2013/11/accomplishments-nov-3-to-nov-9.html" target="_blank">here</a> with free pie pumpkins), Buttermilk Biscuits, batch of black beans (I cook pounds of dried beans at a time in the slow cooker, which is 8 15oz equivalents), Chocolate Ricotta Mousse, cleaning wipes and <a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/12/homemade-shout-stain-remover.html" target="_blank">homemade 'shout</a>'.<br />
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I still had my cold sore this week :( I resisted the urge to purchase over the counter cold sore medicine even though I <i>really</i> really wanted to, because it was on sale for $13.99 (!) and that just really isn't worth it for something that only makes it go away SLIGHTLY faster. I couldn't justify it.<br />
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I 'made' new art for the bathroom by printing out an image on larger format printer from <a href="http://thegraphicsfairy.com/" target="_blank">Graphic Fairy</a> of an octopus and putting it an existing frame. I just used Word to size it to 11x14 and printed it on regular printer paper.<br />
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My husband trimmed the back of my hair. Getting our hair professionally cut isn't something that we are willing to give up completely (it's the one thing I wear every day after all!) but this little trim means I can put it off longer. In my spendthrift days I used to spend over $200 a pop to get my hair cut and colored at a high end salon (it was just for looks, I don't have any grey hair yet...although I likely will find some later now that I've said that). I haven't colored my hair in over 5 years and my husband and I now get our hair cut by students at a very good salon school. I still get compliments and now my hair costs me $36 instead of $200. I know free sure beats that but we can afford this arrangement and I'm happy with it.<br />
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Checked out some cook books and children's books from the library.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">One the weekend we went to one of our favorite areas of our city, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington_Market" target="_blank">Kensington Market</a>. My mother-in-law came as well. It was a pleasant outing as I picked up some dried bulk herbs, some coffee, and I bought corn tortillas from a latin grocery store. They were 3 dozen for $3 which is an incredible savings over the grocery store where I can get them on sale at 10 for $2. </span><br />
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At the market my mother-in-law bought L a blood orange because he liked the way it looked. He found it too tart but I ate it and used the peel to make Citrus Vinegar for cleaning. It turned the vinegar the most beautiful color! <br />
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My husband and I watched an episode of Game of Thrones on Project Free TV.<br />
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I got pork loin on sale for .99 per pound. I bought to for a total of 11 pounds. I cut 3 pounds of a marbled end into stew meat, the other marbled end into a 3lb roast, and cut the remaining nice loin pieces into chops (I ended up getting 11 thick cut chops). Thick cut pork chops (or any pork chops) are much more expensive per pound than whole pork loin so doing it this way is much more economical and takes almost no time. If you haven't done this before, here's a little <a href="http://video.about.com/gourmetfood/Butcher-Your-Own-Pork-Chops.htm" target="_blank">video tutorial</a>.<br />
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If you eat meat, do you do any of your own 'butchering' to save on the cost?<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-41967837705427027742014-01-15T07:57:00.002-08:002014-01-17T07:29:07.314-08:00This Week's Meal PlanAs you can see below and in my previous meal plan posts, I only usually meal plan for our suppers. That's because with only three of us (with one of us being 4 years old) there are usually leftovers for lunches plus I try to keep some things on hand to make quick lunches to eat at home or brown bag for work if there's nothing ready (an example of one of our emergency lunches besides sandwiches is Tuna and White Bean Salad packed with Triscuits for scooping and some cut up fresh vegetables).<br />
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We usually only have desserts a couple times a week. Sometimes it's a baked good that I've made, sometimes it's ice cream (I have a serious weakness for ice cream!), or some fresh fruit. For instance, this week we will likely have fresh pineapple which were sale for $1 each as a dessert one day and ice cream which was also on sale for dessert on another, as I didn't do any dessert baking this week.<br />
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I find it helps me enormously to plan out our suppers but overall I prefer to leave aspects of our food for the week unplanned to allow for some spontaneous creativity and using up random food items.<br />
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<b>Sunday:</b> Smoked Pork Picnic Roast (puchased for .99 per pound) with Mustard and Brown Sugar Glaze with Green Beans, Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Pineapple rings, and Buttermilk Biscuits<br />
