Feb27

Grand Opening of Etsy shop!

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We are soooo excited that our etsy shop is finally up and running!

Though it’s been a dream for the last couple years, we are officially “open” now!  Our goal is that everything in it be 100% organic.  It does cost more, but we feel that, similar to organic food, the benefits of organic fibers far outweigh those of synthetic or pesticide ridden fibers.  To start with we are using GOTS certified organic cotton, organic cotton thread, and even organic labels.  Crazy?  Maybe!  But it feels so good knowing that what we are doing is beneficial to our environment, the organic economy, and of course to the people who use our products!

Here are some pics of our new items:

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Fun snack-size organic cotton napkins

DSCF0342So many whimsical super cute prints

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Mini-security blankets with cute gender neutral print on one side and cozy organic sherpa on the inside (along with fun mitered corners)

Jul16

Refashion anyone?

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Our budget is in need of help – serious help!  But I would also like some new clothes…bummer.

Ever heard of refashioning?  I hadn’t until I did some searches on pinterest and found out that lots of people take old clothes (their own or thrift store ones) and “refashion” them into something different and fun to wear.  Do a search and check out some of the clothes.  Yes, some are weird, but some are super cute!

Beyond budget constraints, I also am long-waisted and, depending on current trends, finding shirts long enough can be challenging.  This is a great way to custom make custom clothing without spend much – can’t wait to give it a try!

Have you ever tried it?  How did things turn out?  Love to hear your experiences…

Jul12

Gluten-free Sourdough Starter & Kefir

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Yesterday, I order some fun new goodies to try.  First I found gluten-free sourdough starter and then I ordered a combo pack of both milk and water kefir (dairy-free option yeah!).  Anyone else have experience with any of these things?  I’m a newbie to them, so I could use advice!  Can’t wait for them to come in the mail…  I’ll be posting my adventures!

Below is a link to the fun etsy shop I bought them at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Yemoos

Check them out – cute shop…and no, I’m not getting paid to tell you that! 🙂

Jul11

It’s time

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After a one year unintentional hiatus, it’s time to write again.  I was thinking about writing again and checked the last installment – a year ago today!  I will take that as a sign :).

In the last year we have moved across the country, moved again to different county, finished one year of grad school (my husband), and had a baby!

Reestablishing ourselves in a new place, with another child, has invigorated me to do more of what I love.  Get closer to God, nature and the simple things in life.

Jul11

Beans, beans… Part 2 How to make dried beans

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Below is step by step of how I prepare dry beans for use in recipes.  This is a convenient and make-ahead option.

First rinse the beans with water in a strainer and pick out anything that doesn’t belong (rocks etc.).  Put in bowl, fill with water, and let the beans soak overnight.

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After the beans have soaked, rinse them well with water.

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Pour into kettle and fill pot with water to more than cover beans.

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Simmer until beans are tender –not mushy!  It may be necessary to add water during process.  Mine almost always boil over, so be careful!

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When done, drain and allow to cool.

If I am making the beans ahead of time, I spread them out on cookie sheets and pop them in the freezer.

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When they are completely frozen, I bag them up in gallon zip bags.  This way they are ready when I am cooking and scooping out the correct amount is easier than opening a can.  This is a fantastic way to cut back on canned bean purchases and save lots!  I have noticed that frozen beans tend to be dryer, hence I take this into consideration when cooking and make sure that I don’t try to cut simmering time short because I want to give my beans time to soak up moisture and flavor.

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Jun4

Beans, beans…Part 1

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beans

So, I’ve been planning out ways that we can save big on our grocery bill…  We do not eat very much meat and substitute in beans quite often as our protein source so we are already saving quite a bit compared to the average American family.  Once in a while we use dry beans, but as a rule canned beans are quick/convenient and relatively inexpensive.

However, I’ve been feeling convicted about wasting money on canned beans versus dried.  In reality thought, how much money are we talking about?  Is it worth the time and effort it takes to make dried beans?  Let’s find out!  I will be doing some comparative shopping and posting the results…

Thanks to lobster20 for the picture!

Apr1

Quality Time

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My daughter usually makes breakfast with her grandmother when Nana is home from work.  This morning, just as Nan plugged in the waffle iron she got a phone call. 

So, I took over and my daughter and I mixed up the waffles together.  How important these simple things are!  Instead of going to a restaurant, spending money that we don’t have, eating white flour waffles, and trying to get a four year old to sit still and be quite throughout the whole process…

My daughter and I used wholesome ingredients (buckwheat flour, farm fresh eggs, organic milk, honey, olive oil, and real maple syrup) which she got to mix up herself.

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Then she waited for the waffle iron to do its work.

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She got excited when we cut up strawberries on her waffle and yelled “I want maple syrup!”

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Finally, she got to munch down on the yummy goodness.

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Yes, we still go to restaurants.  After all, convenience still reigns as supreme in America, right?!  But, maybe we should appreciate these homemade meals more.  They are full of nutrient rich foods.  Our children naturally learn to be thankful for their meal since it didn’t just appear before them.  They learn that work can be rewarding…  Invaluable lessons!

Mar31

First freebie!

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Here it is, (drum roll please), my first, true, couponing success:

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The wonderful, the fabulous, the free air freshener!!!

Yep, I followed www.thekrazycouponlady.com advice and got this air freshener for free!!!  Actually I made $0.03.

I know, not exactly that exciting, but it’s enough for me!  It proved to me that I can really do the coupon thing too.  Now I really can’t wait until the Sunday paper comes out with all those yummy, shiny, coupons!

Mar30

Down the Road

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My husband commented this morning that he is addicted to walking.  Not the worst addiction, I’m sure.  It seems to calm him and refocus his mind.  He goes off almost daily for long walks (at least an hour).  Me?  I’m not that in shape.  A nice walk for me lasts 5, maybe 10, minutes…

I hope to walk everyday, but that NEVER happens!  For example, I took a quick walk on Sunday afternoon.  It felt good and I was excited to have such a great start to the week.  Well, I failed to find time on Monday…and then Tuesday just seemed so full…  Now it is Wednesday and the sun is beginning it’s decent with no sign of a walk in sight. 

You just can’t leave a four year old alone while you go trotting off down the road.  And her pace is equivalent to that of a turtle…  Yes, I know excuses…excuses…

So, somehow my husband finds time for an hour walk while I can’t seem to squeeze in 5 minutes.  What’s wrong with that equation?  It’s not his fault, not at all.  I think he just knows himself better.  He understand that he needs that time of refreshing out in God’s magnificent creation, so he takes the time to make it happen. 

This is where I so often fall short.  I don’t think I have the time to simplify my life. 

It seems like a wonderful dream – to enjoy an invigorating jaunt down the road and build my mental and physical health, but best of all taking the time to soak up all this natural beauty that is waiting just down the road…

Mar29

Couponing!?

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So, I saw the Krazy Coupon Lady on the Nate Show and thought…I could do that!  These “Krazy” women save tons and I do mean TONS of money by utilizing lots of coupons and store sales.  They have a fun website: www.TheKrazyCouponLady.com.  It’s very inspiring with tons of how-to help.

Anybody out there ever try this?  I’ve heard about fanatic couponers before, but was never sure how they did it.  Now, I have the information to try it myself.

My favorite part?  The binder! 😮  They have this great big fat binder that they take shopping and have all the coupons organized in.  I told my husband, I want the binder!  You can even print their binder dividers out for free from their website…

Well, I printed them, put them in page protectors…now I just need to get that binder!

I am not sure if this is something that will simplify our lives or make it more hectic, but there’s only one way to find out…  This could be fun!