When living "frugally" is hard....

Sigh....today, I made the 'executive' decision (as my daughter said) to quit buying Stevia to use for sweetening. It is just too expensive for our budget (which is tightening weekly, it seems)...so along with no stevia, I decided I cannot drink my coffee in the morning without sweetener, and can't use sugar (it aggravates my fibromyalgia), so we will be drinking hot tea with honey in the mornings. ($1.25 for honey and $1.95 for a big box of tea bags at Aldi's...very, frugal)

I know, why can' t I just drink my coffee without sweetener? Well...I think coffee is bitter and nasty without it. I do, however, have to have something hot in the mornings...and unfortunately, I need caffeine, too. LOL So, today, as I was going thru my freezers, fridge and pantry to see what I already had, and planning menus, I arrived at Aldi's with the intention of doing a very limited, frugal shopping trip.

I have to say, anyone wanting to save money and still eat healthy needs to find the nearest Aldi's!!! I know...it isn't organic, but the Lord knows I can't afford organic, and I trust Him for our health...so I am able to make healthy choices for our family by shopping there.

Also, since the cost of organic soaps is prohibitive as well, I've switched to good old Ivory soap! I use it to make laundry detergent, to bathe with and as hand soap.

One way that we've practiced creative frugality for years is to roast a whole chicken or a whole turkey and have many meals, many quarts of homemade broth...I even have a 23lb turkey defrosting now. (hubby thinks I'm crazy to make a whole turkey in August!)...but I can't wait!

I had a moment of feeling sorry for myself today when I decided not to buy stevia anymore...and planning meatless meals (while trying to balance protein), snacks for 4 children....and I just thought..."It's just too hard...I can't do this...I'll just go back to the way we lived before God convicted me to try to live more naturally and healthy"....oh, but it goes against everything I now know to be the way God wants us to live!!! But...after my 'pity party', I sat on the deck for a minute, prayed and just "listened"....and know that what He calls us to, He will equip us for...and my strength is not in my own efforts, but in His help and guidance....(deep breath)...ok, I CAN do this. But, only day by day....searching for His will and depending on His strength...for THAT particular day. I can do no less.

He also reminded me of His abundant provision for our family! Even recently, we were given bags of clothes from 2 different friends, whose children had outgrown them....in one was a winter coat, clothes and a warm bathrobe for Anna (which she needed), and in Ronnie's was again, a winter coat, flannel shirts and jeans..that fit! Again....God met all of our needs...He IS faithful to provide all that we need. We can trust Him.

So....when living "creatively frugal" is hard...and it will be hard sometimes, we can trust our heavenly Father to provide, guide and remind us of His love and provision for us...His promises are true! Praise God!!!! ~Sue~

Two Movie Reviews

I NEED TO BLOG OR MY MOTHER AND SISTER WILL TAKE OVER! LOL, just kidding... but still I noticed I haven;t posted in a while! So here I go: Hannah Montana The Movie and Inkheart. (Excerpts from Plugged In Online movie reviews)

As much as my sister groaned and rolled her eyes throughout this movie, I kind of enjoyed it. Meghan is incredulous that I could even watch it, despite the fact that I don't like Miley Cyrus. I thought it was a well written movie :) (Meghan doesn't like when I say that) Here are the pros and cons of the movie.

PROS:

1. She loves her family as she comes to see her primadonna style behavior

2. She learns that lying never works out in the long run (as she is running back and forth between a Hannah Dinner and a Miley date with a very handsome cowboy and the cowboy gets fed up with the constant coming and going.)

3. The Climb and Butterfly Fly Away are two very good songs. One is inspirational and the other is one she sings to her dad.

4. Hoedown Throwdown is just so fun!

CONS:

1. Skirts are a bit skimpy, but that is it

2. She lies and sometimes gets away with it.

3. The fame goes to her head and her manager agrees with her attitude.

ALL IN ALL:

I like this movie, but wouldn't watch it all the time. It is squeaky clean, not even an "Oh-My God" in sight.

Inkheart

We all watched this, myself with trepidations. I had no trouble watching it, I wasn't sure about the littles. They watched it with no problem and liked it.Mo Folchart and his young daughter Meggie travel from bookstore to bookstore, buying and repairing rare books. Meggie is less interested in all the dusty old novels, however, than she is in the adventures held within their pages.
Enter a mysterious scarred man called Dustfinger. And enter the fact that Meggie's dad has a secret magical ability he's been hiding from her. Suddenly boredom turns into awe and wonder as she discovers that her very own father is a silvertongue—a person who can, by reading a story aloud, import its characters into our world.

PROS:

Mo dreams of reuniting his own family. He is a loving and protective dad. And he'll do nearly anything to bring his wife back into the real world. In fact, the only thing he won't risk in that endeavor is Meggie's well-being. When Meggie is attacked, for instance, Mo is willing to sacrifice himself to save her. (And more but this is the main good part!)

Cons:

Dustfinger is battered and tossed around by Capricorn's crew. We see him later with a bloodied nose. Mo is knocked unconscious. A magical storm batters people. Dustfinger and Farid set a castle on fire. A tapestry depicts a man impaled upon a sword. Men are swept away in a malevolent twister. One of Capricorn's peons is a silvertongue with a stutter. This man can only partially read someone out of a book. He's mocked for his efforts. And as a result of his lack of clarity, the "half read" characters have deformities and/or words tattooed on their skin.

ALL IN ALL:

Great movie. Wouldn't reccommend it for little viewers though. (Use discretion)

HOPE YOU LIKED MY REVIEWS. IF YOU HAVE SEEN THESE, COMMENT!