Week 3… Clothes, Crafts, Community, and Comfort

Let’s get creative!

Day 1: Refashion your clothes.

I didn’t even attempt this. I have been trying to catch up with cleaning. BUT, I have done this before. I have made a skirt out of a t-shirt once (see picture), and I revamped a men’s t-shirt into a tank top. Unfortunately, I do not have the patience to do things very neatly so I didn’t end up keeping these creations for very long. 

Day 2: Get Fearlessly Crafty

 Some fond memories of things I’ve made that I have been proud of are my daughter’s pony Halloween costume, a necklace hanger, Christmas ornaments, and just this week, a story craft for my sons daycare.I have never been afraid to fail at crafts, I more just don’t have the patience for them and so don’t do them often. This has challenged me to make my son’s Halloween costume this year instead of buying one. Just wait till you see!

Day 3: Get a Free Education

I spent a day last week learning how to craft stories. It was so wonderful, and I created the peices to tell my son’s favourite story, “If You Give A Moose A Muffin”. This will be going to his daycare as a gift. Tomorrow I am going to a workshop about parenting emotional children. I’m so excited to learn! Community centres, schools, youtube, churches…all of these places often have free workshops or classes. You can always be pursuing your passions, even if you’re not spending money!

Day 4: Find New Uses for Old Things

My favourite old thing to use in new ways are mason jars. I have used them for candle holders, vases, pencil holders, stock containers, hide and seek games, planters, collection holders. I’m sure Pinterest has 1000 other uses for them that I haven’t even thought of! What are your favourite ways to use old things?

Day 5:Prepare to Pamper Yourself

A few of my designs, both my own and Jamberry.

I love to do my nails, so much so that you will rarely find me with bare nails. It began as a creative outlet, something that helped me feel accomplished in a short amount of time. Then it progressed when I found Jamberry, an adhesive nail cover. They had so many designs to suit whatever mood or passion I wanted to represent. Plus they looked so much better than my amateur attempts at nail art. To get ready to do my nails, I took my old Jams off and cleaned my nails. I’m still deciding what design to do next!

Day 6: Have a Spa Day at Home

I am planning this for tomorrow. I’m going to do my nails while watching a silly, feel-good movie. Then I’m going to sit in my massage chair with my diffuser filled with tranquility essential oils. Then I’m going on a date with my hubby. It’s going to be a great evening.

Stuggles?

This week has been mostly struggle. It’s been stressful, pay day is a week away, and a lot of my meal attempts have flopped, we’ve gotten very little sleep, my son is growing and so by the end of the week I had run out of ideas of how to keep him full! My meal plan has saved me for the most part, but I’m realizing how often we would normally go out for a snack or meal just to keep kids satiated. Since we’re only buying produce and meat and eggs during this challenge, it has been difficult to fill us up. I’m not sure what to do about that. Bake more so that I have more snacks on hand? Buy more prepared snacks? Keep pushing the veggies and fruit? Push the meat because it’s the most filling? It will be interesting to make meal plans after this challenge. I’ve been forcing myself to really think about how far each dollar we spend will go. If we eat 5 dollars of dried fruit in one sitting, that’s not very cost effective. If I can put that dried fruit into several batches of muffins, that may be a way to make our dollar stretch out a bit.

Inspirations?

The story workshop inspired me! I want to make story telling kits for the kids in our family this year for Christmas. I also found a way to turn sweaters into really cute mittens, so that may also be a Christmas gift idea.

I also want to make being at home as cozy as possible. The cleaning got away from me this week…I was so exhausted I just didn’t have the energy to keep up. I totally noticed how the kids and myself didn’t want to be at home. It’s not fun when you’re surrounded by filth! I guess I was inspired by my dirty house?!

Cheats?

This week we used coupons for free energy bars to get a quick snack before gymnastics. My husband used collected movie points to buy tickets for a movie date coming next month. We have used gift cards to buy Starbucks. I bought some crackers to supplement lunches for my kids.  I did take my son out for McDonald’s once this week…and I may have had a few cheeseburgers while there…there…now you know. One more week, no more real cheats!

Goals?

• not eat out at all, not even with a gift card
• make a meal plan with less experiments and more tried and true recipes
• make more snacks on Saturday to get us through the week a bit easier.
• find at least 4 things to sell on Varage Sale
• create one new game for my kids to play
• keep the house a cozy clean, not perfect, but clean enough that we want to be at home

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Let’s finish this race well friends!

