"Sir's", he said, "please don't go any further. Stop awhile and rest here in the shade of this tree while I get water to refresh your feet,and a bite to eat to strengthen you. Do stay awhile before continuing your journey" -- Genesis 18:3-5

I'm struggling with the food increases... no.. not to the point I can't feed my family.. but in the idea that they are increasing because of the greediness of oil prices. It infuriates me to no end. I'm frugal to begin with. As I've described here many times before.. I bake.. I cook from scratch.. and we are NOT the McDonald's kind of family. I have to be honest.. and I've said this before.. I don't enjoy eating out. I just don't. I'm not a big shopper. Where I grew up there were MALLS GALORE and shopping GALORE.. every store you could imagine. When I first moved to my area there was NOTHING.. Wal*Mart didn't exist and the recession was on. At first I missed home.. SEVERELY! But as time went on... I have no regrets not going back. NONE! Now when I do go down to Southern NH I see it as a treat to go to a few stores that I enjoy, But nothing more. I'm sorry .. I just don't get excited to go clothes shopping... or shoe shopping.. or.. even purse shopping. NOW.. throw me in a thrift store.. or a yardsale.. and I am SUPER excited.. because I love getting something I LOVE for a mere bargain!

Well.. I'm more on a mission for food prices.. I made myself a handy dandy notebook...and no.. it doesn't look like this..
But it works for me. It holds all my coupons.. ALL that I WILL use... and not ones that have maybe's in it. I also keep the weeks flyers in with it as well. Last week I went shopping at two stores and with coupons I saved a total of $25! I didn't think that was bad for a good start... I love coupons that read...
or just have a variety to paw through and keep. I'm thankful for my friends who throw them at me... some think I'm crazy.. and other want me to shop for them.. LOL LOL.. Hey.. just last week at our local Wal*mart I got 4 bottles of palmolive for $2.00.. I didn't think that was bad at all!!

Now where I live I have no room for chickens.. but I have a friend that does! So.. I put my name in over at Jaydee's blog. For a spring give away she is giving a GC to her favorite hatchery Ideal Poultry
If you are interested hop on over and put your name in the POT as well... I never knew there was such a thing as New Hampshire reds!! And one named Plymouth Rock.. hmmm.. interesting!! Anyway, with today's increasing prices.. it would be nice to run out and get your own eggs.. and not have to worry about what the price will be next time you need them.

So on my frugal journey I have visited many web-sites, checked out many freebie samples to get in the mail.. and I found this site.. HAVE A HOUSE PARTY .. you sign up.. fill out a few easy questions and pick the party you would like to host.. NO.. it's not like a tupperware party/Pampered Chef party.. you buy NOTHING.. the company sends you FREE samples to try with you and family and friends.. I signed up for the Hershey Party!! From my understanding you don't know you got chosen until the box arrives on your doorstep. I thought this would be cool.. and WHY NOT??

Ok.. now on to a COOLER thing... GUESS WHAT?? MY washing machine came in!! WOO HOO!!!
Here it is... the first picture I took.. well.. I would have posted but if my son ever saw it.. he would have DIED.. his whitey tighties were showing.. and well.. we couldn't have that!! So here is a different look at his clothes being washed! You can put some SERIOUS laundry in there!

My house is a MESS and I'm pulling my HAIR out!! I hate messes.. really HATE messes.. yet.. this mess is for a REALLY good purpose! We have decided ( well I) that it was time to take the original wallpaper off of our front entry way and up the hallway stairs. I thought because the paper was old.. really OLD... Like 1914 old it would pop right off... umm WRONG! Here's a before picture.. and a during picture.


