Fruglicity - Picky Eater Approved Dinner

Months ago, I was rummaging through our almost-bare-time-to-go-to-the-store cupboards, hoping to squeak out ONE MORE meal before grocery day.  I threw together 4 SIMPLE ingredients that have now become a favorite at our house.

While our children are getting older and more adventurous at mealtime, we still have some days when we must rely on recipes we KNOW are picky-eater approved.   When this meal is prepared, the kids eat it all, EVERY TIME.

Pasta  (about 2 cups)

(we buy Simply Nature Kids at Aldi, 

it contains a full-serving of veggies)

Butter (1/2 stick)

Parmesan Cheese (probably 1/2 cup)

Garlic Powder (to taste, for us 1/2t)

(I don't follow a recipe, I just eyeball everything sometimes adding milk if its too thick)

We don't buy macaroni and cheese anymore, this is simply more cost effective and I LOVE that its only 4 ingredients.

Frugal dinner +Simple Recipe = Happy Momma

Happy Dinner-Making!

Olivia's Birthday - Fruglicity Style

We LOVE to celebrate birthdays at our house.  

We plan, brainstorm and come up with Fruglicity ideas.

BUT, they are truly  SIMPLE  events.

This year we traveled to my mom's so Olivia could have a get together with her friends there.

On that street, filled with WONDERFUL families who also appreciate simplicity, if you say *no presents please, they will adhere to and fully respect your request. 

 THEY WILL, however, 

all show up with the cutest homemade cards ever. 

LOVE the no gifts and thoughts behind lovely homemade cards. 

Simply delightful.

I spent a totaly of $17 for her party.  

Party-favors? Pipecleaner rings Olivia carefully made for each of her guests: $1

Salty store-bought chex mix 

And as-requested by the birthday girl, homemade sweet chex mix. 

Cups, plates and table cloth $1 each

Activity?  Good, old-fashioned turkey's from hand-tracings.

And then playtime.

So fun to actually SIT AND ENJOY our company instead of running crazy, trying to pull off an over-the-top party.

And for our family celebration,  Olivia requested potato soup (a frugal, family, favorite) and "Fancy Hot Chocolate"  instead of a pricey cake.  LOVE HER.  

Recipe for "Olivia's Fancy Hot Chocolate":

Vanilla Almond Milk

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Homemade Caramel Syrup

Whipped Cream

Cookie stix

Candy Canes

ALL FROM ALDI.

In the end, to me, it is about celebrating the life of this BLESSING FROM HEAVEN.  

Not breaking the bank, with stressful shin digs. 

Every family is different, no judging here, but my goal as a momma is to thoroughly enjoy my child on their special day, make them feel special and stay well with-in our budget.  

Done, Done and Done!

Fruglicity - Apple Orchard visit )

Every year we visit an area apple orchard. 

This year we skipped the extras (cider slushies, candy corn and suckers from the market, would have been an additional $15. at LEAST) and just picked 1 small bag of apples.  $10

Then we stopped at Aldi for a pre-made pie crust $1.89  (Should have made my own from scratch, but I had worked that morning as was POOPED!)

and Vanilla Ice Cream $2.69

and we headed home to bake our pie.  

We have TONS of apples left to make apple crisp and another pie (with the crust from scratch this time.)

Love our visits each year and love the treats we enjoy as the fruit of our labor (ha. pun intended)

Frugal, family fun. 

My little girl-

Love this little girl.  

Proud of her for 2 specific reasons today:

1.  She just started an advanced gymnastics class, in which she was feeling very overwhelmed.  On the first day of class she excused herself to come see me.  We talked about perseverance and prayed for extra strength and guidance.  The rest of the class went GREAT!  She was back flipping and back handspringing with the BIGGEST grin.  Proud of her :)

2.  Her best friend moved to Africa this week.  She has been melancholy to say the least, but as we talk about ways we can bless Maggie's family through letters and care packages she is getting so excited and creative!  Just today she started a really cute project to send over.  Love the way she is making the best of her situation.  Love her little heart.

Friends in Ethiopia

We said good-bye to some great friends this week as they embark on new journey in Addis Abba, Ethiopia.  They will be partnering with Embracing Home Ethiopia, working in a day care center where children are cared for while their mom's learn a trade in an effort to support themselves.

We are BEYOND excited for their new adventure, but will also miss them so much!

Olivia and Maggie have been friends since they were 2. 

We moved back to Indianapolis this past summer and they have spent as MUCH time as possible with each other.  

This picture of the two of them makes me cry, every. time.  Such special friends :)

Christie and I :)  Will so miss our chats over coffee. :(

Logan LOVES to play with Zek and Emery.  He calls them his little brothers.  CUTE!

ZEK!

Olivia and Hazel :)

Maggie surprised Olivia with BFF necklaces :)

T-shirts.  Olivia still hasn't taken hers off.  2 1/2 days later :)

Their time and ours.

Thankfully, with technology the world is a smaller place.  And in 2 years we will get to have play dates again.  Can't wait.

Fruglicity - Family Luncheon

We recently had my mom and Aunt Nancy down for the weekend to celebrate Aunt Nancy's birthday.  

In keeping with my "Fruglicity" theme, I chose a VERY simple, yet yummy meal to prepare.

Chicken and Noodles

Mashed Potatoes (not pictured, but simply DIVINEEEE)

Salad 

Chocolate Cake

The Chicken and Noodles recipe came from Pinterest. 

 I will ALWAYS use this recipe for Chicken and Noodles from NOW ON!

I used 5 frozen chicken breasts

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 15 oz box of chicken broth

1 stick of butter

I chose to put it all in the crock pot and turn it on low at midnight and let it cook all night since lunch was to be served at noon the next day. But the directions were for 5 hours on high I think.

Take out the chicken and shred.

Add Reames frozen noodles (I didn't even use the whole bag)

DONE!

So simple and yummy!

Now for my FAMOUS mashed potato recipe (actually my mom's... I should give credit where credit is due...)

8 potatoes cooked and mashed

1 container of sour cream

1 brick of cream cheese

5 pats of butter

paprika

Blend all but butter and paprika, put in baking dish.  

Top with pats of butter and sprinkle paprika.  Bake for 30 min at 350.  

SOOOO good.

Salad prepared by my momma :)  thanks mom!

Cake from a box, decorated by Olivia (age 8) 

I think she did a MARVELOUS job.

and there you have it!

Fruglicity Family Luncheon 

(served 11 people)

Fruglicity - Indians Game

So I FINALLY came up with the "word" that describes my style. 

FRUGLICITY = Frugal, Simplicity

I have tried for many months to decide how it is I would describe my style.  

To me this sums it up perfectly.

I love to find ways to be frugal

and 

I love, love, LOVE simplicity

Funny how my idea of a "perfect" date has changed over the years.

used to be (as in pre-kids):  Dinner at a VERY nice (read: pricey) restaurant and a movie.

Now,

Going out to share a dessert and have a cup of coffee 

Simple.

Fun.

Simple (again)

SOOOOO, this summer we did some very "fruglicity" fun things.

For instance, library night at the Indians Game

Kids received buy one, get one tickets for the summer reading program at the library.

(Don't even get me started on the fruglicity of the library.  TONS OF FRUGAL SIMPLE FUN THERE.)

It was also $1 hotdog and popcorn night.

So we piled into the car, drove around to find 

reasonable parking: $5 

Paid for 2 lawn tickets: $20

bought everyone a treat and drank water from the fountain: $5  (someone must have gotten 2 treats, ahem, Tommy.)

total of $30  

FUN summer evening enjoying time together and a baseball game.  

It was fruglicity.