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<strong>Monday:</strong> Leftovers<br />
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<b>Tuesday:</b> <a href="http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2013/05/11/classic-pad-thai/" target="_blank">Vegetarian Pad Thai</a><br />
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<strong>Wednesday:</strong> Curried Turkey with Spinach and Tomatoes over Rice (using leftover turkey in the freezer from the holidays that I bought for .79 per pound)<br />
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<strong>Thursday:</strong> <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/black-bean-and-tortilla-bake-34881" target="_blank">Black Bean and Tortilla Bake</a> with <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1582638/carrot-and-cumin-salad" target="_blank">Carrot Cumin Salad </a>(using black beans that I batch cooked from dry in the slow cooker. I make 8 15oz equivalent portions at one time. This black bean recipe is one of our all-time favorites. The salad is a new recipe, hopefully it turns out!)<br />
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<strong>Friday:</strong><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/tuna-olive-croquettes-160657" target="_blank"> Tuna-Olive Croquettes </a>with Fries and a TBD side vegetable<br />
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<strong>Saturday: </strong>Smoky Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (on home-made bread)<br />
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<strong>If you meal plan, how do you allow for spontaneity with food...</strong>Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-24393677930870217972014-01-13T09:28:00.002-08:002014-01-13T09:29:20.074-08:00Accomplishments Jan 4 to Jan 10The holidays were just so hectic, I found myself unable to carve out the time to post (although I still kept track of my accomplishments in the tiny notebook that I carry around in my purse).<br />
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<b>This week was pretty awful.</b><br />
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I received some very difficult medical news and have a tough decision to make in the next week. To top it off, we have some other stressful family issues we are dealing with this week, I had three migraines (one of which was severe), and a cold sore was the icing on the cake (I have only had one cold sore in my life and it was 15 years ago. Ugh)<br />
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However, there were some bright spots in the week for sure and some successes, both frugal and otherwise.<br />
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<b>Made</b>: <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3505/leek-bacon-and-potato-soup" target="_blank">Leek and Potato Soup</a> (using up unexpected leftover leeks from another recipe and leftover bacon), 12 cups of turkey broth made with bones and vegetable scraps saved in the freezer, <a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2011/02/staple-recipe-5050-bread.html" target="_blank">50/50 bread</a>, <a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2012/02/diy-instant-oatmeal-packets.html" target="_blank">oatmeal packs</a>, Honey Tahini Balls (like <a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2011/05/north-african-snack-bites.html" target="_blank">these</a> but made with tahini to make nut-free for school), <a href="http://weelicious.com/2011/01/25/ranch-dip/" target="_blank">ranch dip</a>, and <a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2010/12/diy-non-toxic-all-purpose-antiseptic.html" target="_blank">All-Purpose Cleaner</a>.<br />
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My parents visited us after the holidays (we were away in Florida for most of them, which was so lovely) and my mother left behind a couple bags worth of food that we enjoyed this week and beyond including: baked goods, juice, cheese, crackers, kielbasa, and popcorn).<br />
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Made some changes to one of our staple soup recipes to adapt it to the slow cooker, and it tasted every bit as good as the more laborious version. L has swim class again on Thursday evenings so our meal that night needs to be super-quick as he really wants both of us to be there if possible.<br />
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I picked up some new Christmas lights to replace our dead ones for 70% off at Target as well as some wrapping paper. I picked up a couple wrapping paper rolls that are not at all very Christmas-y and can also be used for birthdays and other occasions.<br />
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We went tobogganing on a nice snowy day with all of us (including the dog who had great fun but also seemed to think we were ridiculous).<br />
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Listened to music on <a href="http://songza.com/" target="_blank">Songza </a>and watched some episodes from Season 4 of Game of Thrones on <a href="http://www.freetv-video.ca/" target="_blank">Project Free TV</a>.<br />