Here is our lovely assistant.. my daughter.. doesn't she looked super thrilled?? She did this all day and then headed out to her job!!
Here is what it looks like after.. the walls are HORRID.. they are cracked and just old looking so we skim coated half off the walls today.. I have to tell you.. that's a LOT Of work!!
But here's a sneak peek at some of the features in my home.. please ignore the dirt.. You know.. tearing off wall paper is like taking a dead Christmas Tree out the door... you keep finding needles for weeks after. There is wallpaper ALL through my home.. I feel like I vacuumed all day long and it looks like NOTHING has been touched! I guess that having neighbor boys tear through your home doesn't help either....This is the stained glass window that sits at the top of my stairway. See the house through the window? It's for sale.. Wanna be my neighbor? We sit higher up then they do, but they have a cute little yard!

And here is the future linen closet.. I know.. doesn't look like much now.. but I can't wait to actually have something to put my towels and bath products in. When this house was built so many years ago.. people didn't bath like we do now. Most people probably had one towel per/person that they used til wash day.. so why bother having a closet.. right? One bar of soap probably sat in the bathtub... so what was the worth of a linen closet?? Probably nothing to them.

Here's another stained glass window.. it's a smaller portion of a HUGE window.. I blocked it with my craft shelf.. hmm kind of wonder if I should move it out of the way.. I AM blocking it's beauty!!

And here is an original light fixture to the house.. hubby wants to replace it.. I don't.. I LOVE it... we've replaced just about every other light.. but this one has character that I REALLY love! What do you think? It's also hanging from tin ceilings....

this isn't original to my home.. but I had to share ( we had to move it to take the wallpaper off).. It's a old cabinet from a church here in town that was built in the 1700's. The Cabinet says Parish Library.. I'm assuming it held the library's books. It now holds my canned goods.. It's a great eye level cabinet. The age of the cabinet I'm not sure.. but it's well built and REAL wood.. so I'd have to say at least in the 1800's if not early 1900's.. They were just going to throw this away!! I think it was a lucky find!

On a side note STILL NO WASHING MACHINE!!! I'll leave that story for tomorrow.. Still on the same book as I've had NO reading time this weekend... boo hoo!! HOPEFULLY tonight!! My book IS getting better... but I've been so tired.. who has time!!

What a cold and dreary day for New Hampshire. I woke up surely believing that my kids would have a two hour delay this morning with the sheets of ice that were on my road.. and more pouring down.. but I was wrong.. and SHOCKED! However.. I kept telling them.. look on the bright side.. while others are sitting in hot steamy classrooms... you'll be able to sleep in or hang out! Some how my son couldn't for see the future on that one. At 12 I'm sure I wouldn't have either!!
So I'm not going to bore you with Ice/Snow pictures.. because honestly.. I don't know if I can even fathom taking anymore pictures of it.. ICK!! Show me a Palm Tree!!

So I'm sharing a picture of my washing machine.. I didn't buy the dryer because ours is still good.. and I'm on a mission to SAVE money.. instead of spending it.. however.. I'm thinking our Good Lord has other plans for me lately.. LOL LOL.. oh well!!
I stayed up all night one night on my vacation reading reviews.. after reviews.. after reviews and this one came up the BEST for our area.. and price range. It had 4.8 stars out of 5. I gave up looking for the perfect 5.. because in truth.. there is always someone out there that's going to complain about something... and you know what I mean! So I'm still praying that it comes TOMORROW like they said.. if not.. MAN!! I think my heads going to blow off!! I've spent to much money and time at the creepy Laundromat.. and when we went Monday.. one of the washers BROKE on us!!! Not cool!!

So.. here's what I read this past week!!
this is the second book in the series.. it was GOOD.. and somewhat SAD.. reading about two families struggling through the depression and dealing with the death of loved ones right around the corner of Christmas! It really makes you think about how spoiled we REALLY are today vs what they had to endure during that time! I'm truly grateful for what I do have.. ( even if I complain about washing machines... I guess I should be glad I'm not down by the creek scrubbing in a ice storm.. right?)

