Mr Buttons gets a ride.

The granddaughters have been taking riding lessons.  You can tell Mr Buttons is used to kids riding him. He took right to the girls. They got to know him.  Then walked with him, brushed and finally rode him. He loved it. 

This hen cracked us up. She does everything with Mr Buttons.

Crafts started indoors. Working on a fall "tree".

Peppy, the baby goat, thought riding an animal was ridiculous. 

Off she went.

We were still working on our trees.

Time to get ready for the Bronco Game and the girls want one last walk with Mr Buttons.

peace, health, and happiness. 

Frugal Friday

Fridays I will try to reserve for how we saved money this week. 

First off we do use the 52 Week Challenge.  Monday was week 34 so we popped $34 in our jar of savings and we are up to $595. I found this a few years back on facebook on 52 Week Money Challenge.

Use only cash. Money becomes more important when you don't have credit cards. You keep better track of how you spend. I used to save any $1 bill.  Now I am trying to save $5 bills for chicken feed and chips for the coop. (saved $10)

Make your own breakfast. (saved $6.62 a day - $33.10 a week!) It is a joke that my car naturally knows how to stop at McD's every morning for an egg sandwich and mocha coffee. Now I make my own. Less carbs too because I use only one side of the bun. 

Healthier mocha since I use goat's milk and no adding sugar. Milk, add coffee, and Hersey's chocolate syrup.  

These are also fun. 

Take advantage of free money. $250  My work gives us incentives to stay healthy. I am always shocked at the amount of people who do not participate or take advantage of this free money.  Here is what I earned so far... (I won't count it in the total until I am paid) 

Use the library.  I get books, books on CD and cable series like Turn and the Vikings from the library. (one cd The Union Quilters - price on Amazon $12 used/ Vikings series 2 - price on Amazon $16.88 used)  

Make your own pillow cases.  Have you seen the price of them in the store? $17 to $20 a pair.

Make your own thank you notes.  Yes, they still matter. Saved $5.

Grow your own. Spinach and Collards.  Saved $5.

This week's savings ......$134.95 !! 

Happy Friday. 

peace, health, and happiness 

Staying healthy

One of the big things living on a homestead is you have to be healthy and fit. I have had my fair share of challenges but you have to keep trying and do what you can to stay healthy. 

Exercise - I thought because we gardened and worked with the animals it would be enough but often times we are getting no aerobic type exercise.  I used to be a runner and then kids came and my time was for them and put myself aside.  As they got older we  we ran and entered 5k races together when they were in high school or went hiking, or swimming. We even took yoga classes together - three generations, me , mom and one of my sons. Now they are grown and grandchildren are arriving I need to be fit.  I started walking with a goal of 10,000 steps a day with 15 minutes of yoga. Dude is very fit with farming and construction work. 
Here was my morning.  Yoga and the treadmill. 

We are working on eating better...well, I am. Dude eats what I make with a large side of  ice cream. 
Monday, Wednesday and Friday I try to make vegetarian meals.  Today is tofu stir-fry with veggies from the garden. 

All this is from our garden and it is amazing how much you can get from a small amount of veggies. I have two meals for work and one for Dude.  Oh, you know, he has to have some form of meat. I got him a steak out for his dinner to go along with the stir-fry. 

I love these containers for my lunch/dinner. 

I did top the stir-fry with cashews. 

I did have a little time to weed. Yes, they are real and we have no garden gnomes to come and clear them out for me. (Dude didn't know what a gnome was. When I showed him he said, "why do I want a Santa in my garden?! oiy) The weeds are taking over.

 

For me, it's a good time for praying and thinking, for Dude it's a good time for cussing (smile) over how hard the ground it , how we need rain, or how many weeds we have.  I was just grateful he stopped to help before heading out to mend the fence . We got the whole herb garden done in one swoop. 

It is starting to drizzle a bit of rain and I need to hit the road. 

Take care of each other. 

peace, health, and happiness