Frugal Friday Wrap Up 8/28/2026

 

~We have a hanai (adopted by love) son who has gone through something really traumatic. God laid it on my heart to order something special for him with a very special message.

~One of Jeff's bosses (and friend) is one of the most positive and kind people, who also gives back to the community in so many ways.  I found a shirt that is perfect for him and ordered it as a "thank you" for all he does. Both this shirt and the something special for my hanai son were on sale at a veteran owned website.

~I forgot to add this to my last frugal post, but Isaiah sent me home with 2 large zucchinis.  Some will be made into a casserole, some for zucchini bread and some will be frozen for future meals and treats.

~The apples that Jeff and I picked last week were made into applesauce.  I got roughly 14 cups of applesauce.

~Sunday, I made a homemade sauce with chive butter, tomatoes, red peppers from the freezer, olive oil, homemade herb salt and pepper, along with some rose wine.  I served this over cheese and spinach ravioli.  It was dinner that night and leftovers for lunch on Monday.

~Saturday afternoon was really hot outside, so we turned the swamp cooler and the living room fan on and watched 3 movies in a row.

~Steven spent the day with me on Tuesday.  He and I went shopping at Walmart and found him a pair of shorts on clearance.  We also found a travel lock for doors (also on clearance).  Going to 2 thrift stores, we found floral picks in muted Fall colors, a table runner that I will be using on the credenza, a beautiful Winter themed picture, a brass teapot, some books for our neighbor's little boy and for Steven, and some new in package socks (these will be donated to Ruck for the Fallen). Oh, I also found a Gin pour kit with a funnel and 2 bottles with corked tops, Since I make my own blackberry and raspberry infused gin, I thought this would make a great way to gift them.

~The blackberry patch is giving us lots of blackberries.  Some will be eaten fresh, shared with family and friends and some will go into making the Gim mentioned above.

~I had baked a bunch of potatoes earlier in the week.  Thursday night I used them to make twice baked potatoes for dinner.  YUM!!!!

Frugal Friday Wrap Up 8/21/2026

    Hello my friends!  It has been quite the week here.  We had record heat that literally made me sick and sent me into a huge fibro flare.  I have basically been a slug for part of this week. I took naps, watched lots of Fall themed YouTube videos (helps me "cool down"), and was very gentle with myself.  My hero hubby, Jeff, took care of the yard and helped me pick apples and blackberries on the days when I had some energy.  I struggle with the heat and really cannot wait for Fall.  Despite the health setbacks, Jeff and I did manage to get some frugal things in this week: 

~Jeff and I went to Goodwill. I found some comfy Sketchers sandals.  They are not a style I usually wear but I decided to give them a try for $6.99.  I also found a soft lounge wear top by the brand Felina, which I love.  Along with these, 4 beautiful glass coffee mugs were added to my basket.

~Grocery Outlet was having their huge 80th Anniversary sale with wine at 25% off, large avocados and mangos for 80 each, along with bags of potatoes and apples for 80 cents each also.  I picked those up and bought some bags of cucumbers for $1.50 each.  We picked up 2 6 packs of the Liquid Death drinks for Chris at his request since he was not going to make it over there.  Jeff found Oreos for 50 cents a package and bought 4 of those.  Oh, they had 1 orange honeydew left on only charge me 80 cents for that also.

~We sold a large landscape painting for $20.

~We sold a sliding miter saw for $50.

~We sold the dining room chairs for $30.

~Jeff and Bradley worked on Bradley's car (formerly Jeff's car) and it now lives at Bradley's house. Jeff included many "new car parts" that he had salvaged off his old car of the same make and year.  Bradley is a very happy and appreciative new car owner. 😊 Heather graciously fed us lunch that day. Oh yes, Jeff also gave Bradley another driving lesson since it is a stick shift.

~Jeff and I picked a bunch of summer apples off our tree.

~Jeff is scheduled for a colonoscopy next week. The pharmacist at Walmart in Pullman, WA went online for Jeff and got a manufacturer's coupon code to bring the price for the prep pills down from $200 to $60.  We also were able to schedule the colonoscopy for the same morning as my doctor's appointment to get bloodwork done and go over how I am doing on my meds.  This is saving us a trip over to the hospital at another time.

~I got out some thinly sliced top round beef that I had previously bought on sale and marinated it in homemade teriyaki sauce.  We had that, along with rice, for dinner on Wednesday night.

~I've been picking blueberries and blackberries, along with a cucumber and cherry tomatoes, from the garden.

~Another trip to Goodwill.  Jeff got a really nice shirt and I picked up a soft Soma pajama gown, 2 soft loungewear tops, and a soft cotton dress.  Unfortunately, the dress was way too big on me once I tried it on at home.  I will have to take it back and get store credit.

   I hope you all are staying cool and spending time with family and friends.  It is so important to surround yourself with people you love!

Be blessed!