Week 2 Living Well and Spending (almost) Zero

I have been delaying this post, hoping to complete my cleaning checklists from Week 2. But, life gets in the way, and I find myself swamped with other tasks. So my final checklist hasn’t been done yet. And that’s OK.

The idea behind this week’s cleaning challenges is to make your home a place you (and your family) likes to be in. Sometimes, being at home is just not an easy place to be. When there are a thousand jobs to do, when the kids can’t run around without tripping over something, when it takes 30 minutes to clean the kitchen before you can start making a meal. It’s no wonder we go out to eat so much and we would rather go to the mall or the movie theatre to spend time together.

This weeks checklists and what happened at out house:

Day 1: Generally tidy up the house. Didn’t happen…

Day 2: Deep Clean the living areas of the house and your bedroom. My hubby took the kids for 4 hours (he gets a medal for husband of the year for that one), and I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I cleaned parts of our house that haven’t been cleaned in a year. What!? The doors in our house are white!!!

Day 3: Deep clean the kids rooms (or guest rooms). My husband tackled my son’s room, and my daughter and I did her room. It took a few hours, but in the end we had sorted and packed up 5 bags of clothes and 2 boxes of other things. My daughter ended up with only 2 shirts and 3 pairs of pants. How did that happen?! I sent out a plea for clothes on Facebook and not only did people respond with bags and bags of clothes, but people who didn’t even know I needed them sent me clothes. God provides in amazing ways!

Day 4: Deep clean your office. This was the easiest because S just cleaned all the drawers and organized them last weekend. I just filed the papers on the desk and cleaned the top off. We have 3 pencil sharpeners and endless rolls of electrical tape…

Day 5: Clean out your closet. It took me almost all week to get to this checklist. With my kid’s schedules and my hubby being gone for half the week, I just didn’t have time! So just today, I sat my hubby down and made him “Yes” or “No” every item in his wardrobe. Then I did mine. We got rid of a full garbage bag of clothes, some earrings and a lot of broken hangers. Ahhh, it feels good to know that I like and I fit everything in my closet!

Day 6:Deep clean your bathrooms. In progress…OK…not started.

4 Reasons I know that this challenge is worth the effort…

1. This week my kids stopped complaining about the snacks I’ve been giving them. They have been perfectly happy with popcorn and fruit almost every day.
2. This week we paid off more on our loan than we have in the past 3 months combined. My husband did have overtime hours this month, but usually we would fritter away that money on instant fun. This time, we colored in bricks on our Debt Free Disney castle. I have never been so happy to colour in squares.
3. This week my kids wanted to spend more time at home. Usually my daughter would rather go to her friend’s houses, but lately, she’s been choosing to stay home. She has been reading more, playing with her art supplies more, and spending more time with her brother. My son has been playing Lego and cars with such imagination. I really think that this is because we have been spending more time playing together, at home, as a family.
4. This week I made my own Lara Bars. These bars have been a huge expense since we did Whole 30 in the summer. They really are one of the most filling, good for you snacks out there. BUT, they all have nuts. AND, they are really expensive. So I made some at home without nuts, just with seeds! They turned out great and now my daughter has a much more filling (and more affordable) snack for school. AND, I don’t have to feel guilty about them eating several a day…they really didn’t cost that much to make!

As I read through these things again, I am realizing the eternal impact that these activities are having on my family. I see my kids loving what they have instead of always wanting more. I see them being more creative with their time and with their things. I am being more creative with what I have, and it gives me such satisfaction to KNOW in my heart that I am doing God’s will by being a good steward and recognizing the blessings He’s given.

” I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12b-13

Lord, make us ever more content with what you have given. Help us to seek life abundant in every situation, and to use each day, each moment, each discovery, as a springboard into your presence.

Shifting my Attitude

I felt accomplished and powerful. After 5 hours of cleaning, I had deep cleaned my entire house (except the kids rooms). I felt ready to take on the world.

Fast forward….

I’m standing in church today singing, ” I am weak, I know I’m unworthy,” Quite the shift from my attitude the day before. I was struck by my lack of thankfulness and humbleness in my heart. I was falling into the “I” statements…I am awesome, I am powerful, I can do anything. The world tells us to be confident in ourselves, but that only goes so far. At some point our humanness catches up with us and we fail. God calls us to be confident in Him, to realize how weak and unworthy we are without Him and to turn our hearts to His power and blessing in our lives. To know that He is a good God and to trust Him to give us abundant life if we seek Him first.

“But there is so much bad in the world, how can God be good?”