I'm really enjoying this series!! I can't wait for more to come. I just became SOAKED into the story and had a hard time putting it down. The book is about a girl who is forced to leave her home country due to false charges brought against her father and in order to save her from the same fate he sends her to America! Five years later she is an elaborate dress designer with a secret! Of course she falls in love.. and has a jealous enemy..You won't be sorry you read it!

So I jump from the Depression, then to the late 1880's and then in to the Contemporary Amish Times. I have to admit.. right now.. I'm about 6 chapters in and I'm a smidge board with it. I normally dive right into Amish stories.. but this one is having a hard time grasping my attention. However I won't give up on it.. and will read it as it's second in the series is awaiting as well!

Hola!! Mi Amigos!! My vacation is officially over.. hubby went back to work..and my kids are home and sucking up the computer... Life is good!! Thank you all so much for your awesome comments... I'm going to get back to reading all of your blogs that I have come to treasure and ADORE.. I DID miss you all!! Can't wait to catch up with you all!!
I've been reading.. and I'll post what I have read tomorrow..
I DID find a WASHER!! however.. it's still is NOT in my home!! Still waiting for it to come in!! sighhh.. They said they had ordered the exact one I did.. and more than likely it would come in last week.. Well.. they LIED to me!! Grrr.. and when we called they told us that it's coming in later than the fellow originally told us..But You'll be the first to know when it's here!

Praise GOD for spell check.. WOO HOO!! and I didn't know you could get so much Junk "comments" on your blogs.. WOW!! LOL LOL!! Guess I need to change my settings.. BUMMER!

Anyway.. I'm going to head off for the night and hopefully share more with you tomorrow.. but for now.. I'll leave you with a picture my son took on his Florida Vacation!!

This Blogger is Checking out for a WEEK!!! I'm going to be vacationing ( hey is that a word?? the world may never know cause the spell check is STILL not working)... So I've decided to devote most of my time to my hubby and finding a new washing machine.. ( find a new one is HARD where I live without waiting a month for it to come in.. and the laundrymats are down right frightful here sometimes!!) So... I'll check back in about a week.. and catch up with all of you that I normally read and respond to!! ( well actually all that I read I HAVE to leave a comment.. I feel guilty if I don't.. because all bloggers really take the time to share.. so why not comment... right???)
So what ever you do this week.. ENJOY!!

Ok.. I HAD to add this tonight!!! I found this on Jayedee's blog.. and LIKE Jayedee.. I might just give up my "blog name" and have you call me this from now on... LOL LOL LOL!!!

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Her Exalted Highness Duchess Terri the Educated of Hoptonshire by Leer Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Ok.. silly as it may sound.. I am SUPER excited that Jack Black is hosting the kids choice awards on Nikelodeon!!! He is truly a kid trapped in a big kids body!! I couldn't imagine being around this guy 24/7!!

What I'm reading...

*** My review of the last book I read... at first I thought I was going to have to put it down... but then it got MUCH better.. and is truly a GREAT story about Love and forgiveness!! I highly recommend it!!

Happy Monday!!

I GOT SNARKED by Jayedee!!! She said I was snarked because of my "Library Post"... oh if she only knew how I wanted to be a SHARK instead of a SNARK that day!!


The got snark? Blog Award is intended for those bloggers who demonstrate an inclination to toward all things snarky.

From Dictionary.com:

snark·y (snär'kē)
adj. snark·i·er, snark·i·est Slang

1. Rudely sarcastic or disrespectful; snide.
2. Irritable or short-tempered; irascible.

From Urban Dictionary:

1. A witty mannerism, personality, or behavior that is a combination of sarcasm and cynicism. Usually accepted as a complimentary term. Snark is sometimes mistaken for a snotty or arrogant attitude.
2. Adjective - Any language that contains quips or comments containing sarcastic or satirical witticisms intended as blunt irony. Usually delivered in a manner that is somewhat abrupt and out of context and intended to stun and amuse.
3. The act of being sarcastic, bitchy, disrespectful, irritable, or short-tempered.