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I washed out a couple of freezer bags to reuse and hung a couple of loads of laundry to air-dry. We limited ALL of our laundry doing this week to off-peak hours (which tends to be tricky for us and still get it all done)<br />
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Started taking the stairs every time at work. It's only 3 floors but given the nature of my job I have to do it many times a day. I have also started exercising at home again. However, I need to figure out some ways to get more cardio into my life without sacrificing a lot of time or money which I don't have. It's easier when it's not winter and running and biking are option.<br />
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<b>So I guess despite everything, this week was ok</b><br />
<b>(ok is as far as I'll go however!)</b><br />
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What do you try to focus on during especially stressful weeks?<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-20934738986742179182014-01-09T07:06:00.000-08:002014-01-09T07:06:15.875-08:00This Week's Meal PlanThis week we are eating meat three times, which is once more than typical for us, however the amount per meal are very modest. <br />
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My focus this week was on EASY as part of post-holiday recovery!<br />
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<b>Sunday:</b> Leftovers<br />
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<strong>Monday:</strong> Homemade Bolognese Sauce (made a couple of weeks ago as a batch and frozen) over<strong> </strong><a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2011/04/staple-recipe-creamy-crockpot-polenta.html" target="_blank">Creamy Crock Pot Polenta</a><br />
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<b>Tuesday:</b> Turkey Tostadas (using frozen leftover turkey)<br />
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<strong>Wednesday:</strong> Pasta with Tuna and Dijon Cream Sauce<br />
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<strong>Thursday:</strong> Lentil and Tomato Soup with Whole Wheat Pitas and Hummus<br />
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<strong>Friday:</strong> Kielbasa Stew (using Kielbasa that my mom left behind from visiting during the holidays)<br />
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<strong>Saturday:</strong> TBD....Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6736415336928118852.post-2371378924183248432013-12-02T07:11:00.001-08:002013-12-02T07:17:03.052-08:00Accomplishments Nov 24 - Dec 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week I accomplished less than on a typical week, but considering that not only did I have a very busy week at work, but I also had surgery on Friday, I feel good that I accomplished anything at all.<br />
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The day after my surgery while my husband took L to a watch a hockey game. I mostly rested but managed to make the above DIY advent forest. It's not perfect, but L was very excited about it and it's not bad for crafting under the influence of painkillers!<br />
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<b>This week I made (in addition to meals):</b> cleaning wipes, a batch of enchilada sauce, Bacon Bean Chowder (using leftover frozen baked beans), and turkey broth (using a carcass and vegetable and herb scraps), and <a href="http://munchkinfood.blogspot.ca/2012/02/diy-instant-oatmeal-packets.html" target="_blank">oatmeal packs</a>.<br />
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I picked the bits of leftover meat from the turkey bones after I made broth and blended it with some leftover rice and some cooked carrots from making the broth to make 2 dog meals.<br />
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I washed out a plastic freezer bag.<br />
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We hung 2 loads of laundry rather than using the dryer.<br />
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I used clementine peels to make citrus vinegar for cleaning. (Will be ready in 2 weeks)<br />
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I <b>finally</b> ordered some prints online that I've been meaning to for ages! I will use these to update our hall display.<br />
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I got some reading done. I don't read nearly as much as I would like to -- I just find that I don't have enough time.<br />
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I got an amazing deal on white sugar at .26 per pound. That's by far the least expensive I've ever seen it here, so I stocked up.<br />
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My husband and I opened a new credit card. He did a balance transfer from his old one (which he'll be cancelling) to take advantage of 6 months of nominal interest. We are aiming to get the balance paid off in that time. As well, this card is no fee and we earn $ towards free groceries with it, so when we do need to use it -- RESPONSIBLY-- that's a benefit. This is one little step in our debt repayment plan.<br />
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<br />Michelle BB http://www.blogger.com/profile/04436514880236898392noreply@blogger.com0