Our pastor spoke to this today, and what he said stuck into my heart. God suffers more than any of us, because of the love in his heart for his creation. As we suffer, He suffers. So why doesn’t he just end the suffering? There is no answer for this, but I do have the knowledge that there is comfort in knowing that God cries when I do. That his heart hurts when mine does. It helps me to know that when He says, ” Pain and death will not have the last word,” I can take that truth and hold to it, because I have felt His heart for others, and all it is, is love.

Yesterday, God blessed me through my husband, who took the kids all day so I could clean. He gave me a healthy body that could clean for long hours. He gave me a house to clean and stuff to organize. I know that I am rich, there are so many that have nothing. And so I am realizing, and meditating, on just how good God is to me, and how blessed I am.

Let us be careful as we go through these Live Well, Spend Zero challenges, to remember that our strength, physical, emotional, mental, it all comes from the God who created us. Let us be thankful, let us rejoice!

I am weak, but He is strong.

I am unworthy, but through Him I have been given worth as His child.

He is awesome!

He is powerful!

He is good!

He has given me life abundant, and I am beginning to glimpse it!

The rest of week 1…Living Well Spending (almost) Zero

Today is reflection day! Here’s a recap of the first week of the challenge.

Day 1: Commit

Day 2: Do a food Inventory

Day 3: Plan Meals

Day 4: Do a meal swap (of some sort)

Day 5: “Eat Out” at home

Day 6:Freezer Cooking

Day 7: Reflect

The recipe swap that I did on Day 4 worked out great. I posted my inventory list and then friends and family commented about what they thought I should make. I got some really creative ideas. Turkey Stew, Roasted Veggie Coconut Soup, Pulled Pork Poutine, etc. YUMMY! So far I have used 3 of the ideas and my brain(and my stomach) thank you! The hardest part of meal planning is being creative with what you have, I’m so blessed to have creative readers to help me!

On day 5 I was challenged to take one of our “eating out” meals and make it at home. I made BBQ wings, Sweet Potato Fries and carrot/celery sticks. My husband bought us an Actifry and it made awesome wings! It was hilarious watching my two year old eat wings for the first time, but after he got it he just inhaled them!

Day 6 talked about freezer meals. I am happy to say that I already do this. If I’m making something that freezes well, I make extra to go into the freezer. I’m not the type to make a whole batch of them to eat throughout the week though.

And today, I am in reflection. My challenge e-mail today had this list of questions to answer.

1. What was the scariest part of starting this challenge?
   1. The scariest part of this challenge was not buying a full load of groceries. I didn’t know if my kids would freak out as our snacks got more and more limited, and as we ran out of the things they love. 
2. What is the ONE THING you are most excited to get out of this challenge?
   1. I would like to have a clear understanding that I know what a want is and what a need is and that I have the will power to say NO to wants. 
3. What was the biggest struggle this week?
   1. The biggest struggle was not eating out on the extra busy days. It took a lot of extra planning, but it was worth it. 
4. Where were you most tempted?
   1. At my daughters gymnastics practice. It is 2 hours long and usually my son and I would visit Starbucks for a snack or go grocery shopping. It was so hard not to do that and to actually put the effort into thinking of something else to do. We went to a playground and I had a surprise meeting with a friend I haven’t seen in 5 years! Then we cleaned the car out. In the end, I felt really accomplished and blessed.
5. What are you most worried about looking forward?
   1. I’m mostly worried about making it through the month. I usually do great at the beginning of a budget month, but then I give in near the end. I just seems so pointless because our debt doesn’t seem to be going down. 
6. What has been the most surprising thing about not spending this week?
   1. That my kids have been OK! They haven’t complained about snack options. And my daughter was really excited to help me make a list of family things we can do for free. We put them on Popsicle sticks and then every Saturday we will draw one out and have fun doing that activity together. 
7. Did you have any AHA moments?
   1. That so many of my “needs” are actually wants and I can survive without them. 
8. What are some goals for next week?
   1. Spend less than $70 on groceries. 
   2. Not eat out!
   3. Try at least one new recipe. 
   4. To return library movies on time so I don’t have to pay fees!

Stay tuned for week 2!

Fun Food Swap

Day 4 of my 31 days of Living Well and Spending (almost) Zero is organizing a meal swap with friends. I do not have time for this, but my friend gave me a great idea. Send me some recipes!!! Below are all of the ingredients I have on hand. If you have any good ideas of what to make send it my way! I would love some input beyond my 6 year old saying, “noodles with butter.”

