Hello everyone! We have had a busy but fun two weeks.
1. Thanksgiving: my main contribution to both Thanksgiving dinners was dressing, made with a bunch of bread that we were given for free. That recipe also used homemade (free) broth, celery, onions and spices; several of which I used from my herb garden. The only pricey ingredient was butter, but even then it was only one stick. I estimate the total cost for stuffing/dressing was less than $2.00 per party, and each recipe filled a 9 by 13" pan. 2. During Thanksgiving weekend, we spent some time in Amish country and stopped by a few bulk food stores. At one of the stores, I bought high quality cocoa and pretzel salt for a reasonable price. 3. I found several bags of chicken thighs on clearance for $0.37/lb. 4. We began Christmas decorating! We have a pretty large house and have only been in it for one year, so we are still buying Christmas decorations and figuring out what we like best. But this year was still a LOT easier than last! My husband put up the lights around the house on a warm day in November. I wrapped our porch posts in artificial garland and put bows on each post. Some new things we bought this year were a small electric fireplace and electric candles for each window facing the road. I think the fireplace was $80.00 on a black Friday deal (which I'm not sure was actually a deal, but....). We love how it looks under the TV. After Christmas we will put it in one of the upstairs bedrooms, since our upstairs is cold for seven months out of the year. The candles were also pricey at $2.00+ each. However, they are remote controlled on a timer and came with batteries, so there is no need to plug each one in. We bought a pack of 10 candles, and I love them so much that I'm planning on getting more in the coming years. I used to be a minimalist freegan when it came to Christmas decorations. I either made stuff for free from natural materials, or got used junk at garage sales and thrift stores. However, my thinking on Christmas decorations has changed since then. First, we have a lot more storage space for decorations. Second, we have a lot more money for Christmas decorations. I used to make my own wreath, garlands, gingerbread centerpieces, etc. (it sounds idyllic, but some of it was not the best artwork) and then throw everything away in January. It was a great system when we had less money, no storage space and a lot of time. Everything was free, but again, it was hobbled together and some things were broken or didn't match. For instance, we had one string each of blue and green lights, one string that half worked of red/green lights and two strands of two different tones of white lights. We had two old window candles that we had to plug in and switch on when we wanted them turned on. Sometimes my wreaths would droop after a few days, or the gingerbread house be a little burnt on one side. Now, however, I find myself for 3-4 times as much space to decorate, and a whole basement in which to store things. It would be completely overwhelming to make enough decorations by hand to decorate the whole house, and have to do that every single year. Now I can just put up the same sturdy, working, matching decorations every year, in the same places, and it only takes a day to do. Think about it; The Christmas season only lasts for 30 days. If it takes you two weeks to get up the lights, decorations and tree, that means you only have 14 days to enjoy it all, let alone get Christmas cards sent out, make special treats, shop for and wrap gifts. 5. Recipe and meal planning: I read a book on Scribd called Little House Living and pulled a few recipes from it. Specifically, I copied down recipes for make-ahead mixes that you put into jars and use later. Then I put together a December menu with some of those recipes. I also pulled out four dessert and specialty Christmas recipes that I would like to make this year. I think we will do homemade marshmallows as a family/friend gift. I also pulled out a biscotti recipe, chocolate sugar cookie recipe, and a cookie-mix-in-a-jar recipe, and those will be what I make this year for fun. That is about it for this week! I hope you are all having a lot of Christmas fun and excitement. Blessings, ~Prudence~
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About PrudenceI am a Christian homemaker who lives in the Midwest. I enjoy sewing, gardening, reading and thrifting. Archives
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