Thriving In My Thrifty Week–December 9, 2018

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Patsy went to a Christmas party at church last night.  There was an ugly sweater contest.  Rob went down to a thrift shop and got this sweater and then to the Dollar Tree to get things for her to decorate it with.  We told her there was no way she was going to win–it turned out too cute!   She had a lot of fun decorating it, that’s for sure!

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Alissa’s was pretty awful by the time she got done decorating. She did not win, either.  I guess a girl in a sweater that had shoulder pads, and was just like it was made–not embellished, but very ugly with no help at all,  was the winner.  The girls had a lot of fun with it.

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She even did the back of hers because it was so front-heavy that it needed a counterbalance!

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Jake and Michaela spent the weekend, in fact will be with us until Tuesday.  On Saturday morning, it was chore time, and I said they had to help.  Jake thought the funnest chore he could think of was cleaning the toilet.  I wasn’t about to turn down that offer!  So, he and Patsy cleaned the bathroom while Michaela and I put a bunch of things away.  We made the chores fun, they didn’t last long, and a couple of things got done.  Win-win-win!

I have read until I am hoarse.  I read the first Boxcar Children book to Jake.  We read part of “Eddie and Gardenia” which is by Carolyn Haywood, his current favorite author.  Then, our library hold copy of “Here’s a Penny” which is also by Carolyn Haywood came in, and we had to go down there and pick it up and start to read that.  We are about 1/2 way through.  Rob played Plant Bingo (a botany learning game) with him because he loves it, not to teach him anything.  That he is learning while doing it is a nice bonus.  Rob took Michaela to her Horses of Hope arena where she volunteers and rides, but there was no work to do yesterday–it was done by other volunteers, so she just rode.  That worked, too. It was cold.

Then, Rob set Michaela, Jake and Patsy to wrapping presents.  All in all, they got quite a bit done, and had fun doing it.

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I’ve been sewing all week.  Those blue shorts are the sleeping shorts I sewed and gave Rob to wear.  The camo fabric is a pair of long pants that are slightly fuzzy inside–good for cold evenings and the dinosaur fabric is another pair of sleeping shorts.  He will get the long pair and the short gray pair for Christmas.  I used Simplicity 4889, a pattern I’ve had for quite a few years.

I put it all away because the kids were coming, but I do have a couple more things I want to make after they go home and I can get it all out again.

We cooked lots of meals, as normal.  I made potato soup with ham in it, roast beef with carrots, sandwiches, toasted bagels and English muffins for the kids, tuna salad, and more.

I went and got a few marvelous deals at the grocery store.  99c peanut butter, 99c milk (1/2 gallons), and a few other things.  I also got some salad stuff and veggies on the reduced produce rack.  A really tasty honeydew melon was my favorite buy–it only had 1 small soft spot, which I cut out.  I’m so often disappointed with honeydew, but figured it was worth a dollar to take a chance on this one, and it was very good!  Every thing on that rack is $1.  I happened in at the right time–the produce man had just put out 2 huge boxes of things that needed to be sold right away.  At that store, they put them in little mesh bags, and whatever’s in the bag costs a dollar, but it all has a little problem, which I trim off.  I’m feeding my healthy hubby lots of sliced tomatoes due to those little bags:). I’m not sure why some of those tomatoes were in there.  They were perfectly good–not even a bad spot.

I hope your week went well. I plan to keep working slowly towards Christmas, but I’m feeling pretty good about getting ready with a minimum of stress.  How about you?

 

21 thoughts on “Thriving In My Thrifty Week–December 9, 2018”

  1. Both girls look so cute! I really like that dinosaur fabric, too! If I think about Christmas I feel very stressed, so I’m trying to not think too much about it. I finished my 9th week out of town for work, and get to go back home for good on Thursday. It’s been a hard time and we are all so thankful it’s almost over. God has been faithful to carry us through. I can’t wait to see the rest of your Christmas things!

    1. You know, I think that would be one of the hardest things in the world–being away from home, especially at this time of year. I’m glad you are getting to head back to your home. I’m such a homebody. I would not enjoy that!

      1. If I hadn’t felt this was where God asked me to be, I never would have done it. I normally work from home. I’m not even used to going to an office. But I took a job working for Compassion International, and they asked me to do this training. I’m very much a homebody, too!

        1. What a rewarding job, though, once the training is done! I’m sure it’s wonderful to know you are helping so many children. I’m glad you can be home now, though.