Frugal Friday Wrap Up 8/13/2026

 

   Thank you all for the warm welcome back to the blog-a-sphere (is that even a real word).  I know it had been a bit since I had last posted.  It just seemed like time got away from me with everything going on.  Along with the things I shared in my last post, the garden took up a lot of my time as we got it ready, weeded, amended and planted all out.  Now we were just trying to keep things alive as the heat and smoke have taken a heavy toll in it.  Anyway, there will be no pictures in this post because I still have yet to figure out how to import photos from my phone onto my computer.  If anyone can help me in that area, I am all ears.  I have an android phone.  Anyway, onto the money saving things that have been going on at our house.

~Jeff and I recently went up to the Habitat for Humanity Resale store in Hayden, Idaho.  There we found a large and long Basset brand dresser to use as a credenza in our dining room.  Cost $100 If you research Basset furniture you will see that we got a screaming deal on it.  Jeff also found 2 hollow core interior doors that match the ones in our home that needed to be replaced.  He got them each for $40.  That is a huge savings over ordering them new.

~I moved most of our china, including multiple sets of Christmas themed sets, Fall sets, our wedding set, etc., cloth napkins, trivets, and other odds and ends into it.  This cleared up space in my built in china cabinet, which is now filled with all my crystal bar glasses, wine glasses, martini glasses, glass wine decanter, and 2 gorgeous glass pitchers.  It also now houses my small bar along with the smaller barware that goes along with said bar.  It looks so pretty and I can now access everything!  The biggest job was actually hand washing all of the glassware so that it was sparkling clean and ready to go.

~We were not using our dining room table and chairs, nor the hanging swag stained glass lighting fixture, along with a dresser, so I put them up for sale on Facebook Marketplace.  I have sold the lamp and dresser already after just 2 days and have someone who wants the chairs.

~I harvested tomatoes, a cucumber, blueberries, some squash and my first blackberries from the garden this week.  Jeff and I need to start working on the summer apples later today.

~Our neighbors smoked some pork belly and gave us some of it. I sliced it up like bacon and fried it up.  Yum!

~Even though the weather is hot and smoky, I pulled some homemade Zuppa Toscana out of the freezer for dinner one night.

~We went to Marshall's and they had their big clearance sale.  Jeff found some jeans for $6 (it is really hard to find jeans that fit and are not tight around his muscular thighs), and some flavored coffees that he wanted to try.  I found a set of long thin brushes for washing out bottles and vases, along with a new set of long handled strainers (the ones I have are old and starting to fall apart). I also found some cute cat themed kitchen towels that were not on sale, but were too cute to leave behind.

~Jeff bought a universal remote control at Ross since he somehow misplaced the one for our blu-ray player.  It was on sale, so score!

~Jeff worked on some furniture repairs and installed some seat belt guides into his little car that is going to Bradley.

~We gave each other haircuts.

~Our passports came in so I gave all the information to my sister who is booking the flights that I found at the best prices and with longer layovers so we can get through customs and still have time to spare in case we have a flight delay.  It also leaves us time to grab something to eat in Seattle and/or Los Angelas.  We are so excited to finally be going to Tahiti later this year.

~I started Tai Chi walking in my home and doing some 5 pound weights to firm up my arms.  I found the Tai Chi walking on YouTube so my exercise program is all free.

~Fall is in the air (at least in my home because I am done with Summer 😉) so I have pulled out my Fall decor and am having fun decorating the house with the abundance of choices that I have at my hands here.

A Long Overdue Update

 

    Yes, I have been quiet over the past months.  We have had lots going on in our family and I needed to focus on my kids and grandkids.  The first order of business is that Josh, Lauren, Peyton and Tate moved to Germany for the next 3 years.  That is them in the above picture at a castle with their swords and shields.  They are loving exploring castles and forest trails near their new home.  Before they left, we met them in Montana at my parents' place in May.  We had a wonderful visit with them, my parents, and my brother Fritz.  We also celebrated my father's 88th birthday complete with an applesauce cake made with homemade applesauce from our apple tree here at home.  We made wonderful family memories and brought home Peaches, their cat, to live with us, and Nala, their Golden retriever, to live with Chris, Heather, Bradley and Isaiah.  

    We flew down to see them near the end of June to help them with the last push for their big move and to bring home Josh's truck, lawn mower, trimmer and a few other bulky things to stay with us for their 3 years overseas.  It was so hard to say goodbye to all of them.  I know that they will have great adventures, but still, it is difficult to know that we cannot just get in the car to drive down to them.  We are planning on going to visit them in Germany and do some traveling in Europe within the next 3 years.

   

   Bradley celebrated his 14th birthday in March.  He will be able to get his driver's permit here soon so he and Jeff have been working on getting his car ready (Jeff's car that he is giving to him).  Only a few more things for them to do together, a few more driving lessons (it's a stick shift) and it will go home to live with Bradley.  Bradley is very excited about having his own car and is so appreciative of us gifting him with his first car.  It's funny to think that I started this blog before he was born to celebrate my joy in becoming a grandmother for the first time.  Now here he is, a teenager (and a very nice one at that) and soon to be legal driver!

