I feel like I haven’t been here in awhile….oh wait, I haven’t been!

I would like to say I have been busy and that may be true. I have discovered that my definition of busy is quite different from everyone’s definition. What they may consider busy, I just consider life as it is. Lately, though, I have just been really tired. Like I could drag myself into bed and sleep at 8:00 tired. This weekend, I started to perk up a bit. Enough anyway that I could tackle the ginormous to-do list that I have going.

I have a love/hate relationship with my to-do lists. I love them because I can’t remember everything that needs to be done. I also love them because I like crossing off the items on the list. It makes me happy! I hate the list because I look at it and panic with all the items on the list!

Panic does not equal motivation in my book either. Procrastination combined with panic will, however, produce motivation. I really don’t want to get to that point!

On the family front, we have been a quiet. Paige is finishing up basketball this week and getting ready to go to Washington D.C. next week. I am so excited for her! This is the first child that is going that I am not the chaperone on the trip for. I am a bit sad about it, but she should be fine. Shali and Jordan have been working on their school’s drama production. Shali is performing and Jordan is part of the stage crew. They are performing the Almost True Story of Robin Hood (not sure if that is the exact title!). Dane is just hanging out, waiting patiently for winter to get done with. He is definitely my summer kid!

Oh, in other big news, Shali is 18! Where did time go?!?! To celebrate, she pierced her belly button. Piercing do not bother me except when they are done in poor taste or do not fit with the person getting them done. She had one of the very best pierce her so all-in-all, it is all good.

On the frugal front, we have accomplished a few things:

1. We succeeded in making our own yogurt! I am using the slow cooker method right now because I do not have the right cookware to do the stove method. We even succeeded in making lactose-free yogurt using lactose-free whole milk. Paige is very, very happy about this!

2.  I was able to pick up cleats for Paige and Dane for ball this summer on the cheap. Paige’s cleats were bought on a garage sale site on Facebook for $5.00. Dane’s cleats were bought a thrift shop for $1.00. I also got Dane batting gloves for $4.00 on clearance at K-mart. The older girls do not need anything new for ball this summer so we are set for that season. I love that feeling!

3. I have been reading The Tightwad Gazette. Whoa! I am learning and learning some more. One of the things I have been taking away from it anticipating your needs and looking for the deals ahead of time. See #2.

4. Paige and I raided a thrift shop a few weekends ago and came home with a good-sized box overflowing with clothes and books for only $8.00. Several of those clothes were for her trip to DC. I couldn’t believe how many of those clothes had the original store tag still on the clothes!

5. I am still downloading free books onto my Kindle from Amazon. While I am trying the Amazon Prime program for free for 30 days, I have been taking advantage of more free books under the Prime program.

6. I got a nifty new-to-me jacket from same Facebook site as I mentioned above for $3.00. I love it! It is an olive green that goes with almost anything and it fits me through the shoulders! Bonus!

7. With some of my tax refund, I have been picking up sales on Vitacost. I love their prices, free shipping on $50 and higher, sales, and ease of ordering. I am trying to stock up a bit at home to get us through the next year. I don’t know if that is possible, but it is worth the shot.

I am sure we saved more, but I am lacking the memory to recall it all!

Also, I have a page on Facebook where I post blog posts as well as ideas I find and sometimes ideas or plans that I have personally. Please like it! I would love to have you join us there!

Thanks for reading! Have a great day!
Erica

Sharing is caring!