In My Fridge

Eggs, Prunes, Pickles, Lemon Juice, Chicken Stock, Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Yeast, Hemp Hearts, Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Onion, Cucumber, Radishes, Power Greens, Celery, Carrots, Red Peppers, Almond Milk, Dates, Jam, Banana Peppers, Rice Pudding, Beets, Mushrooms, Avocado, Coconut Yogurt(vanilla and plain), Romaine Lettuce, margarine

In My Freezer

Frozen orange juice, Bananas, Soup, Blueberries, Mixed Berries, Peas, Cauliflower, Shrimp, Turkey Breast, Pork Chops, Pork Roast, Sweet Potato Fries, Chicken Wings, Waffles

On My Counter

Potatoes, Eggplant, Garlic, Onion, Jalapeno, Spaghetti Squash, Turnip, Sweet Potato, Banana, Apples, Pears, Limes, Tomatoes, Cilantro

In My Cupboards

Steel Cut Oats, Chia Seed, Ramen Noodles(just the noodles), Wild Rice, Pepitas, Nut Mix, Walnuts, Coconut Flour, Coconut, Cacao Nibs, Coconut milk, Can of pumpkin, can of tuna, Popcorn topping, Brown Rice, Popcorn, Sunflower seeds, Almonds, Applesauce, coconut oil, every spice you can imagine, beef bouillon, corn starch, baking soda and powder, vanilla, cocoa, gelatin, gluten free noodles

In the Pantry

Applesauce, pickles, peanut butter, tomato sauce, coconut oil

Happy creating friends!

October Challenge….31 Days of (almost) No Spending

Our family is heading into October with debt reduction in mind. The lovely blog, www.livingwellspendingless.com, is doing a 31 day challenge this month of Living Well and Spending Less.

I have a shopping addiction, and like my food addictions, it is triggered by emotional stress. The slight high of having something new gives me brief relief from the sadness and stress in my life. In August, we began tracking our spending using You Need a Budget. In August alone I spent $300 on myself. I was shocked! I had no idea that I was using that much of our money to get those tiny emotional highs. I was determined to do better in September, and I did. A little. I cut that amount in half. But that’s not enough, because honestly we only have enough for maybe $25 of spending money each a month.

And so, when reading about this challenge, I was drawn to the idea of re-framing how I view money. I want to be able to know that I didn’t spend money in order to feed my addictions. I want to know in my heart and head the difference between a need and a want. I want to pay off our debt so that we can be more generous with what God has given.

Week One focuses on Food! So far I have had 3 days of tasks.

Day 1…Commit… S and I had a chat about this month and we are both on board and ready for action.

Day 2…Inventory of Food…With the idea that we need to use what we have before we buy more, we did an inventory today. L had her own piece of paper and pencil making lists in her cute Grade 1 writing, and S and I worked with her to make all the lists of what we have in the fridge, cupboards and pantry. We have a lot of food, and honestly sometimes laziness is the only thing keeping me from using it. I usually make a meal plan and then do inventory to see what we need, but they have me approaching it from the opposite direction.

Day 3…Create Meal plans…This is easy for me. Since Whole 30 I’ve been very diligent with meal plans. The only difference is that I need to pay more attention to what we can make with what we have, instead of just making grocery lists based on what we’re craving. we are used to going shopping once a week; visiting Costco, Superstore and a Farmer’s Market. But this week we only went to the Farmer’s Market for produce. I hope that we can do this at least one more time this month.

The tasks were easy, the temptations we’ve been facing were a little more challenging.

1.  I went to a very fancy event with my father on Thursday and I desperately wanted a new outfit. But instead, I just went with what I already had, adding a fancy scarf that I had gotten this summer and some earrings that I had made with my mom.
2.  L had a birthday party to go to today, and our son could have gone as well but it would have cost a bit of money. I kept him home and played with him here instead.
3. S and I had a home date last night and usually we would order take out, but instead we made a treat with what we had and played Yahtzee.

It’s been 3 days and I’ve been stretched already. I’ve had to call upon my creativity more often, and sometimes it just doesn’t work very well (my meal experiments do not always work. Eggs for supper it is!). BUT, it feels good to be using what we already have instead of adding to our clutter. It feels like we are meeting our calling to be good stewards of what God has given. 1 Timothy gives words to what the Sanders Family financial goals are.

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19

We don’t what to be so caught up in our finances that we miss out of the opportunities God gives us to serve and be generous with what He’s given. We want to take hold of the abundant life that he has for us, and this challenge is part of that journey.