   

 

   Bradley, Isaiah, Chris and Jeff finally got the long-promised treehouse built at Chris and Heather's home.  Chris had told the boys they would build one, but other things got in the way (like Chris' very hectic life).  One Spring day it was decided that they were going to get it done.  Jeff was there to help with the framing and part of the flooring, and then Chris and the boys took over from there.  They have really been enjoying their treehouse and I know that Isaiah and one of his cousins had camped up there on at least one occasion.

 

   Our Steven turned 9 years old!  He is getting so tall and is a pure delight to have around.  He loves exploring and snakes, yes snakes!  As far as this grammie is concerned, that is his only flaw (just kidding, I really do not like snakes, but this kiddo adores them and even cuddles them.  As long as he keeps them far away from me, it is all good).  Steven spent the night with us 2 nights ago and we really enjoyed our special time with him.

   Our Isaiah is now officially a teenager at age 13.  He loves to hunt, fish, camp, garden and spend time exploring.  He also has his own Youtube channel and has added a weekly bible verse to it.  He finds the verses and shares them, along with some music.  This boy just amazes me with his heart for the Lord.  He also gives great hugs!

    For those of you wondering, we do live south of Spokane Washington that was hit so hard with the fires wiping out neighborhoods.  Please pray for the people up there, as well as all the fire fighters from all over the world that have come to help us.  We had 2 fires closer to us within the past few days and had our emergency plan in place just in case.  Luckily they were able to get those under control and are now doing to mop up and putting out hot spots on one while still working on back burning and things on the other.  Only a few structures have been lost down our way, but I do know at least one was someone's home.  This has been a horrific fire season so far and everyone is on edge.  The smoke has been bad and there have been times that alone has sent me into a huge fibro flare.  Jeff and I have been relying on fans to keep us cool since we cannot run the swamp cooler when the air quality is really bad outside.  Our poor gardens have suffered as well from the heat and the air quality, along with a flea beetle infestation.

   Other than spending time with our family, Jeff and I have been busy cleaning things out and either selling or donating things we no longer need.  I have already sold a vintage hanging lamp and table within the past hour.  We took out our dining room table and replaced it with a large credenza which gives us more storage and opens up our small dining area.  We were not using the dining table and chairs, so they, along with a dresser, were put up on Facebook and currently awaiting new owners.  Jeff and I have become one of those old couples who eat dinner in their recliners, or, in good weather, we eat out on the back porch on our table out there.

   Be blessed all and I will try to update more frequently.

  

Daddy -Tate Golf Date

 

   Tate got his Daddy-Tate golf date and absolutely loved it!  This kid is already an avid golfer and practices at home a lot.  They played a round of golf, hit balls at the driving range and then got lunch.

   The day started off cool, so Josh got the kiddo bundled up so that he would not freeze.  Nothing was going to stop Tate from golfing though.  This kid is obsessed with the game.

   He really does have good form and can hit it pretty far for his age.   Do I think we have the next Tiger Woods on our hands?  Nope!  What we do have is a kiddo is learning golf at a young age and doing something that e enjoys very much.  Hopefully this will carry on into his adult years so he can enjoy many more games of golf with his parents.

Peyton and Tate's Daddy is Finally Home and Peyton and Daddy's Date

 

   Our son Josh is finally home after 6 months serving overseas in Japan.  He has missed so many birthdays and holidays while being deployed in the lives of his young children.  It has been so hard on him, the kids and Lauren.  Lauren has been an absolute rockstar holding down the fort at home during these "work trips" as they are called in their home.  In the picture above, taken yesterday, our Josh had a daddy-daughter date day with Peyton.  The went to see the movie Hoppers.  He is going to have a daddy-son date day also with Tate, taking him golfing.

   

 

   The grandkids had signs ready to greet their daddy at the airport when he flew in last week and our son said it was so special to see the signs and his kiddos holding them.  Our Lauren made sure to make things as special as possible to welcome her hubby home!  All is right in the world again now that they are all together once again. 

   They now start the process of sorting through things that they are going to store and things they are going to take with their move to Germany coming up in July.  We will be heading down spend some time with them in the near future and bring home Josh's truck, some of their items that they want to be here with us, and to bring their cat home to live with us also.  There is a lot to do within the next few months and some big decisions to make.  Hopefully everything will work out the way they hope and the move will go smoothly.

   

And The Treehouse Finally Gets Started

 

   Bradley and Isaiah have been asking for Treehouse forever.  Well, Gpa, along with Chris and Isaiah, took advantage of a beautiful day and got started on it.  The plan is to add the floor, railings and then a roof at some point.

   Apparently, the boys could not wait for the official floors too get on, so they improvised with some wood they found in the shop.  It was another beautiful day outside, so they decided to do their schoolwork in their treehouse.  Our Heather, their mother, knows our grandsons, aged 14 (yes, Bradley is now 14!) and Isaiah (who will be 13 soon), realized that they would be so distracted if trapped inside to do school, let them just do it outside.  Smart lady!  This is one of the many advantages to homeschooling. 😁

   Hopefully Jeff, Chris and the boys will be able to do more work on the treehouse as funds allow.  This has been a wonderful project and the boys have learned so much about building and all the measurements, making sure things are well supported and safe, and patience.  I have loved seeing them all work on this together.