Budget Planning Guide

Yesterday, I talked about how to eat real food on a budget.  But, there are two key words to making it happen: a budget.  Do you have one?  To my surprise, many married couples do not keep a budget.  With a little time and effort, you can easily begin a home budget planner.  Consider this your budget planning guide! Continue reading

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Real Food on a Budget – 10 Tips

Rainbow Rice and Beans

I certainly don’t have it all figured out when it comes to eating real food on a budget. In fact, in recent months, there have been times when, at the end of the month we have enjoyed rice & beans and beans & rice a few times more than normal.  :)

It is possible though,  to eat healthy food on a real budget (the money we use doesn’t grow on trees!).  It can sometimes be tricky, particularly if you are transitioning to eating more whole, real foods.  I haven’t mastered it, but I want to share what I’m learning with you in hopes that it will serve you! Continue reading

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11 Staple Foods You’ll Always Find in My Kitchen

There are several foods that I consider to be staple foods in my kitchen.  I use these daily or almost daily and try never to be without them.  I consider them essentials to our health and daily diet so I incorporate them as much as possible.  Many of these staple foods I buy in bulk to ensure I always have them around (and it’s cheaper!).  Here are 11 staple foods you’ll always find in my kitchen: Continue reading

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Weekend Reading

Here’s a few articles and blog posts that caught my attention this week that you might benefit from reading over the weekend in all of your *free time*…Happy weekend!  I hope it’s both productive and restful.

Health & Nutrition

Dairy Intolerance Vanishes with Raw Milk – The story of one family’s journey from dairy to no-dairy, back to raw dairy.

Four Simple and Different Methods for Freezing Strawberries – Want to know what to do with all of those strawberries?  This is an excellent help!

Home Remedies for Minor Burns – A great post defining different types of burns and how to treat them at home.

Family Life

Parenting:  When the Heart’s Not in it – Tips from a mom of 8 on how to lovingly shepherd our children’s hearts when their hearts do not seemed inclined to the Lord.

10 Keys to Patient Motherhood – This will bring a smile to your face, probably because you can relate to the author’s circumstances.  Helpful tips to help us to be patient.  Though, I would add that I like to label my sin with Biblical word descriptions.  Helps deal with it instead of giving a false label and never really dealing with the sin.  She uses “frustration” a lot. In my own life, “frustration” can usually best be described as anger.  Just something to think about!

Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet – Okay, this is not just one post.  It’s the whole blog.  You just have to check it out.  Sara is an amazing writer and I like to think that if we ever really meet, we’d be good friends.  I love the way she writes.  I often read thinking, “She is communicating in such an eloquent way what I wish I could spit out!” Who knows if she’d feel the same way! Ha!  This is my favorite personal blog!

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Summer Salad Recipes

I don’t know about you, but I love, love, LOVE salads in the summer.  There is something about all of the fresh produce that makes them taste so much better!  Not only that, but they make for easy summer meals.  easy summer salads Continue reading

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A Plan for Freezing Meals

In my post yesterday, I mentioned that there are several meals from my meal plan that I intend to freeze this month.  I love having freezer meals just in case something comes up: someone is sick, someone else needs a meal, life gets hectic, or, there is a baby on the way.  There is nothing like having a stock of prepared meals that need only to be thawed and warmed. Continue reading

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My June Menu Plan

As promised yesterday,  my menu plan for June is below.

Remember, I plan with daily themes, so you’ll see some patterns! Also, we eat a variety of veggies and I don’t always plan out specifically which ones we’ll eat.  It depends on what is fresh at farmer’s markets, on sale, or what hits the spot when shopping.  I have a specified amount of grocery money that I spend on produce each week, so whatever I can get under that price we’ll eat! Continue reading

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Monthly Meal Planning in 5 Easy Steps

I have had a few conversations recently about monthly meal planning.  Questions have arisen about how to do it, why there is a need to do it, how I have not planned well since we moved and need to get back to it…so I thought it would make a wonderful blog post! Continue reading

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How to Make Tortillas: A Tutorial in Pictures

We love tortillas around here.  We use them for fajitas, sweet potato bean burritos, hummus wraps, enchiladas…  Today I was making homemade tortillas in bulk in order to freeze several.   I was also making sweet potato bean burritos to both freeze and have for lunch.  Yum! Continue reading

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Make Your Own Natural Baby Wipes!

Every mom understands the value of wipes in the diaper department.  They are an absolute necessity!  Whether you use cloth diapers or disposables, you need them.  But who likes to pay for them? Continue reading

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