How Frugal Can Ya Get?!

Our Garden at the beginning of the season.
The pig we raised.
One of those free pumpkins!
Idaho can be a great place to live when times are tough. I have learned some great lessons here. Being frugal is one. Here are some ideas for you that I have done. Make your own bread; lots of hard work if you don't have a bread machine or a kitchen aid, but even better is the day old bread from the bread store. You can buy a truck load for about 3 dollars, we freeze it. Use the bags from the groceries for trash; don't buy trash bags! If you are lucky to live near a farm...and we are surrounded by them; gleaning is a must; we have dug up potatoes after the harvest, pumpkins, tomatoes, corn, lots of fruit and we always stop on the side of the road for the onions that have fallen off the big trucks( onion season is big here). Gardening has become second nature, although we only grow what we can't get cheap in the winter for canning and freezing( mostly fruit and a few select veggies). Hunting has become a way to fill the freezer before the paychecks stop. We grind our own elk and deer meat (mixed with bacon or pork fat, you can get for free at most meat departments in the grocery store) This year we raised a pig (fed it day old bread..cheep food) and only paid 47cents a pound for it to be butchered. It taste great. I have also found that soapy water and watered down bleach are great for cleaning everything, and you can buy it in big enough bottles to last a few months. If you have any other frugal ideas you have done, please share them!!

Us!

We have been on a roller coaster ride since we moved to Idaho. I would give my right arm to move back to Hawaii, but since that isn't an option, we are plugging away at life here. We bought a Commercial door business two and a half years ago. Since the economy is so crappy, we are going to have a very interesting winter. Hugh Finally has decided to go back to school (thanks to the crappy economy I guess it isn't all bad) and he wants a job that isn't effected by it. I go hunting with him mainly because it is the only time we can ditch the kids at grandmas and leave for a couple days. Plus we get to fill our freezer and not buy meat for a year. This pic is the most recent one of our trips. It was so cold that day it started snowing about an hour after we took this pic. I am working with the company answering phones, invoicing, collecting money (when we actually get paid, which is like pulling teeth most of the time) . I also am busy with church activities.

Liberty

We call her Libby for short. She is very head strong, likes to scream and gives the best smile. She also says "Hello" to every person we walk by. She is really funny girl. She can even beat up her big brother! She is 18 months now and is way to skinny for her age. She isn't even on the growth chart. Colton was the same way, I don't know why....I am always giving them fating food. She is a climber! If you turn your back for a second she will climb up the bar stool and on the counter pulling everything out of the cupboards. Libby loves to color and draw, its so cute she gets very serious about it. Today Hugh was doing his math home work and getting frustrated, so he let out this grunt/ sigh, Libby made the same noise and started drawing faster. She is just like her daddy!

Colton

Colton has changed quite a bit! He is 6 and in first grade. His school has an all boys class that he is in and they are taught different from the girls. Even down to the temperature of the room, it is all conducive to the way boys learn. He actually remembers his math, and is getting an "E" on his report card in phonics. He also had to get glasses, and right now he likes them. We'll see how long that lasts. He hates brushing his teath, and last time he got the flue shot, he had a panic attak and tried to run out of the room, but we held him down on the floor and let the nurse give it to him. It was pretty funny.

We've Got One Too!

Ok, so I feel really bad for not keeping in touch with good friends and family. I never write one of those end of year things about our family and I am the worst at sending out cards. You might think why not? Its really simple and easy. Well for me it is the hardest thing to do. But I am trying this blog thing and will be better at keeping it updated, all though I have failed in the past. So, wish me luck......