Do you know a few snarky bloggers? Of course you do! Maybe you, yourself, are a snarky blogger.

The Rules:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, create a post with links to 5 snarky blogs and their snarky owners
2. Link your post back to Lib and Jayedee so that people can easily find the origin of the got snark? Blog Award
3. Include a copy of these rules in your post
4. Proudly display the got snark? Blog Award on your blog using the code below - please do not alter the code
5. And yes, if someone tags you as a snarky blogger, you can tag them back (and no, they don't have to post more than once). Snarkiness is snarkiness. Tag it where you see it.


Gosh.. when she first presented this award to people on her blog... TWO names came up instantly for me!! I "begged" her to use this and give it... I didn't expect to get one myself.. Don't get me wrong.. I ABSOLUTELY ADORE these bloggers.. they leave me laughing.. because they write JUST AS IT IS!! I LOVE truth and Honesty!! So... for my three SNARKS...
I give these awards to...

1) THE REAL ROXANN
Seriously.. she is sooooooooooooooo funny!!! I love her stories that she tells.. and her truthfulness in it all!!

2) Curly Girl
Not only is she adorable her blogs are short.. straight to the point and HILARIOUS!! Check her out!!

3)Wendy
I giggle at a lot of her posts.. and always try to comment!! Her kids are adorable.. yet she tells you how she's feeling in every situation!! LOVE IT!!


I don't normally celebrate Valentines Day.. however I love Vintage stuff.. so I'm posting this.. just cause!!





I thought it was adorable!! I'm one of those crazy mama's that has saved all my kiddos Valentines through grades k-5th grade... I'm sure they won't care much... but you just never know!! Ü











Here's what I'm reading...My previous book "The Measure of a Lady " was VERY VERY good... I highly recommend it!!

It's late at night... and I'm truly tired but I'm not winding down... ever have those nights?? tonight is my night .. so I decided I would hop on her and show you what I've been up to these past couple of days....

I decided... at the spur of the moment I was going to make my OWN cadbury cream eggs.. LOL LOL... I must have been crazy because it is literally a 7 hours process.. if NOT more!! So I thought I would share my pictures of my creation... Please note.. they are not egg shaped.. but more flat on one side and egg shaped on the other... Oh well.... Here's a sneak peak!! Click here for Recipe


Yesterday .. I had a day full of appointments and I really didn't plan out my baking very well and I started making herbed hamburger rolls... The dough rose once.. and because of timing I had to let it rise again.. shape them.. and then rise AGAIN!! I thought they might not work... but I was wrong... they came out so nice... this particular one came out looking like a heart!! We ate them up tonight with our hamburgers and Havarti and dill cheese... YUM!!!

I found this cute cute Valentines Day Card in Paper Crafts 2006... it is a Heidi Swapp Design.. the instructions were VERY VAGUE.. so I had to dive in and figure out all the items.. I made my own hearts on this card and my own YOU title... The colors are a bit different too.. but the whole concept is hers.. I just altered it!! I mailed these out to a couple of friends and my nieces and nephews..!!
What I'm reading!! Hubby and I are NOT in financial trouble... we barely have debt... I wanted to read this book to actually gain more knowledge about money.. how to invest... save more.. I love his quote.. LOVE IT!! "Don't even consider keeping up with the Joneses"... "They're Broke"... And in this book it states that 90%.. YES 90% of American's buy stuff they CAN NOT AFFORD!! Now don't get me wrong.. I'm not sitting in a castle with servants... we're your average Joe's... and there have been many times I do get depressed with what other's have.. fancier homes.. nicer vehicles.. even nicer clothes... but deep down... I know that I am BLESSED.. I know that my kids are happy.. and probably because of my frugalness... they do pretty well with their own money!! Kids learn from their parents... I don't want them to learn.. life is about credit.. I want them to learn.. if you have the cash.. then you can do it!! Owe NO man anything!!!