  2. The girls look great. We went to an ugly sweater party a few years ago. Before hand we went to GW and bought the ugliest sweaters they had. A guy went up to my husband and said that he had the same sweater and it was his favorite (thinking my husband wasn’t entering the contest). We still laugh about it.

    Any time Jake wants to clean a toilet, send him my way.

    1. That is funny!

      I will gladly let you borrow the boy this morning–trying to get him ready for school is not a picnic after such a weekend of fun. He just wants the fun to continue, and I don’t blame him at all, but he has to go to school, so we will prevail!

  3. I’m in the same place as you, moving slowly towards Christmas. And so far, stress free. Jake gave me a good laugh. I’ll have to see if there’s any interest with my GD :o). Great job with the PJ’s. I may have to try sewing some myself. Such fun sweaters!

    1. I also find it funny that his preferred chore would be that, but I’m not arguing–it made Patsy feel like cleaning the bathroom more than she usually does!

      I like simple projects that I can finish quickly–it makes me feel very productive, and those sleeping shorts and pants only take a short time to make. The nighties take a little longer, but the pattern I’ve been making is pretty quick as well. I’m sure you could make some of either.

    1. Thank you. Now that I’m finishing my last night with the cousins, I hope to get back to making a few more things during the next few days. We’ve had a lovely time, but they will be going back home tomorrow, and they will be glad to see their parents! Michaela, especially, misses them a ton.

  4. It is very useful to have a happy toilet cleaner in the house!.. The girls sure look cute!

    I paid $51 for 8 pairs of jeans for my husband and saved $230! Then I turned the Kohl’s cash I earned into a pack of Gold Toe socks for him for 43 cents. I also bought $111 worth of panties for me for $35. I absolutely cannot wear inexpensive underwear so when the deal came along I grabbed it.

    I am running miles behind on Christmas but whatever gets done gets done and the show will go on anyway! I do have to wrap almost everything and that does have to get done.

    1. That is an amazing deal on the jeans! I really will be looking for a deal like that when I finally get to “re-fit” Rob. Right now, he’s just swimming along in the clothes he has. He doesn’t want to spend much money during the weight-loss process! But if I could find that kind of deal…..

      I feel like I can give Christmas some more concentration since the kids go home today. It’s been super fun, but hectic, especially trying to get them up and out of here so early so Rob can take them to catch busses at their own house. This time of day, traffic is bad, so it can take 1/2 hour to get them over there. And, it’s more fun to stay here and get spoiled, so……. Anyway, after putting Jake on the bus this morning, he will take Michaela for their usual swimming time, as she doesn’t have a program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I finished the 3rd chapter book I’ve read to Jake since Thursday, this morning. So, that’s been very rewarding that he wants to listen, but a bit time-consuming. Thankfully, they are not too long, and are interesting:). It’s worth it though, for a lot of reasons, one being that it calms him and he has a better time getting ready if I will read while he eats breakfast, gets ready for bed, etc.

      Yesterday, after Michaela got off the bus, I took her to the Dollar Store to “dink around” and then to the bowling alley where we met one of her friends for bowling–something she does most Mondays. Rob took care of Patsy and Jake and made dinner. So, I am busy, but not bored. And that’s a good place to be in, for me. I’m going to need a nap sometime, though:). Then I’ll get back to Christmas!

  5. At the risk of being snoopy…is that a plug on the front of your bathroom vanity? If it is, I have never seen that before and consider it a great idea! You can use a blow dryer without the cord hanging over the water in the sink.
    Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry

    1. Yes. It is a plug. It was there when we moved in, and it is the only plug in the entire bathroom:). That has it’s plusses and minuses. In fact, in the house inspection, it was stated that there was none–the inspector missed it, I guessed. But, it’s there, and works great. I do blow-dry my hair every day, and it does work great.

  6. Your family is just so beautiful, always cheerful, and always so busy with fun things…even Jake cleaning the toilet…lol. I love the sweaters. Everyone is growing up and the girls are getting prettier each day and Jake handsome. My husband used to read our kids the Boxcar Children (I read Little house on the Prairie to my youngest as that is when I finally had no more babies to tend to!) Andrea

    1. Thank you. I love reading Little House, as well, but after I got past the lower ones, Jake is not as interested in them, so chooses other things to listen to. I think that when Laura and Mary were small, they interested him more. It makes sense. But, I’ll read them any time!

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