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.

  

My 2 cents: about tea...

Ok.   

We all have our splurges

Something that we just LOVE to treat ourselves to.

Mine is tea.  

Unsweet tea to be exact.

No sugar please, just pure, caffeinated, natural-tea goodness.

And I love to get it when I am out and about.

When McDonald's has this ice-filled-happiness in a cup JUST waiting for me for only $1, how can I refuse?

Well, I couldn't until I added up my the cost of my treat out vs. the cost of making it at home.  

A box of tea bags from Aldi (can't remember the exact price) is roughly $2.89.

for 100 bags.

I use 2 per cup of iced tea.

So we are talking $0.06 per LARGE CUP, just like McDonald's.  

So lets annualize and  get the big-picture here...  

A tea a day at McD:   $365

A tea a day from home:  $21.90

Savings of $343.10

That is 13 date-nights out; having a glass of wine for him, coffee for me and splitting a gourmet dessert. (Honestly my idea of a PERFECT date)

That is 11 family dinners out at our favorite local pizza place

That is a fun visit to Ikea

That is a wonderful day spent in Chicago, complete with nice lunch and dinner out and a little spending money for everyone.

My point is, it ALL ADDS UP!  And if we (mostly my hubby) works SO HARD for our money, shouldn't we do our best to keep as much of it as we can?  

Anyway, just my 2 cents.

We all have a treat we just LOVE, I'm just rethinking mine and planning to choose the homemade version so we can enjoy the money saved another way.

Hugs and Happy Saving!

Greek Salad

My current lunch obsession:  GREEK SALAD!  

With all ingredients (except the tomato which is from our garden) purchased at Aldi.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I LOVE ALDI!  

They have really increased their selection lately, including more imported items as well as organic.

This salad is made with:

Romaine Hearts $1.99

Hard Salami:  $2.79

Feta Cheese:  $1.99

Kalamata Olives from Greece:  $2.79

Cucumber:  leftover

Tomato: garden

Total:  $9.56 for an estimated 6 salads?  Pretty good deal.

For us, eating out is a big budget buster, so creativity in our meal-planning is IMPERATIVE in keeping us at our kitchen table instead of at a restaurant's table.  (We save that for special treats instead of it being the norm, like our pre-kid days when we ate out like there was no tomorrow.  Live and learn.)

Happy creative-meal-making!

Summer Time Favorite

If it is summer (or winter for that matter)

and we are not outside, climbing trees, playing with friends or enjoying a popsicle,

odds are, you can find us in the library.

LOVE that the kids are JUST as excited (maybe not quite, but pretty excited) to make our ever-so-frequent trips to the library. 

 We have found books on JUST about anything and enjoy the hunt for the pefect Summer Reading Program finds.  

Did I mention its like shopping for free???  :)

Love me a library.  

Anywhere.  

Anytime.

Hugs and happy reading!

Springhill Camp!

This was our first time attending Springhill Camp.  It was AMAZING!  A long-day for our homeschoolers, but each made special friends, did lots of fun activities and learned so much about themselves and our God.   We are already counting the days until next year!

Logan received an award for his gift of "Creativity"/  His friend Nathan did as well, turns out they were fast friends and had lots of fun the whole week.

Olivia really like Miss Leah, who presented her with an award for her "Joyfulness".  I couldn't agree more.  I love the joy she has!

Until next year - Hugs and happy camping!