HURRY HURRY... Kay at the Rustic Cottage is having a SPRING GIVE AWAY!! She'll be drawing a winner on Sunday!! I wanted to add this a few days ago.. but forgot to come back and do that.. DUH!!! So have fun.. sign up and ENJOY!!

EWWWW if life gives you Lemons... well... I suggest... DON'T MAKE LEMONADE!!

*** Before I start.. what is wrong with spell CHECK??? I LOVE that feature and it hasn't worked for awhile... boo hoo!!


I baked today!! Where I work there is a sandwich bar and you can pick and chose the bread you want, your meats, and veggies and the lovely people behind the counter make up the sandwiches for you! To me.. there is just something spectacular tasting when someone else makes your sandwiches. Your plain ole bologna can taste, just that.. Plain.. But go to your girlfriends house and her bologna taste like PRIME RIB!!

So.. one day the only bread they had left at this counter was Sunflower Bread... HUH?? What?? ummm.. ewwww.. I HATE nuts.. nuts in anything.. just YUCK!.. But I was hungry and said.. "ok.. give me that.. " That BREAD WAS THE BEST! Now anytime I get a sandwich and they don't HAVE the bread I'm bummed...

However.. through an e-mail group someone e-mailed this recipe for Sunflower Bread... So I HAD to try it to see if it stood up to the ole work bread. This bread EVEN WENT FARTHER than works bread!! this bread was OUTSTANDING!!

So here it is!! This is on it's side!!
See the shadow in this picture?? It was my daughter hovering over me WAITING to grab the first piece!!


So.. I think I should share the recipe with you!! YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!!! TRY IT!!

Sunflower Bread ( The real name is Sun nut but it's sunflower to me!)
I am giving you the "bigger" of the two recipes!

1 Cup Warm Water
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP butter, softened
3 TBSP honey
2 TBSP dry milk
2 1/2 cups bread flour
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
3 tsp active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan according to manufacturer's suggestion.
I set it on the dough cycle ( takes about 1 hour 40 minutes)
When that's done I take it out of the machine and place in a sprayed bread loaf pan and cover and let rise again ( about 40 minutes) in a dry warm area. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting! Slather with butter and enjoy.. or use for sandwiches. I think it tastes BEST with a chicken salad or Roast beef....!!

I was TAGGED again... LOL LOL.. this time by Jayedee

She says this is an easier meme... and it seems to be true... here's what I have to do...

1) pick up the nearest book ( one of at least 123 pages)
2)Open the page to 123
3) Find the 5th sentence
4)Post the next three sentences
5) Tag 5 people!

My book that I grabbed is "Mama's homemade Love" by A southern woman leaves a legacy~ Barbar Sims

Well page 123 doesn't have a 5th sentence.. so I'll write what is on that page...

Mx together ingredients and spread over crust.
Cover with cooked fresh blueberries or pie filling.
Top with Cool Whip. cool 12 hours and then cut into squares to serve.

I tag...
1) TAM
2) Wendy
3) Mere
4) Erin... gotcha back.. lol lol
5) Donna

I was tagged by the beautiful and talented ERIN

Here is a fun meme! Answer the questions below. Take your answers to google images then post the picture that answers your question. Make sure there is a picture for every answer. And to make this even more fun do NOT use any of your pictures to answer the questions.Find them all at google and then tag your friends to do the same!

1) A place you would like to travel:

2)Favorite Food:
3) Favorite Dessert:
4)Your Name:
5)Favorite Animal:
6) Your Pet's names: Nellie OlsenOreos
7)Favoite Singer/Band: This one was HARD for me.. I love so many!!

Steven Curtis Chapman
8) Town you live in:
9)Current Job:
10)Favorite Author:
11) Favorite Color:
12) A bad Habit:Napping!!
13) Favorite Objects:
14) A favorite Celebrity: David Beckham
15) Favorite Song:

Punxsutawney Phil saw his Shadow..... sighhhh.. enough said today from this New Englander!!