Sagetribe- Adventures From Our Village

Still Growing

Lots of good things still growing our way!

The pineapple (grown by us for YEARS) was delightful. "The best I've ever tasted" we all said mouths dripping with sweetness. A new one has already sprouted, so in a couple more years, we'll have another! :)

And as for our freezer, well, he or she is no longer growing, but Saturday when I went to the indoor farmers market to pick up our 20lbs of pork and saw all the farmers who come every week, hoping we shoppers buy so they can continue to farm, I thankfully carried our surplus home to be tucked away with ears of summer corn, home made bread, and lots of frozen peppers.  

Here is where we get most of our meat. They have beef, eggs, and chickens too. 

Happy stocking up for winter!

Hip Mountain Mama Review- Soapnuts

Excited to be back at Hip Mountain Mama talking about SoapNuts! If you have never heard of them, or want to wash your clothes with something truly "organic", check it out!

Hip Mountain Mama

I am THRILLED to be over at Hip Mountain Mama today, with one of my favorite little people, reviewing two of their wonderful products! Please go see us there!

Buying "FOOD" on a Budget

Some days I walk though the grocery store, look at all the freezer prepared foods, and think...that would be so easy. I pick up the box of prepared pasta or frozen breaded meat, look at the ingredients, and feel like I'm reading another language. Frustrated, I look at the sodium count, shake my head in disgust, and move on. It's  not worth it.

Then I go into the frozen organic section and do the same at the prices. Again, not worth it. So I make most of our meals as much from scratch as I can and live with the fact that fast food for us is 30 minutes, which really isn't that bad!

Still, I would be nice, for the days when I don't have 30 minutes, to have something healthy and really quick. 

I've been investigating ways to save money- not just on quick foods- but on all household items. There has to be a way to balance the budget and buy REAL food.

I heard that companies will send coupons if you ask...what a concept!

So I wrote to my favorite organic companies and...

This is actually only about half of what I received because I've been busy buying wonderful food for half the price, if not FREE!

Last night we dined on

Which is my favorite way to spend a Friday night when I've worked all day and the husband is traveling. It tasted good, it was on sale, I had a coupon so it was CHEAP, and my kids didn't do off the wall behaviors from too much sodium or dyes.

It's amazing...opening up a box and finding....REAL FOOD! Like grown in the ground food. Like food that looks like food because it came from a farm instead of a factory.

I know cooking and buying real food is not always easy. My husband and I work full time, take care of two kids, and do all the things one must do these days on a pretty tight budget.

I know that real food makes a difference though. I can tell which of my students had good breakfasts and which had something artificial from a box.

I can tell which students eat and drink too many things with red dyes and which ones ate sugar and carbs for lunch.

I can tell which students ate protein and drank good things like water (without artificial flavoring) and organic milk too.

What we put in our children's bodies makes a big difference! BIG!

So if you are like me and want to put more FOOD on your table (sometimes even fast food) but don't always have the means to do so, email your favorite organic companies.

It will be worth it!

 
ALL FREE :)

Not pictured because it's in our bellies- organic- chili, carrots, another pizzas, fries, lettuce, yogurt, and juice- free or bought with coupons. 

About half of the companies I wrote to responded with coupons. Here is who you should email:

Earth's Best

Earthbound Organics

Amy's

Coleman Meats

Laura's Meats

 

 

 

Creating at SimpleCard

 Like you, I'm sure, I get to sift through a ton of emails on a daily basis. Many I delete or skim.

There are a few, however, that I drop whatever task I'm interrupting, and read.

A few I read and then wish I didn't.

A few I read to find inspiration for the moment I'm in or a moment I know I'll be in soon.

And a few take me by surprise and make my day.

A couple weeks ago I received one of these take me by surprise emails. It was from a lovely woman at simplecard.com asking me to check out the site and product. 

So I did...

And not only was this out of the blue email exciting for me...but so was the site!

I miss the days when people communicated more with pen and paper. I miss opening my mailbox and seeing something other than to be recycled paper and money I owe.

The time of year when our mailbox will start to have more of the fun stuff- cards from people we love, is almost upon us. Our family is excited. And we're excited to fill other people's mailboxes with love.

Simplecard helped me get started. I quickly downloaded a pic. of my duo, picked a beautiful background, added some inspirational words, and viola! our Christmas cards were ready to be shipped. 

And a week later, wrapped in a pretty ribbon, they arrived.

And soon, well, soon in my life because it's flying by, they might be arriving in your mailbox.

At Simplecard you can create any type of card, including postcards, for any season or occasion. You can use their graphics and text or create your own. You can even have them mail the cards for you! Pretty cool!

I think you must, must, must go to simplecard.com and just play.

See what you can create, and then when your cards arrive, pick up a pen and put a little love in a different kind of box. Because the ones you love will treasure it- way more than the text or forward, more than the tweet or facebook update, and who knows...your bills may be waiting for you with a little love as well!

Learning to Live on Less While Having More

In the past I have found that the less I try to spend, the more I spend. Saving money frustrates me; I get annoyed, fling my hands in the air, and wait until the next time it's necessary to try again. It's time to try again, and this time I can't give up.

I'm happy to say I am making some progress...thanks to my old suitemate and dear friend at SavingOurWay I am learning the art of couponing, and thanks to my mother I have coupons. The last three weeks I managed to save over $60 each time buying food we eat- organic and all. It took some practice, but I'm getting better and better. I must say it is exhilarating watching the total, after my shopper's reward card is scanned, zoom down 60 plus bucks! It's like winning a little lottery.

The last couple weeks I've also managed to save quite a bit by buying coffee at home, making these

 (recipe on top of Quaker Oats box- so good!)

instead of sending Clark out for my weekly hot fudge sundae craving, and waiting a day or two to really see if we "NEED" an item. We went on a picnic with friends instead of eating out. I took the kids to the children's museum where we have a membership, instead of some place we don't. We had our date night in- watched a movie and drank good beer (that was on sale) at home. No pain! I am making it through. Sounds stupid I'm sure, but I love to eat out. I love it!! And I love to fill my basket at bookstores and craft stores. And my husband loves to click through Amazon and add to his 1000 plus book collection. The thing is, our need to cut back is not because we spend too much. We are actually pretty frugal. It's the living on no salary for 12 weeks and hospital bills...we've all been there...and would I trade not having maternity leave or her

for meals out..I think not. 

It's not been easy though. It's been kind of like it was when I kicked my smoking habit, but each day I feel less and less like I need to go buy something. Maybe I have a problem. Or maybe, like the majority of us in this country, I'm just so used to instant gratification that having to wait has become a foreign concept.

I don't want to pass this trait on to our children.

I don't want to live for things.

So while right now not spending is more out of necessity than a good habit, I hope that it sets a tone for us to follow in the future. It's been kinda fun thinking about how to get the same sense of gratification in a different, more creative way. Plus, I'd much rather be sitting on a cruise ship or travel overseas than eat my potential savings in hot fudge.

And the great part is my kids are not old enough to care about what costs money and what doesn't. Picnics, homemade cookies, museum...all huge savings and all so fun!

They just want time with us, which of course is the best kind of free!

This post is part of the Moms' 30-Minute Blog Challenge